Tournaments

ACC Under 19 Challenge Cup 2009

ACC UNDER-19 CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINALS PREVIEW 

A PLACE IN ASIAN CRICKET’S ELITE 

Wednesday sees  the two semi-finals of the ACC Under-19 Challenge Cup played in Chiang Mai. The winners of the two matches will go forward to the final and gain promotion to the Elite Division. 

Host country Thailand have been performing outstandingly well in the tournament, winning their three matches so far to head Group B, and they face China, second in Group A, at Gymkhana Club.  

Thailand have a well-balanced bowling attack with two wonderful left-arm spinners in captain Vichanath Singh and Noppon Senamatree and should be too strong for China who showed signs of improvement in their victories over Brunei and Myanmar. 

Kuwait are probably the most powerful side in the tournament and have not been tested so far winning all three matches in Group A in quickfire style. They face Bahrain in the other semi-final at Prem Centre.  

Bahrain, coached by Pakistan Test player Mohsin Kamal, have already had three tough matches against Maldives, Thailand and Iran in Group B and will be looking to spring a surprise. 

The Thai girls have enjoyed great success on the cricket field in the last year and now the boys will win a place in Asian cricket’s elite if they beat China at Gymkhana on Wednesday. Cricket in Thailand looks as strong as it has ever been.

PREVIEW OF ACC UNDER-19 CHALLENGE CUP - THAILAND’S BOYS HAVE CHANCE TO SHINE

Thailand are again hosting an important international cricket tournament when the ACC Under-19 Challenge Cup is held in Chiang Mai from 9th to 18th December. Thailand’s girls have been very successful on the cricket field in the last year, both at under-19 and senior level, so the Thai boys will be hoping to show they are just as good at cricket as the girls.

The ACC Under-19 Challenge Cup is an eight-team tournament for teams across Asia. The teams have been divided into two groups: Kuwait, China, Brunei and Myanmar make up Group A, while Thailand play in Group B with Maldives, Bahrain and Iran.  

The four teams in each group play each other on a round-robin basis, with the top two teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The winners of the two semi-finals, played on 16th December, will contest the final two days later and also gain promotion to the ACC Elite Division.

Afghanistan have recently gained full One-Day International status and their juniors will soon be playing in the Under-19 World Cup. Thailand’s cricketers have the chance to follow the same road. It will take many years but they should be looking to climb as high as they can in the cricket world.

Bhutan’s young players have been regular visitors to tournaments in Thailand and have shown what is possible by qualifying for the ACC Elite Division at senior level. They will now also play in Division Eight of the ICC World Cricket League and promotion through the divisions could eventually bring a place in the Cricket World Cup.

Thailand’s boys, just like the girls, should aim high and look to take their place among the elite nations of the cricket world. The first step is to reach the final of this tournament, so there will be exciting cricket ahead at Gymkhana Club and Prem Centre, Chiang Mai’s two beautiful cricket grounds.

The tournament starts on Wednesday 16th December. All matches are 50-over aside and play is due to start at 9-30 am. Stay in tune to http://www.cricketthailand.com/index.html for the latest new and scores regarding the ACC Trophy Challenge 2009. We report the action as it happens!!

Group 'A': Brunei, China, Kuwait, Myanmar

Group 'B': Bahrain, Iran, Maldives, Thailand

Match Schedule & Results - All matchs start 09.30

Points Table & Net Run Rate

ACC UNDER-19 CHALLENGE CUP 2009 – STATS

Team Averages

Bahrain

Brunei

China

Iran

Kuwait

Maldives

Myanmar

Thailand

Leading Players

Leading Run Scorers

Leading Wicket Takers

ACC Throphy Challenge 2009

PREVIEW OF ACC TROPHY CHALLENGE 2009

International cricket returns to Thailand on Monday 12th January when Chiang Mai hosts the ACC Trophy Challenge 2009. Eight senior men’s teams are taking part in what is effectively the Asian Cricket Council’s second division.

Oman, Bhutan, Brunei and Myanmar make up Group A, while Thailand, Maldives, Iran and China make up Group B. Each team will play three qualifying matches of 50 overs aside with the top two teams in each group progressing to the semi-finals.

The two countries who reach the final on 21st January will gain promotion to the ACC’s Elite Division and have the opportunity to play in other exciting tournaments staged across Asia. It will be a good test of the strength of men’s cricket in Thailand as the home side have a good chance of qualifying for the semi-finals and beyond.

