bc magazine

HK Cricket: Premier League 2016-17 Preview

As the 2016-17 Hong Kong Premier League gets underway this weekend, bc, with the help of Hong Kong Cricket Association Director of Cricket Charlie Burke, previews the five teams competing for the prestigious 1-day tournament.

“It’s a cliché I know; however, I genuinely feel this season’s Premier League will be the strongest yet with all five sides capable of beating each other,” Charlie Burke. “The test will be consistency and game plans as we watch with anticipation who will win the 2016-17 Premier League title.”

“It is great to see players such as Giacomo Lamplough, Ehsan Nawaz, Ehsan Khan and Ninad Shah all come through the Premier League structure and have earned a spot on the National squad.”

“The performance of our national team players in this competition is a critical part of their ongoing selection in the national team and a great chance for some guys that have sights set on playing for Hong Kong to push for selection and potentially even contracts,” added Burke.

The league opens with defending champions Little Sai Wan taking on Pakistan Association this Sunday – 9:30am at Tin Kwong Road. While Hong Kong Cricket Club will face Kowloon Cricket Club at home starting at 10am.

Little Sai Wan Cricket Club
“Defending Champions Little Sai Wan will again be really hard to beat, however the loss of Moner Dar may put pressure on the club’s middle order and responsibility will be handed to the likes of Babar Hayat and new captain Ehsan Khan who has just made his debut for Hong Kong.” – Charlie Burke

“Little Sai Wan are confident to defend our title in the Premier League and will continue to play our own brand of cricket emphasizing on teamwork and commitment towards the club. We have great confidence in our new Captain Ehsan Khan along with vice-captain, Babar Hayat and our coach Ghulam Saqlain to deliver the goods. We look forward to the new season, it will be a challenging one both on and off the field.” – Tony Mehta, DLSWCC President

Squad: Ahmed, Nadeem; Ali, Niaz; Haroon, Arshad; Hayat, Babar; Khan, Anas; Khan, Ehsan (Captain); Khan, Jangzeb; Khan, Waqas; Singh, Amanadeep; Singh, Karandeep; Wasif, Shahid

Kowloon Cricket Club
“Kowloon Cricket Club will be disappointed at not winning the competition last season and go into this season’s competition as favorites with a line-up that includes 7 current internationals, former national vice-captain and two other National squad players along with KCC Cricketer of the year from last season in Dan Pascoe.” – Charlie Burke

“KCC are very much looking forward to what should be an extremely competitive Premier League season. I am especially looking forward to watching the development of our Hong Kong National Players in my squad as the push for selection at the highest level. Players to watch are Ninad Shah, Tanveer Ahmed & Chris Carter.” – Ryan Campbell, KCC Cricket Operations Manager

“KCC are again delighted to be part of the 2016-17 Premier League. KCC has a proud tradition of being part of the PL since the inception of the PL. KCC has won the PL on several occasions. We also at KCC have over the years produced national players and as well as national captains. I would like to wish the KCC PL team a successful season and all you have made us proud.” – Shiroy Vachha, KCC Captain of Cricket

Squad: Ahmed Tanveer; Arif Imran; Atkinson James (Captain); Barkat Waqas; Campbell Ryan; Carter Christopher; Mehmood Adil; Nawaz Ehsan; Pascoe Daniel; Shah Kinchit; Shah Ninad

Hong Kong Cricket Club
“Hong Kong Cricket Club have always been really tough to beat up at the gap and I expect the two new faces from the UK in Buckley and Harte to make a big impact along with some young gun from Hong Kong Cricket in Lamplough and Kapur, they also have an exceptional new coach in Craig Wright.” – Charlie Burke

“The 2016-2017 Premier League season is a very important one for HKCC. We have traditionally done very well in this league and after finishing third last season we are extremely intent on restoring order and getting back to winning ways. We have had a very good pre-season with new coach Craig Wright and a few fresh faces in the squad signals our intent on winning the Championship. The competition is stronger than it has ever been before which is a testament to the hard work put in by the Association to continue to develop the game here in Hong Kong.” Courtney Kruger, HKCC Captain

