Perlman returns from ICC meeting in Mumbai

ICA Chairman Stanley Perlman was in Mumbai last week attending the ICC Management Committee meeting. Perlman is one of the three Associate Members representatives on the committee. Issues discussed included the format of the 2007 World Cup, the most effective procedure for dealing with bowlers with suspect actions, the proposed Super Series between the ICC Champions and The Rest of the World, and a review of the performance of the ICC Elite Panel of umpires.

Pradeep Vijayakar of the Times of India spoke with the three Associate Members representatives at the meeting. The article below appeared in the Times of India on 21 September 2003.

Whilst India is seeking Israel's help to fight terrorism, Israel is looking to India to help in developing its cricket. "We have in the past asked Jagmohan Dalmiya (BCCI president) to help us," said Stanley Perlman, the chairman of the Israel Cricket Association, at the end of the ICC meeting held in Mumbai. Technically, Israel is a member of the European Cricket Council, but Perlman said it was the migration of 25,000 Jews from India in the 1950s that gave cricket its impetus in Israel, where basketball and soccer are the dominant sports. "We have a cricket population of 1,500, of which 1,000 are youngsters. We are no force now but ask me after four years and you will hear a different thing," said Perlman, who was quite vocal at the meeting. Israel youth teams been regularly winning events in Europe over the past three years. "We are targeting the less affluent areas, subsidising equipment, and arranging travel for children so that they play cricket," informed Perlman.

Namibia had pitched for cricket way back in 1992. "In a span of 11 years we played in the World Cup," said Laurie Pieters, the man who built up Namibian cricket. When asked about the spin-offs from the World Cup in South Africa, Pieters said, "Plenty. There are more kids wanting to play than we can cope with. There were 26 kids when we started out in 1992; today there are over 5,000 in the development programme." Namibia beat Zimbabwe A, who had seven regulars, in a recent ODI series with JB Burger leading the way. "We need exposure playing against the Tendulkars and Waughs. We are going forward, make no mistake," Pieters asserted. The only sore point was that the country could not hold back its players, Pieters said, adding "most of them play club cricket in England and South Africa, meaning our local leagues are not so strong." Test nation Bangladesh is set to tour the former South African province next year.

The third minnow to be represented at the Mumbai ICC meeting was Hong Kong. John Cribbin, its CEO, said efforts were on to take the game to the Chinese. "Merely expats playing doesn't help. Our general manager met the sports ministry officials recently and they have promised some funding. We live in hope things will change. We hope to get the schools interested. That's the necessary road to take," he said. Hong Kong, who passed on Dermot Reeve to English cricket, have regularly beaten Singapore in the Tunku Jaffar Cup (South East Asian teams). They hope to beat Asian champs Malaysia next.

Namibia has shown the way. Israel and Hong Kong are ready to take on the cue.