bc magazine

Racist Rule Removed by HK Rugby

A smidgen of common sense – amidst pressure from World Ruby, Asia Rugby and the fact that racial discrimination is illegal in HK – has begrudgingly seen the HK Rugby Union remove the ‘ethnic quota’ rule from it’s 2015/16 rule book.

Let’s hope that ‘we know best’ attitude of the Union doesn’t see it become an ‘unwritten rule.

A letter from HKRU Chairman Pieter Schats announced the change while claiming the ‘ethnic quota’ rule was introduced for the ‘good’ of the game. Two other club chairman David Knights of SCAA Causeway Bay Rugby Football club and Aaron Bleasdale of University Rugby Football Club – read their opinions below – have emailed bc claiming the same, that racial profiling is good for the local game. If that’s the case then there’s something seriously wrong with men’s rugby in HK!

There is and never will be any time when a person’s skin colour should limit their participation in sport or any other aspect of life. Kick racism out of sport!

Emails received by bc magazine in response to the article Active Racial Discrimination in HK Men’s Rugby dated 24 September, 2015

Email from SCAA Causeway Bay Rugby Football Club
Dear BC magazine,
I just read your article on the above subject and am appalled by the misguided, misinformed and inaccurate nature of the report which amounts to nothing more than a pathetic piece of sensationalism.

If your reporter had bothered to check the facts with anyone involved in the sport in Hong Kong they would have quickly realised that far from this being any form of racial discrimination it was in fact an attempt to foster the widest possible participation in the sport by players of all races,ages and abilities which is central to the strategic aims of the Hong Kong Rugby Union.

There is no barrier to participation in rugby in Hong Kong, players of any race can aspire to play at the elite level of the sport or simply enjoy a game with their (multinational) mates on a Saturday afternoon.

As Chairman of one of the largest rugby clubs in Hong Kong and also quite possibly the one with the most racially diverse playing membership of any club I think I know what I am talking about.

Rugby is making a huge effort to get Hong Kong kids of all races and backgrounds away from their X-boxes and into something more healthy. Why don’t you write about that, particularly during the Rugby World Cup rather than the ill conceived garbage contained in your article.

Yours sincerely
David Knights
Chairman, SCAA Causeway Bay Rugby Football Club

Email from University Rugby Football Club
Dear bc
Your accusation of “racism” by the HKRFU against non-Chinese players is based on a misunderstanding of the structure of Hong Kong’s domestic rugby leagues.

The men’s “Championship” division for which this ethnicity requirement would be implemented is a solitary division of play operating alongside the five graded “National” league divisions (NL1 – NL5). Players from both the Championship and National divisions are free to progress up to the Premiership, which is the primary feeder league for the Hong Kong National Team. An ethnicity requirement in the Championship division alone would not create a so-called “selection discrimination” against non-Chinese players because they would still be free to progress up through the National and Premiership leagues.

You should also consider the very good reason for which the Championship division’s ethnicity requirement has been implemented – to create a division that best fosters the development of local Chinese rugby talent. The HKRFU is extraordinarily committed to this goal, and should be applauded for their attempts to achieve it.

Further, to refer to the people driving the HKRFU as “white leaders” is, in addition to being insulting to the many non-caucasians that run the HKRFU, totally nonsensical in the context of an article complaining about racism against non-Chinese players, many of whom themselves are caucasian. A curious form of racism indeed!

Next time, check your facts before throwing around accusations and polarizing language.

Kind regards,
Aaron Bleasdale, Chairman, University Rugby Football Club

Image – please note the letter from Pieter Schats was two pages long – bc magazine combined the pages to create a single image for ease of reading the original is here.

HK Cricket Match Reports – 19-20 September, 2015

Saturday, 19th September 2015

Four matches were played in the Saturday Championship withHong Kong Cricket Club Nomads and Kowloon Cricket Club Saracens making bold statements of intent in Division One with strong early performances while USRC/MCC and Kai Tak also enjoyed victories in Division Two.

Saturday Championship Division 1
At Hong Kong Cricket Club, defending champions HKCC Nomads got their title defence off to a winning start with a strong performance against Pakistan Association. Electing to bowl after winning the toss, Nomads dismissed PACC for 194 in the 34th over, with Ravi Mulchandani picking up 3/39 from his 7 over spell. For PACC, Zamir Ali top scored with 55 while Mehtab Ali scored 40.

