Category: 2017

Scotland Thrash Hong Kong in Desert T20 Opener

Scotland produced a dominant performance to defeat Hong Kong by 24 runs in the opening match of the Desert T20 tournament in Abu Dhabi.

The Scots powered to 189-3 from their 20 overs, before early wickets torpedoed Hong Kong’s chase before it could get into gear and despite strong resistance from the middle and lower order were restricted to 165-6.

After winning the toss, Scotland raced to 60-0 in seven overs, before Ehsan Khan removed both openers George Munsey (22) and Kyle Coetzer (31). Hong Kong though failed to capitalise on the breakthroughs as a record breaking 127-run partnership from Callum MacLeod (60 off 34 balls) and Richie Berrington (60 off 39 balls) saw Scotland post an imposing target.

A feature of the partnership, Scotland highest ever in T20 internationals was the reverse-sweeping skills and switch hits of MacLeod who hit 4 fours and 3 sixes.

In response, Aizaz Khan was run out without facing a ball and when Babar Hayat (10) picked out the man on the deep mid-wicket boundary Hong Kong were 32-2 in the fifth over.

Nizakat Khan, who hit a monstrous six over cover tried to repeat the effort but was caught at third man for 22 off as many balls.

Hong Kong’s two 19-year-olds Anshuman Rath (29 off 25) and Shahid Wasif (40 off 25 balls) added 41 in four overs, but with the run-rate creeping above 14 it was too big a mountain to climb.

Ehsan Khan’s crisp 42 off 22 balls at the end of the innings restricted the damage to Hong Kong’s net run rate, which could prove crucial in keeping hopes alive of progressing to the finals.

Hong Kong coach Simon Cook said his side were always up against it from the halfway mark.

“We were probably disappointed to be chasing 190 which wasn’t really a par score, it was more a 175 wicket and a very windy day with a big outfield,” Cook said.

“A few lapses with our fielding meant we were chasing too many, although I was pleased with our execution in their power play.” Cook continued “Again with the bat we had two run outs through basic errors and its those sort of things that cost you games.”

“Anshuman continued his good form, Shahid was again impressive and is really consolidating his place in the team and Ehsan Khan at the end hit the ball nicely so there were some positives. We did well in the end to get as close as we did.”

Hong Kong Desert T20 Fixtures
16 January: Oman v Hong Kong (Zayed Cricket Stadium)
18 January: Netherlands v Hong Kong (Dubai International Stadium)

Additional reporting and photos: HK Cricket, Cricinfo

Bon Appétit! – Macau Fringe Festival

Entitled A Feast of Creativity! Bon Appétit! and adopting the concept “All around the city, our stages, our patrons, our artists”, the 16th Macau Fringe Festival looks to offer an arts banquet for an entire city.

2017’s banquet includes a hairdresser’s salon turned into a musical. A recreation of an entertainment house at Beco da Felicidade and a funeral at the Ruins of St. Paul’s in the middle of the night. Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, The Macau Fringe Festival runs from 13 to 22 January 2017 and features 23 programmes at multiple venues.

Zuò Zuò Tea House reveals the solitude and secrets of Rua da Felicidade by combining elements of dance and music and digging into the history of Macau’s red-light district. Mobile Kitchen invites people from the cultural field to take the role of chefs and share their cuisine, whether refined or homely, and encourage the public to savour the flavour of life.

In Antiwords, produced by Czech Republic Spitfire Company, two actresses drink beer after beer, bragging and arguing in an explosive mix of nonsensical humour and imagination. Circolando’s Night which debuts on the first day of the Festival features a trio of men who through their intensely physical and emotional expression ask questions of language and aesthetics.

In Good Hands, by Catherine Ireton, is a live musical set in a hairdressing salon about secrets and trust. The Magnificent 4 uses the human body as an instrument and a choreography that makes use of the legs and hand-clapping in creating a unique tempo.

In 5 Women, Dutch choreographer Kevin Pollak joins hands with five dancers at a birthday party set in a café where, through dance and movement, secrets that cannot be shared emerge. The Smooth Life is a puppet show set to Arabian music that tells the true story of the life of the director Husam Abed in a Palestinian refugee camp.

Funeral for the Living, directed by Daisuke Sagawa and performed by Japanese company Theatre Moments, debates issues of life and death. While The Other Side of the Sacred produced by Macao choreographer Candy Kuok in cooperation with Nina Dipla takes the audience on a journey that mixes dance, poetry and music.