Oman look to be the pre-tournament favourites as they have gained promotion to the ICC World Cricket League Division One with a series of fine results in Division Two in Namibia and they will soon be playing in a qualifying tournament for the 2011 World Cup.

Oman have to play in the Challenge competition this year following a disappointing performance in the ACC Trophy in Malaysia in 2006 when they won only one match. They showed they were back to their best by reaching the final of the ACC Twenty20 tournament in Kuwait in 2007, when they tied with Afghanistan. Bhutan’s improving team will be looking to join Oman in the semi-finals from Group A.

Thailand’s main challenge in Group B will come from Maldives who have beaten the home side twice in the finals of Emerging Nations Tournaments with star player Moosa Kaleem scoring two 100s against them in 2005 and an unbeaten 65 in 2006. Thailand should be too strong for Iran, who they beat in 2006, and for China who will be looking to make a good impression before they host the 2010 Asian Games.

The competition will give cricket followers in Chiang Mai the chance to watch some highly competitive men’s cricket and to cheer the home side on, following the success of the under-17 boys team and the under-19 girls team who recently both finished third in their respective tournaments.

The Challenge competition will get off to an exciting start on the opening day with Thailand playing their main rivals Maldives in Group B at Gymkhana Club and Oman taking on Bhutan in Group A at Prem Centre.

Stay in tune to http://www.cricketthailand.com/index.html for the latest new and scores regarding the ACC Trophy Challenge 2009. Reporting the action as it happens!!

Group 'A': Oman, Bhutan, Brunei, Myanmar

Group 'B': Thailand, Maldives, Iran, China

Match Schedule & Results - All matchs start 09.30

Tournament Averages

Click here for the teams averages for the ACC Trophy Challenge 2009

Points Table & Net Run Rate

Oman live up to the hype!

Oman who have looked the strongest team throughout the competition duly won the ACC Trophy Challenge 2009 by defeating Bhutan by 213 runs in the final at Prem Centre, Chiang Mai.

Bhutan won the toss and elected to field first hoping no doubt to put pressure on a strong batting line up with their varied bowling attack, but the move backfired as Oman scored a mighty 322 for 9 in their 50 overs.

The openers took 27 from the first two overs, Maqsood Hussain hitting two fours and a six in his 14 from six balls. Adnan Ilyas  made a blistering 138 from 118 balls with 19 fours and four sixes, sharing a second wicket partnership of 94 with Vaibhav Wategaonkar who made 24, as Oman’s run-rate remained above seven an over for the first 20 overs.

Match Page

ACC U-19 Women's Championship 2008

The Cricket Association of Thailand will again be hosting another ACC tournament. But this is the same as the rest, this tournament will be the first ever women’s under 19’s tournament to be held in by the ACC. The ACC U-19’s women’s Championship is to be held in Chiang Mai with twelve cricketing nations coming together all for one women’s championship. The tournament will be commencing 11th December with the Grand Final being played on the 23rd December. This promises to be an exciting tournament with four 25 over games a-day at two grounds. Cricketing nations from allover Asia will be fighting the trophy this year with United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Qatar, Iran, Oman, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Kuwait, China, Bhutan and the host Thailand who will looking to give a good show on there own turf.

The eleven different nations will be split in to two groups A and B, with the tournament being a 25 over competition. Games will be played at two grounds Gymkhana Club and Prem School with two games a-day to be played at each ground. The semi finals will take place on the 22nd December. The 23rd is the Grand Final and this is where the two best nations will be able to show there cricketing excellence for one last time.

Thailand will help to get the competition under way when they play Qatar at Gymkhana on Saturday. Morning matches start at 10 am and, after a 30 minute break for lunch, afternoon matches begin at 1-50 pm.

The competition should be an exciting one as the most talented young players from across Asia compete for the title of ACC U-19 women’s champions and show that women’s cricket is truly becoming a world game.

Group 'A': U.A.E, Hong Kong, Qatar, Oman, Thailand

Group 'B': Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Kuwait, China, Bhutan

Review of the ACC U19 Women’s Championship 2008

Nepal became the first winners of the Asian Cricket Council’s Under-19 Women’s Championship held in Chiang Mai between 13th and 23rd December when they easily beat Malaysia by seven wickets in the final.