A 50-run opening partnership saw Nomads away to a positive start with skipper Kym Graham hitting 30 and from there the HKCC batsmen were seldom troubled. A 97-run third wicket partnership between Kabir Sodhi (41) and A Shephard (84*) lifted Nomads to the brink and victory was eventually achieved in 30.1 overs.
At HKCC: Pakistan Association 194 from 33.2 overs lost HKCC Nomads 4/198 from 30.1 overs runs

At Kowloon Cricket Club, a new-look KCC Saracens unit achieved a bonus point victory over Centaurs thanks to a dominant batting performance. Saracens notched up an impressive 5/233 from their 35 overs after electing to bat first. Chris Cater (85) and Ninad Shah (78) shared a 138-run third wicket partnership while Simandeep Singh (61) and Carter added another 76 for the fourth wicket.

In reply, Centaurs made a good start with the openers putting on 57. Four of the top five batsmen scored over 20 but none reached 30 and Centaurs slumped from 3/103 to 135 all out. Ansh Lulla mopped up the tail with 4/29 from five overs.
At KCC: KCC Saracens 5/233 from 35 overs beat Centaurs 135 from 34.5 overs by 98 runs.

Saturday Championship Division 2
Kai Tak bounced back from their loss to SCC Lancers to beat CCC Hung See by 90 runs at Police Training College. Batting first after winning the toss, Kai Tak scored 6/189 from their 35 overs with Ali Williams top scoring with 93. In reply, CCC Hung See were dismissed for 99 with Kai Tak skipper Mohsin Naqvi claiming 3/6 off seven overs.
At PTC: Kai Tak 6/189 from 35 overs beat CCC Hung See 99 from 34.3 overs by 90 runs.

At PKVR Park, USRC/MCC and HKU fought out a close game with USRC/MCC prevailing by 29 runs. USRC/MCC batted first and they scored 213 off 34.3 overs with Umar Mohammad hitting an impressive 72 while Sikandar Zafar scored 45. Ashwin Dokania led HKU’s reply with 41, but his was a lone hand as six other HKU batsmen posted double figure scores but none could go past 17. HKU were eventually dismissed for 184.
At PKVR Park: USRC/MCC 213 from 34.3 overs beat HKU 184 from 33.5 overs by 29 runs.

Sunday, 20th September 2015

One-Day Premier League
A thrilling One-Day Premier League match was played at Hong Kong Cricket Club with defending champions HKCC prevailing in the end by the narrowest of margins.

The Independents batted first after winning the toss but they got off to the worst possible start, losing three wickets with just one run on the board. A 108-run fourth wicket partnership between Jonathan Foo and Akbar Khan lifted the Independents’ score to 109 before Khan was dismissed for 23. The 25-year-old Foo, who represented Guyana in the 2010 and 2013 Caribbean T20 competitions, went on to score a brilliant 109 with the score on 180. Foo received useful support from Awais Mohammad who finished unbeaten on 38 as Independents reached 8/217 from their 50 overs. Tim Cutler and Daljeet Singh picked up two wickets each for HKCC.

In reply, HKCC also lost an early wicket and they were reduced to 4/61 before a 50-run partnership between Nizakat Khan and Matt Twomey lifted them over the 100 mark. A flurry of wickets then saw the hosts slip to 7/113 but Nizakat Khan engineered a rear-guard battle with the tail-enders to get HKCC back into the match. Nizakat was eventually dismissed for 106 but his wicket soon saw the last wicket pair at the crease with still 16 runs needed. In a tense finish, Giacomo Lamplough (17*) and Anton Bunton (9*) secured the final few runs needed for a one-wicket victory. Jonathan Foo and Mudassar Hussain were the best of the Independents’ bowlers, with two wickets apiece.
At HKCC: Independents 8/217 from 50 overs lost to HKCC 9/221 from 42.1 overs by 1 wicket.

Active Racial Discrimination in HK Men’s Rugby

In 2015 it’s disgusting that the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) have announced active racial discrimination! For many years millions of people have fought and struggled to be accepted for who they are regardless of skin colour. That in Hong Kong a multi-cultural melting pot where ability, regardless of race, has always been recognised should find one of it’s leading sporting organisations actively racially discriminating against non-ethnically Chinese rugby players is disgusting and illegal.

The recent press release from the HKRU (read the now edited entry here) states that “The modified Championship Club structure sees that league now highly focused on serving as an entry point and breeding ground for Chinese players, with all teams required to include a minimum of 14 ethnic Chinese players in each match day squad.”

