Published: May 23, 2017, 09:51 AM (IST)
Edited: May 23, 2017, 09:51 AM (IST)
Ahead of what shapes as a crucial 12 months, Cricket Hong Kong coach Simon Cook has unveiled the men’s squads that will form the pool of players vying for a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup qualifiers in 2019. Prior to that Hong Kong, ranked 14th in the world for One Day Internationals, will need to ensure positive results in their ICC World Cricket League Championship matches against Nepal (Oct) and PNG (Dec) with another 8-team Asia T20 tournament likely to also be played at home in December. The squad identifies the 16 players who have earned full-time contracts with Cricket Hong Kong or the Hong Kong Sports Institute which will again provide funding to allow full-time training for 11 of the 16 players. Tim Cutler parts ways with Cricket Hong Kong
“As a group of selectors we believe these 44 players are the best players in Hong Kong and are the next in line for the immediate future,” coach Simon Cook said. “There are three under-16s in there who might be more long term and there are others that could come into consideration but we are confident in this group. The national squad will train up to 30 hours a week and the ‘A’ squad will generally train around 8 hours a week, which includes Conditioning and technical sessions.” The national squad will consist of 29 players this year with 10 players being based overseas.
Promoted into a full-time contract for the first time is Shahid Wasif, with the Diasqua Little Sai Wan batsman impressing in his first 12 months of international cricket.”His attitude and natural ability have impressed all that have come into contact with him and we are looking for the same level of improvement over the next 12 months as we near the end of the WCL cycle and World Cup Qualifiers, Cook said.
In the A squad, there are a number of new faces to come in, with Simon Cook pleased to add two more CHK Sportsroad Dragons players after their improved season.”The continued progression of the Dragons team has meant that this year we are able to select Jason Lui and Sigfried Wai into the program on merit,” Cook said.”We hope that these two players will progress in the same way as Ming has done, this is quantified by looking at Ming’s Sunday league bowling performances this year which have been outstanding and highlights why he deserves his national squad position.”
“Both have proved that they have the potential going forward and have much more to come. With the profile of Hong Kong Cricket at an all-time high the pool of players that the selectors can choose from is not just national anymore but global. This means that players now have to work really hard to get into any Hong Kong representative squad and work even harder to stay there. This has been highlighted with 7 players being removed from our national squads as new players pass them by and are given the chance to excel.”
Hong Kong Contracted players
Tanwir Afzal (PACC), Nadeem Ahmed (DLSWCC), Tanveer Ahmed (KCC), Chris Carter (KCC), Babar Hayat (DLSWCC), Adil Mehmood (KCC), Waqas Khan (DLSWCC), Nizakat Khan (HKCC), Aizaz Khan (KCC), Ehsan Nawaz (KCC), Mark Chapman (HKCC and Auckland), Kinchit Shah (KCC), Giacomo Lamplough (HKCC), Anshuman Rath (HKCC), Ehsan Khan (DLSWCC), Shahid Wasif (DLSWCC)
National Squad
Jamie Atkinson (KCC), Waqas Barkat (KCC), Ninad Shah (KCC), Li Kai Ming (CHK Dragons), Mohammad Awais (USRC), Mohammad Umar (USRC), Matt Stiller (KCC), Raag Kapur (HKCC), Cameron McAulsen (HKCC), Jhathavedh Subramanyan (HKCC), Kabir Sodhi (HKCC), Kyle Christie (Perth), Haroon Arshad Mohammad (DLSWCC)
Hong Kong A squad
Kalhan Challu (KCC), Sunny Bhimsaria (KCC), Adit Gorawara (KCC), Akbar Khan (SLCC), Mohammad Osama (DLSWCC), Harprett Singh (DLSWCC), Devang Bulsara (KCC), Wajid Shah (Kent), Siegfried Wai (CHK Dragons), Mohammad Saad (Vagabonds), Jason Lui (CHK Dragons), Mohammad Huzafah (Vagabonds), Hameed Khan (PACC), Vishal Sharma (KCC), Karandeep Singh (DLSWCC), Simandeep Singh (KCC), Hassan Khan (PACC), Sikandar Zafar (USRC), She Yar Saeed (DLSWCC), Qasim Khan (PACC), Angus Robson (HKCC), Tej Sheopuri (HKCC), Suhaib Ahmed (KCC), Imran Arif (KCC), Ashley Caddy (KCC)