In Weaving Landscape: Night Tide, the Associação de Arte e Cultura – Comuna de Pedra use different materials as a medium of creativity, making use of body language and installation art to explore the relationship between body, fabrics and all living things.

There’s also a range of extended programmes including Thematic talks: Foreign Theatre – Body, Memory and Labour and Fringe Reviews 2017, where artists and performing groups in different fields will share their creation experiences. For the full programme see www.macaucityfringe.gov.mo, tickets are on sale now from Macauticket.

Macau Fringe Festival
Date: 13-22 January 2017
Venue: various
Tickets: MacauTicket
More info: www.macaucityfringe.gov.mo

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 14 January, 2017

Sophie Marceau @ The Parisian – 8 January, 2017

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French actress Sophie Marceau was at The Parisian in Macau for a little l’amour with 99 couples on the 8 January. The cocktail party at the ‘Eiffel Tower’ also featured a performance by Macau band Soler.
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Women’s Rugby Results – 7 January, 2017

Women’s Premiership

Kowloon 0-44 Valley Black
@ Happy Valley

HKFC Ice 29-8 City Sparkle
@ HK Football Club

Gai Wu Falons 79-5 CWB Phoenix
@ KGV

National League 1

Gai Wu Fawkes 43-17 HKCC
@ KGV

Tai Po Dragons 0-0 Revolution SRC
@King’s Park

HK Scottish 7-29 Valley Red
@ Tai Hung Tang

Photo: Phoebe Leung

The Hong Kong Three Sisters World Premiere @ HK Cultural Centre – 6 January, 2017

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The World Premiere of Alice Theatre Laboratory‘s The Hong Kong Three Sisters took place at the HK Cultural Centre’s Studio Theatre on the 6 January, 2017.
Click on any photo or here for the full gallery of images

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Hong Kong Head to the Desert T20

Hong Kong are one of the eight Associate nations taking part in the inaugural Desert T20 tournament. The seven-day competition will be played in a round-robin and knockout format, beginning at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium on the 14 January before culminating in Dubai for the final on the 20 January. In the round-robin section Afghanistan, Ireland, Namibia, UAE are in pool A and Hong Kong, Netherlands, Oman and Scotland in pool B, the top two team qualify for the semi-finals.

Hosts the Emirates Cricket Board commented that “The aim of the tournament is to provide an opportunity for teams to play more competitive T20 cricket. Each of the participating countries are very close in ICC T20I rankings, so we expect the quality of cricket to be very strong.”

Talking about the team selection Director of Cricket Charlie Burke said “It’s great to have Cameron McAulsan in the squad. He’s a good young all-rounder who has been playing well at school in New Zealand and going to be a very crucial player for us going forward. He’s a great all-round athlete and been close to selection for some time now.”

“Waqas Barkat has gone back and done what’s been asked, which is to work on his leg spin and he will be useful batsman in the middle order. He was a top order batsman previously for us but struggled for runs and developed his bowling. There’s not a lot of leg-spinners around so we challenged him to work on it. He’s done well and has been very economical this season. While Anshuman Rath and Ehsan Nawaz are also back in the squad after being unavailable for the Australian Tour due to study commitments.”

Hong Kong Desert T20 Fixtures
14 January: Scotland v Hong Kong (Zayed Cricket Stadium)
16 January: Oman v Hong Kong (Zayed Cricket Stadium)
18 January: Netherlands v Hong Kong (Dubai International Stadium)
20 January: Semifinal 1 A1 v B2; Semifinal 2 A2 v B1 (Dubai International Stadium)
20 January: Final (Dubai International Stadium)

After the Desert T20, Hong Kong will remain in Dubai for two One Day Internationals (ODIs) against Scotland and UAE. The ODI’s are in preparation for the ICC WCLC matches against The Netherlands at Tin Kwong Road in February.

Hong Kong Squad
1. Nadeem Ahmed (DLSWCC); 2. Tanveer Ahmed (KCC); 3. Waqas Barkat (KCC); 4. Chris Carter (KCC); 5. Kyle Christie (CHK Independents XI); 6. Babar Hayat (Captain, DLSWCC); 7. Aizaz Khan (V. Captain) (KCC); 8. Ehsan Khan (DLSWCC); 9. Nizakat Khan (HKCC); 10. Waqas Khan (DLSWCC); 11. Cameron McAuslan (HKCC); 12. Ehsan Nawaz (KCC); 13. Anshuman Rath (HKCC); 14. Shahid Wasif (DLSWCC)