UPDATE: The HKRU has deleted the above sentence from their website, and made no reference to the edit – the original can be read here, relevant sentence is at the bottom of page 1

How far stuck up their arse’s are heads of the white leaders of the Hong Kong Rugby Union? Did they not hear the furour when earlier this year the Chinese Football Association published racially insulting posters about HK’s Football Team. Did they not see HongKongers reaction to it both on social media – mass condemnation – and in real life, the booing of the Chinese National Anthem and tickets selling out so fans of all races and colours could show their support for the HK team.

How insulting is it to the HK eligible players that they’ll face selection discrimination because of their race – even though they might have been born in HK, be eligible and good enough to represent the HK National team – yet find their way blocked because they are not ethnically Chinese.

I can fully understand the desire to improve the national team, but rather than make divisions made on race, why not instead of “a minimum of 14 ethnic Chinese players in each match day squad” it’s a “a minimum of 14 HK eligible players in each match day squad”.

The Basic Law of Hong Kong specifically bans racial/ethnic discrimination. Chapter 602 The Racial Discrimination Ordinance long title starts “An Ordinance to render discrimination, harassment and vilification, on the ground of race, unlawful; … the function of eliminating such discrimination, harassment and vilification and promoting equality and harmony between people of different races…”

The ordinance further goes on to define Racial Discrimination as

1: In any circumstances relevant for the purposes of any provision of this Ordinance, a person (“the discriminator”) discriminates against another person if
(a) on the ground of the race of that other person, the discriminator treats that other person less favourably than the discriminator treats or would treat other persons; or…..

3. It is declared that, for the purposes of this Ordinance, segregating a person from other persons on the ground of the race of that person is treating that person less favourably than the other persons are treated.

Even before any match day squads are selected, the press release and decisions made by the HKRU amount to Racial Harassment under Section 7 of the ordinance.

Even China has accepted that racial discrimination is illegal, the PRC’s naturalization policy and eligibility requirements have been changed from ‘ethnically Chinese’ to this: http://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/chinese_nationality/Application_for_Naturalization_as_a_Chinese_National.html

The HK Sporting Institute makes no discrimination on the race of the Rugby Union players it gives professional contracts to!

How many of these men will be denied the chance to represent Hong Kong because they are not 'ethnically Chinese" — How many of these men will be denied the chance to represent Hong Kong because they are not ‘ethnically Chinese”

A rugby 15’s match day squad is usually 23 players, to demand that 14 are ethnically Chinese is over 50%.

Here is the squad list Hong Kong v Japan, 2 May 2015:
1 WEI Hon Sum Leon; 2 Alex HARRIS; 3 Jack PARFITT; 4 Adam BUTTERFIELD; 5 Paul DWYER; 6 Matthew LAMMING; 7 Toby FENN; 8 Nicholas HEWSON; 9 LEE Ka To Cado; 10 Ben RIMENE; 11 Charlie HIGSON-SMITH; 12 Max WOODWARD; 13 Jamie HOOD; 14 Tom MCQUEEN; 15 Alex MCQUEEN; 16 John AIKMAN; 17 Lachlan CHUBB; 18 Jack NIELSEN; 19 Alex BADDELEY; 20 Damian BAILEY; 21 Adam ROLSTON; 22 Jonny REES; 23 Niall ROWARK; 24 Jack DELAFORCE (2 ethnically Chinese players)

Here is the Hong Kong squad for the recent Qingdao 7s:
Max WOODWARD (captain); Nick HEWSON; Jamie HOOD; Rowan VARTY; YIU Kam Shing; Benjamin RIMENE; Alex MCQUEEN; Cado LEE Ka To; Christopher MAIZE; Tomasi LAWA; Calvin HUNTER; Michael COVERDALE. (2 ethnically Chinese players).

Which of these non-ethnically Chinese players who are selected as good enough to represent their country will be dropped to satisfy the racial quota demands of the HKRU?

RACIAL DISCRIMINSTION IS DISGUSTING AND ILLEGAL!

Change the squad requirements to “14 players eligible to represent Hong Kong”

bc magazine has asked the HKRU, World Rugby, Asia Rugby and HSBC, the national team sponsor, for comment on this active racial discrimination.

Rugby Union Domestic League Structure Changed to Support National Team

The Hong Kong Rugby Union has announced the schedule for the upcoming HKRU Domestic League. While similar on the surface to last season’s competition, the 2015/16 season ushers in some profound and long-term changes in the structure of local rugby.

Primary amongst these changes is the decision made jointly by the HKRU and its member clubs to ring-fence the Men’s Premiership around the six existing Premiership clubs at both Premiership and Premiership A levels for the coming three seasons.