Squad: Buckley Ryan; Chapman Mark; Cutler Tim; Harte Gareth; Jacquier David (wk); Kapur Raag; Khan Nizakat; Kruger Courtney (Captain); Lamplough Giacomo; Mckechnie Scott; Rath Anshuman

Pakistan Association
“Pakistan Association have probably underperformed over the last few seasons and will be without one of Hong Kong Cricket’s biggest stars in Hussain Butt who has decided to allow the youngsters an opportunity. The off season has seen huge improvements in Aizaz Khan who will no doubt bat high up the order as well as his Hong Kong team mate Tanwir Afzal who has just come off winning last season’s cricket of the year award.” – Charlie Burke

“PACC is ready for the highlights in the Premier League and looking forward to do better in the season with all the talented players like Tanwir Afzal the team captain, Daniyal Bukhari who is a talented batsman and very keen to face new ball. Ishtiaq Mohammed who is a hard worker and great planner, and Hamed Khan who is a young talented player with a great future for PACC and the Hong Kong national team.”
– Kabir Hussain, PACC Team Manager

Squad: Afzal Tanwir (Captain); Khan Aizaz; Bukhari Daniyal S; Mohammed Ishtiaq; Ali Skhawat; Khan Mohsan; Singh Manjindar; Abbasi Ali Ahsan; Khan Saqib; Khan Qasim; Khan Hamed

Cricket Hong Kong Independents XI
“The Cricket Hong Kong Independents XI will have a great mix of some exciting or emerging talents as well as some consistent Elite league performers and won’t be any pushed over this season, in fact I expect a few upsets along the way.” – Charlie Burke

Squad: Balal Mohammad (USRC-MCC); Caddy Ashley (KCC); Khan Akbar (SLCC) Khan Mohsin (DLSWCC); Amjad Haseeb (USRC-MCC); Li Ming (HKCA Pioneers); Mohammad Awais (USRC-MCC); Saad Mohammad (Vagabonds); Sikander Zafar (USRC-MCC); Stiller Matt (KCC); Umar Mohammad (USRC-MCC)

Additional reporting and photos: HKcricket

Mandela Exhibition Opening @ HKU – 13 September, 2016

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The Mandela Exhibition, at HKU’s Main Library until 28 Sept, explores the iconic figures life through six themes: character, comrade, leader, prisoner, negotiator and statesman. Although the exhibition is small it gives insight into a man whose words and ideals many of today’s leaders could pay more attention to. His auto-biography Long Walk to Freedom and collected speeches In His Own Words offer more depth.
Click on any photo for the full gallery

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HK Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2016

The 27^th Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) boldly opens and closes with documentaries. As Festival Director Joe Lam puts it “Both documentaries captures the Eastern and Western LGBT community’s family, friends, relationship and discrimination.”

The festival’s opening film is South Korean documentary Weekends, a real life Glee. Gay men’s choir G-Voice write many of their own songs and are apparently the oldest choir in South Korea. Staying true to their own voices though is a challenge in such a conservative society. Director Lee Dong-ha gives an insight into the gay life of South Korea through the on-stage and off-stage stories of the choir members. Director Lee Dong-ha and 2 members from G-Voice will be present on the opening night to meet the audience.

Closing documentary Kiki is about the vogueing dance fight party subculture of New York that centres around the Kiki Ballroom. It’s a film about individuality and survival and follows the lives of seven people over four years. Filming their rehearsals, performances and personal lives, as they battle against problems such as poverty, homelessness, sickness, discrimination and prejudice.

Opening film ticket stubs are good for free admission and one free drink at the opening party at Maison Eight. Ticket stubs for the closing film audience earn admission and one free drink at the closing party at Koko.

The German/Mongolian production Don’t Look At Me That Way tells the story of a single mother Iva who falls desperately in love with her new neighbour, Heidi. Things get complicated when Heidi is attracted to Iva’s father instead. Actor and Director Uisenma Borchu will be attending the screening to meet the audience.

In the French production Summertime, it’s 1971 and Delphine a farmer’s daughter moves to Paris to break free from her family. There she meets feminist activist Carol and falls passionately in love, but when Delphine’s father suffers a stroke back home, she has to make a choice between her lover and her love for her land…

Documentaries
Apart from our opening and closing documentary, there are several other documentaries at HKLGFF. Chemsex exposes the dark side of modern gay London – a world of intravenous drug use and weekend-long sex parties. While society looks the other way, men struggle to make it out of ‘the scene’ alive aided by one health worker who has made it his mission to save them.

