Women's Cricket Team in Hong Kong [10.03.2004]
The Hong Kong Cricket Association is pleased to announce that for the first time a Hong Kong Women's Cricket Team will be formed to play against the Shanghai Ladies Team this coming April. The Ladies XI will be selected from a squad of over 20 players currently playing for The Hong Kong Cricket Club, The Kowloon Cricket Club and The Hong Kong Cricket Association's ladies teams.
Women's cricket has been played for some time in Hong Kong on a friendly basis. Last year however saw the game develop as the ladies teams from The Hong Kong Cricket Club and The Kowloon Cricket Club began competing. Following this the Hong Kong Cricket Association ladies coaching team organized further games during their 'Cricket Week' last October which was designed to promote the sport among the wider community. After an enthusiastic response and some tremendous cricket the HKCA has been looking at the possibility of organizing women's cricket competitions in Hong Kong as well as forming a Hong Kong side to play in regional and international tournaments. With the existence now of a women's world cup, there is every reason to promote the game to more ladies, in the hope that Hong Kong will one day soon be able to field a side of international quality.
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Indeed women's cricket, while being relatively new to Hong Kong, is already well established in other countries such as India, Pakistan and Australia, who currently hold the world title. The formation of The Hong Kong Ladies XI goes some way to legitimizing the sport here. For the first time women will be able to represent Hong Kong in a sport long seen as a male preserve. This is very important to the development of the game here as the removal of this pre-conception opens the way for girls and women of all ages to participate fully in the sport.
This is the strategy of the HKCA, which believes that cricket is a game for the whole family. Accordingly the HKCA is busy trying to broaden the appeal of cricket across the gender divide and among all age groups. The Association's team of women coaches is currently introducing the sport to girls through schools, where they can encourage everyone to try their hand and nurture new talent as it emerges. In addition the HKCA is also providing coaching assistance to the new Hong Kong Ladies squad who are now busy preparing for their first match in China in a few weeks time.
In addition to coaching assistance the HKCA has also provided financial assistance by brokering a deal with 'Strawberrynet.com' who will be sponsoring the ladies team for their upcoming tour. Over the coming months the search will be on for other sponsors, as women's cricket here will no doubt grow in popularity in the near future; there are some exciting opportunities for businesses wishing to be associated with women's sport.
Provided by Hong Kong Cricket Association. For further information, please contact Danny Lai at (852) 2504-8101. |