Valley RFC, HKCC, Hong Kong Football Club, Hong Kong Scottish, Kowloon and USRC Tigers retain their Premiership spots for the coming season and will maintain this status for three years.

Dai Rees, General Manager, Rugby Performance at the HKRU, commented on the changes saying, “The objective is to ensure a stable competition that is structured around two performance leagues, Premiership and Premiership A, and supported by a development and community league structure that will ultimately contribute to the national team and high performance rugby in Hong Kong.

“These changes are a culmination of months of consultation with local clubs to secure their buy-in. As a result the final structure places significant emphasis on establishing clear playing levels, with Hong Kong’s elite level rugby ring-fenced around the clubs participating in the Premiership and Premiership A leagues,” Rees said.

The Premiership and Premiership A leagues will now mirror each other with club fixtures played at the same location each week. The new structure will allow the Premiership teams in these leagues to support each other on any given league weekend and maximize the development of their performance players.

Below Premiership A level, National League 1 will become a feeder system and development structure grooming potential high performance players who aspire to play Premiership rugby.

National League 1 will feature nine teams, headlined by Tin Shui Wai Pandas, who voluntarily relinquished their Premiership A spot to support the wider objectives of Hong Kong Rugby.

Discovery Bay Pirates, SCAA Causeway Bay, Gai Wu, University Wizards, Valley Mavericks, PLA and two Hong Kong Football Club sides round out the National League 1 competition this season.

The Championship Club league has also been revamped for 2015/16 with nine clubs: City RFC, Discipline Services XV, East Kowloon, Gai Wu Crusaders, Kowloon Barbarians, Revolution, Tai Po Dragons, Tin Shui Wai 2nd XV, and USRC Tigers Development taking part.

The modified Championship Club structure sees that league now highly focused on serving as an entry point and breeding ground for Chinese players, with all teams required to include a minimum of 14 ethnic Chinese players in each match day squad.

Following the amendments to the structure, the National and Championship Club leagues are now clearly identified as development competitions entering the season, with the aim to establish partnerships and mutually sustainable links with Premiership teams and to provide a clear and direct player pathway through to performance level rugby in Hong Kong.

National League and Championship Clubs sides will work closely with the HKRU to identify potential performance players. A new dual registration system will allow Premiership clubs to register and develop these players with nominated players allowed to play at both levels in a given season while officially remaining with their mother club.

Already there are signs of progress with U20s stand-out Eric Kwok Pak Nga, who developed his game at City RFC, now seconded to USRC Tigers in a move that has greatly hastened his development. Kwok was named the 2014/15 HKRU Development Player of the Year and is currently in the elite rugby sevens athlete programme at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, having represented Hong Kong in the Junior World Rugby Trophy and as vice captain for the men’s U20s sevens team which defended its Asian sevens title in August.

HKRU league competition rules continue to emphasise the selection and development of local talent with the Premiership rules requiring 12 of the 22 or 23 players selected (depending on the team’s front row configuration) for a league fixture to be eligible to represent Hong Kong.

The HKRU will continue to work in partnership with its member clubs to identify future strategic directions after the coming three seasons as it continues to refine and strengthen its development structures.

Complimenting the league’s move towards enhancing the stability of domestic Rugby and further preparing Hong Kong players for international competition, the HKRU will be announcing several other transformative development initiatives in the coming weeks.

Super Saturday marks 2015/16 Season Start
The Premiership will be played over 15 rounds with break for the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic Qualifiers on 7-8 November at the Hong Kong Stadium and for the Cup of Nations (13-21 Nov) at Hong Kong Football Club when Hong Kong will face off with Russia, Portugal and Zimbabwe.

The 2015/16 HKRU season will kick off with a Super Saturday on 3 October, gathering all six Premiership and Premiership A teams for a triple trio of rugby excitement at King’s Park. Admission is free.

Towards the business end of the season, a quarterfinals competition will be held with the top two teams entering the quarterfinals (27 February) receiving a first round bye. The semifinals will be held on 5 March with the Grand Final on 12 March.

Red Dragons Finish Runners Up at East Asia Cup

Hong Kong’s Women’s T20 team the Red Dragons lead by Captain Emma Lai ( 賴穎琪) lost a hard fought final against China by 38 runs at the East Asia Cup held in Korea from the 15-20 September.

The four team tournament, held at the Yeonhui Cricket Stadium in Incheon featured Hong Kong, Japan, China and hosts Korea. The first thee match days featured the round robin games with the final on the last day.