Nepal won all seven matches in the competition and were clearly the best side with a very strong bowling attack and the final was a one-sided affair as they bowled out Malaysia for just 45.

Home side Thailand lost to Nepal in the semi-final but their young side made sure that the tournament ended on a high as they beat Hong Kong by four wickets to claim third place, a great achievement for a young side made up of ethnic Thais several who have learnt their cricket at schools and clubs in Chiang Mai itself.

The home side bowled and fielded with great enthusiasm to restrict Hong Kong to a total of 74 for eight. No one reached double figures in their innings as Piraorn Kamla finished the competition with 16 wickets to make her the leading wicket-taker.

A seemingly simple target of 75 in 25 overs was never going to be comfortable for Thailand but the crowd was treated to an entertaining run-chase as the young Thais went for their shots. The home side were wobbling at 42 for six but Thailand’s bold approach was finally rewarded as Nathakan Chanthan and Pimpika Jindakam shared a stand of 33 to bring victory by four wickets.

Their thrilling win brought Thailand’s girls third place in the competition and they were also given the Spirit of Cricket  award for their fearless and entertaining approach to the game. Hong Kong’s Keenu Gill was made player of the tournament for scoring 135 runs and taking 15 wickets, while Natasha Cherriath of the UAE won the batting award and Kuwait’s Priyada Murali was the bowler of the tournament.

All these awards made at the presentation following the last match of the competition symbolized the great success of the tournament. Perhaps the four teams that reached the semi-finals had the greatest strength in depth, particularly champions Nepal, but all the other countries had outstanding individuals who will have benefited greatly from such competitive cricket. Other girls had the chance to take part in such a wonderful event only a few months after learning to play the game. They are now hoping this tournament will be the first of many.

The great success of the competition with 11 teams from across Asia taking part has shown that cricket is truly a world game even for young girls. Thailand can be very proud both of its team and of the wonderful way that Chiang Mai has staged the tournament. It can now claim to be one of the world’s best venues for tournaments of this type.

Malaysia v Nepal - Final
Malaysia 45 (16.2 overs) (Sonu Khadka 3-9, Sita Magar 2-10, Rekha Rawal 2-11)
Nepal 47-3 (11.5 overs) (Maya Rawat 15; Nur Aishah 2-15)
Nepal won by 7 wickets

Thailand v Hong Kong – Third and Fourth Place Play-off
Hong Kong 74 for 8 (25 overs) (Pornthiva Olarakchat 3-8, Piraorn Kamla 3-19)
Thailand 75 for 6 (20.5 overs) (Chan Sau Ha 3-24, Keenu Gill 2-15)
Thailand won by 4 wickets

Points Table & Net Run Rate

Match Schedule & Results

ACC U-17 Challenge Cup 2008

The Kingdom of Thailand is to host the 2008 edition of the ACC Under-17 Challenge Cup.  A total of seven countries will be partaking in this year edition of the cup which will be commencing on the 17th of November and come to conclusion on the 23rd of November. This year we see the cream of the crop from Afghanistan, China, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman and Thailand all vying not only for top honors but also a ticket to next year’s ‘Under-17 Elite Cup’.  

The seven countries have been split into two groups in order to make full use of all the best that Thailand has to offer in terms of cricketing facilities. Group A consisting of China, Maldives and Thailand will be based in Bangkok. While group B made up of Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar and Oman will be based in Chaing Mai for the preliminary stage of the competition. In which each country will square off against each member of its respective group once, with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi finals.

The semi finals will take place on the 22nd of November. On the following day ‘23rd of November’ we see the victors of the previous day strut their stuff one last time while battling it out for top honors. While the two teams that were not as fortunate on the previous day will be dueling it out for 3rd and 4th places at Asian Institute of Technology. As if that was not enough cricket for one day, we have Bangkok Patana School hosting the third placed teams from the preliminary stage of the tournament as they compete for the 5th and 6th places.

The schedule of the tournament matches including details such as match venues and timing are available below. So if you are free and in the mood to watch some quality cricket please drop by as this tournament promises to produce some quality action. Stayed tuned to ‘cricketthailand.com’ for the latest news and scores from the tournament, ‘reporting it as it happens’.

Group 'A': Oman, Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar
Group 'B': Thailand, Maldives, China

Points Table & Net Run Rate

Match Schedule & Results