A joint Netherlands/Chinese production Inside The Chinese Closet documents the lives of gays and lesbians in China, who often have to live a double life in order to please their parents and conform with archaic attitudes to sexuality that still exist there.

Asian LGBT Films
Loev about the lives and feelings of the three Indian men of different social status is a rarity because in India homosexuality is still illegal. Sudhanshu Saria’s directorial debut was made in secret with the post-production taking place overseas.

Thailand however has a mature and well-developed LGBT film culture. Love Next Door 2 is a sex comedy about love, friendship and sex; while another Thai film at the festival Fathers discuss a more serious issue, the struggles and dilemmas a gay couple face when they decide to adopt a child.

Hong Kong director Scud’s fine body of work includes City Without Baseball (2008) and Amphetamine (2010) which have earned him a lot of respect in the local LGBT community. Scud’s latest work Utopians is about the fascination a dreamy boy has for his charismatic teacher. The HKLGFF will be screening the Director’s Cut.

2016 HKLGFF tickets are now on sale.

HK Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2016
Date: 17 September – 2 October, 2016
Venue: Palace ifc ($110), The ONE ($95) & Broadway Cinematheque ($85)
Tickets: $110, $95, $85
More info: www.hklgff.hk

HK Cricket Match Reports: 10-11 September, 2016

Heavy rain over the weekend meant only two matches could go ahead in the domestic leagues.

Saturday 10 September: Championship Division B

Hong Kong University Cricket Club v Lamma Cricket Club
HK University Cricket Club beat Lamma Cricket Club by 46 runs in the shortened Championship Division B league-opener.

Opener Chamila Panduwawala was the star of HKU’s innings, posting a very efficient 80* off 46 balls. Ankit Suri scored 31 runs before he was caught in the 12th over. HKU finished the 15-over innings with 152/3. Lamma’s B. McDonald led their bowlers with 1/17.

Lamma’s response did not start well, losing two wickets in the first three overs. C. Davies scored a team-high 35 runs before being dismissed in the ninth over. HKU’s John Wright and Mohammad Ali each took two wickets and ensured that Lamma could only score 106 after their 15 overs. Scorecard: https://www.crichq.com/#matches/426775/1st_innings

Sunday 11 September: Elite League Division A

Hong Kong Cricket Club Scorpions v Kowloon Cricket Club Infidels
On Sunday, HKCC Scorpions beat KCC Infidels by two wickets in the Elite League Division A.

Opener David Varley led the way for the Scorpions with 74 runs, while James Redmayne scored 64. They scored 282 runs with two wickets to spare.

Ateequi Iqbal and Suhaib Ahmad each took three wickets for the Infidels.

In response, Imran Arif knocked 44 runs, while Sunny Bhimsaria and Simandeep Singh each scored 35 runs for KCC Infidels. But attacks from HKCC’s Isaac Poole (3/27), Matt Rafter (2/33) and Anton Buntin (2/11) made sure that the Infidels were all out with only 186 runs.
Scorecard: https://www.crichq.com/#matches/427952/1st_innings

Additional reporting: HK Cricket

McLaren 570GT Launch @ LKF – 8 September, 2016

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McLaren launched the new 570GT in Lan Kwai Fong with a road full of McLarens and friendly VIP party for current and future owners.

The 570GT, part of the Sports series, premiered at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and the improved aerodynamics have significantly reduced drag and increased fuel efficiency without compromising the classic McLaren lines. A 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine generates 562bhp and means the road legal 570GT reaches 60mph (100km/h) in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 204mph (328km/h)!

Interesting fact: it takes the 570GT 33m or 108 feet to brake from 100km/h to a complete stop and 413 feet (126m) from 200km/h.

Contact McLaren Hong Kong if you’d like to buy a 570GT or any other McLaren.
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Tang Wai-lok Wins Gold!!!

Tang Wai-lok wins Hong Kong’s first gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio in the men’s S14 200m freestyle.