Hong Kong Red Dragon’s Results

Match Day 1
China 104/4 from 20 overs beat Hong Kong 41/9 from 19.4 overs. China beat Hong Kong by 63 runs.

China 104/4 (20 overs)
H Zhou 42*, S Fengfeng 32, Markio Hill 3/14

Hong Kong 41/9 (19.4 overs)
Ruchitha Venkatesh 11, Lai Wing Ki 9, W Meng 3/3, R Xiang 2/4, L Yingying 2/4, S Fengfeng 1/4
China won the toss and decided to bat first.

Match Day 2
Hong Kong 100/9 from 20 overs beat Japan 74/7 from 20 overs. Hong Kong won by 26 runs.

Hong Kong 100/9 (20 overs)
Kary Chan 25, Shanzeen Shanzad 21, Mariko Hill 13, Y Kitamato 2/3, A Nakayama 2/9, K Takashashi 1/5

Japan 74/7 (20 overs)
K Ota 24, E Yamaguchi 14, Pull To 3/15, Mariko Hill 2/13, Annie Ho 1/8
Hong Kong won the toss and decided to bat first.

Match Day 3
Hong Kong 59/0 from 20 overs beat Korea 58/8 from 20 overs. Hong Kong won by 10 wickets.

Korea 58/8 (20 overs)
P On 15, Annie Ho 3/14, Pull To 2/13, Markio Hill 1/7, Kary Chan 1/8, Marina Lamplough 1/11

Hong Kong 59/0 (20 overs)
(Kary Chan 26*, Pull To 15*)At Yeonhui Cricket Stadium, Incheon, Korea won the toss and decided to bat first.

East Asia Cup Final
China 123/2 from 20 overs beat Hong Kong 85/4 from 20 overs. China beat Hong Kong by 38 runs.

China 123/2 (20 overs)
S Mengyo 61, H Zhuo 27*, Pull To 1/20, Annie Ho 1/31

Hong Kong 85/4 (20 overs)
Pull To 45*, Mariko Hill 24, W Juan 1/17
China won the toss and invited Hong Kong to field first

Hong Kong Squad
LAI Wing Ki, Emma 賴穎琪 (Captain), TO Yee Shan, Pull 杜綺珊 (Vice Captain), CHAN Ka Ying, Kary 陳嘉瑩, CHEUNG Hiu Ying, Lemon 張曉瑩#, HO Hung Ying, Annie 何虹瑩, KWOK Lau Ping, Amanda 郭柳萍, LEE Sheung Yu, Patricia 李湘瑜#, WONG Ki Yan, Corn 黃麒恩#, Jenefer DAVIES 戴麗珠, Shanzeen SHAHZAD 李芷心, Mariko HILL, Marina LAMPLOUGH, Ruchitha VENKATESH#
# Players making their Hong Kong debuts in this tournament.

HK Cricket Premier League: 13 September Match Reports

Babar Hayat in action against Hong Kong Cricket Club in the Hong Kong Premier League One-Day Tournament — Babar Hayat on his way to a century against Hong Kong Cricket Club in the Hong Kong Premier League One-Day Tournament

Little Sai Wan beat Hong Kong Cricket Club by 123 runs
Little Sai Wan (LSWCC) got their 2015-16 One-Day Premier League campaign off to a flying start with a 123-run victory over defending champions Hong Kong Cricket Club at HKCC on Sunday thanks to some power hitting from their middle-order batsmen.

Batting first after winning the toss, the HKCC team made most of the early running with wickets to Simon Cook, Tim Cutler and Harry Bailey restricting LSWCC to 3/58 from their first 20 overs. But from there, it was all LSWCC. Babar Hayat and Ehsan Khan made the most of some early let-offs to build a partnership that was steady at the start but which flourished towards the end. Together they combined for 162 runs, scored in 23.1 overs at a touch under 7 runs per over. HKCC’s slow bowlers had no answer to the onslaught, with Ahan Manglik, Courtney Kruger and Scott McKechnie conceding 104 runs from their collective 10 overs. Hayat fell a couple of balls after reaching his run-a-ball 100, which featured three fours and eight sixes, while Ehsan Khan hit 83 with eleven fours and one six.