Swimming in the same pool where the Olympic Games were held a month ago. Tang took the lead just before the hundred metres mark and was on world record pace for much of the race, just missing out by five hundredths of a second, winning the gold medal in a new Paralympic Games record time of 1:56.32. Thomas Hamer (Great Britain) and Daniel Fox (Australia) took the silver and bronze medals in 1:56.58 and 1:56.69 respectively.

The race itself starts at around 3:30 of the youtube video.

Scotland Win the Braidwood Cup

Hong Kong lost the final match of their Tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Scotland scoring a 53-run win in the Second One Day International.

After Thursday’s washout of the first ODI – it meant Scotland won the series and claimed the Braidwood Cup.

Chasing Scotland’s 266-7, Hong Kong had reached 139-2 after 30 overs, but with the required rate creeping up wickets fell and the visitors were dismissed for 213 in the 47th over.

Babar Hayat (56) and Nizakat Khan (42) were again the linchpins of Hong Kong’s innings but didn’t get the support required.

Earlier, Scotland recovered from 144-5 after 32 overs to post an above par score thanks to a century from Calum Macleod (102) and a run-a-ball 52 from Craig Wallace.

Wickets were shared among the Hong Kong bowlers with Tanveer Ahmed (2-50) the only multiple wicket-taker.

Hong Kong now return home, with their next assignment a three-game ODI series against Papua New Guinea in November, which will be held in Mong Kok.

Babar Hayat:
“We got a good start with the run chase, Nizakat and I were playing nicely and then we collapsed. They took two really good catches and saved a lot of singles and twos which we didn’t do, that was the big difference for me. The way we bowled in the middle was brilliant but we let ourselves down in the field in the last 10 overs.”

“Nizakat or myself needed to stay there until the end, we were playing patiently but those catches turned the game.”

“Overall we’ve played really well on this tour – we brought a lot of young guys and are missing key players. So it’s a learning process for us and we will be a lot better for the experience. We competed in every game, won the T20 series against Ireland and Nizakat’s form was outstanding.”

“We need to work on our fielding, in every game we gave away 20-30 runs and today it put us under a lot of pressure so that is something we have to work on.”

Additional reporting and images: HK Cricket Association, Cricinfo

Bad Light Thwarts Hong Kong Run Chase in Scotland

Hong Kong produced another performance to be proud of on their Tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, but bad light denied a great finish against Scotland in Edinburgh.

With just two overs remaining Hong Kong were 136-4, requiring 18 off 12 balls to win, when umpires decided light was not good enough to get a fair result. Being a One Day International (50 over) match – which had already been reduced to 20 overs a side – the failure to complete the minimum overs meant the game ended in a no result.

It came after a miraculous fight back from Hong Kong after Scotland, who raced to 96-1 after 8.4 overs, were restricted to 153-6 after 20. Debutant Ehsan Khan (2-28) became just the 23rd player in history to take a wicket with his first ball in ODI cricket.

In reply, Nizakat Khan was in red hot form again – backing up his scores of 69, 123 and 62 against Ireland – with 43 off 26 balls.

Hong Kong were cruising in the run chase at 124-2 with four overs to go, but the rapidly fading light and the loss of Anshuman Rath (32) and Babar Hayat (26) in successive balls raised the tension.

The second and final match of the series will be played on Saturday night with the winner to take home the Braidwood Cup.

Simon Cook:
“It was the right decision to come off the field but the decision should have been made six overs prior as it was significantly dark then. And that was further away from a result when neither team could claim to be unhappy.”

“The umpires asked our batters if they could see the ball and our guys said it was tough and then Scotland were told they couldn’t bowl fast bowlers. So towards the end they could just bowl slow to have shot at getting in to contention and once we hit a boundary and a few singles they brought the fast bowler on. The umpires handled the game brilliantly other than that but they held on for a decision too long with the light in my opinion.”

“It was a good performance – we were slow off the blocks and they got some momentum. Then we got back into the game once we got new batsmen in.”

“We are playing some really good cricket – well at least for 75% of the game, which is allowing us to compete but not allowing us to dominate and get right on top.”

“We looked in control a long way through this chase but with the conditions getting worse, it meant any new batter was going to take a while to get settled in.”

Additional reporting and image: HK Cricket Association