If the Hayat/Khan partnership had been impressive, the partnership between Munir Dar and Shahid Wasif was explosive. From 5/237 at the fall of Ehsan’s wicket, Dar and Wasif plundered another 90 runs off the next 33 balls, at a staggering 16.36 runs per over. Dar struck three fours and six sixes in his 21-ball 54 while Wasif bettered that with two fours and six sixes in his 16-ball 49 not out as DLSWCC finished on 6/332 from their 50 overs. None of the HKCC bowlers were spared – Wasif smashed Simon Cook back over his head for two huge sixes while Tim Cutler, whose first six overs had cost just 10 runs, conceded 63 runs from his last four.

Needing a swift and solid start to their innings, the HKCC openers of David Jacquier and James Redmayne were pegged down by a tight opening spell from Jangzeb Khan and Niaz Khan. Jangzeb bowled Jacquier (5) and had Scott McKechnie (13) caught behind while the run-out of Redmayne (10) left HKCC struggling at 3/36 in the 11^th over. A fine fourth wicket partnership worth 84 runs between HKCC skipper Courtney Kruger and Nizakat Khan lifted HKCC into a good position and at 3/119 after 22 overs, they were 58 runs ahead of DLSWCC at the same point of their innings. But the dismissals of Kruger (42) and Matt Twomey (1) in quick succession, set HKCC back on their haunches. Simon Cook (31) and Nizakat (46) did their best to up the run-rate but when they both fell in successive overs from Ehsan Khan, the HKCC chase was all but over. Daljeet Singh batted well for 31 and his was the final wicket to fall as HKCC slumped to 209 all out in 40.1 overs.

Ehsan Khan completed a fine all-round performance by claiming 5/37 from his eight over spell, while Jangzeb Khan picked up 2/25 from six overs at the top of the innings.

At HKCC: DLSWCC 6/332 from 50 overs beat HKCC 209 from 40.1 overs by 123 runs Scorecard

Kowloon Cricket Club beatHong Kong Under 19s by 140 runs
In the day’s other match,Kowloon Cricket Club plundered the U19s attack for 326 runs with Jamie Atkinson hitting 93 and Kincit Shah and Ryan Campbell completing half-centuries. Tanveer Ahmed was the best of the U19s bowlers, picking up 3/54 from his ten over spell.

In reply, the U19s started solidly with the openers putting on 50 runs for the first wicket. But wickets tumbled regularly and from 8/95 there was no coming back. Left-arm spinner Dan Pascoe did the damage for KCC, picking up 5/30 from his ten over spell. A last wicket partnership between Tanveer Ahmed and Saad Mohammad was the best for the U19s as the finished on 186 from 48.5 overs.

At KCC: KCC 7/326 from 50 overs beat HKCA U19s 186 from 48.5 overs by 140 runs. Scorecard

Source: HK Cricket Association

HK Domestic Cricket Round-up: 12-13 September 2015

HK Domestic Cricket Round-up: 12-13 September 2015

Saturday, 12th September 2015
Three matches were played in the second week of the season with Hong Kong Cricket Club Witherers beating Kowloon Cricket Club Crusaders in a thriller while KCC Tartars and CCC Jing Sun played out a tie. In Division Two, SCC Lancers had a seven wicket win over Kai Tak at PKVR Park.

Saturday Championship Division 1
At Hong Kong Cricket Club, hosts HKCC Witherers batted first and posted 9/184 from their 35 overs with Charlie Bright hitting 40 at the top of the order and Andrew Jacobs finishing unbeaten on 41. In reply, KCC Crusaders look good early but four wickets to Anton Buntin and three to Tobias Raper knocked them over for 179.
At HKCC: HKCC Witherers 9/184 from 35 overs beat KCC Crusaders 179 from 33.1 overs by 5 runs

Over at Kowloon Cricket Club, KCC Tartars and CCC Jing Sun played out a thrilling tie. Tartars batted first after winning the toss and they scored 170 from 34.5 overs. Tartar’s top scorer was Ankur Sharma with 32 while Reid Mawdsley picked up 3/31 for CCC. In reply, CCC Jing Sun got to 4/134 but lost their last six wickets for 36 runs as the match finished in a tie. Chris Harris top scored for CCC Jing Sun while Ateeq ul-Rehman claimed 4/26 and Ghulam Mustafa picked 3/40 for Tartars.
At KCC: KCC Tartars 170 from 34.5 overs tied with CCC Jing Sun 170 from 33.1 overs.

Saturday Championship Division 2
At Po Kong Village Road Reservoir Ground (PKVR), SCC Lancers dismissed Kai Tak for just 97 and cruised to victory in less than 20 overs. Kai Tak batted first after wining the toss bu they were pegged back early with the loss of both openers with only 12 runs on the board. Saurav Biswas helped lead a mini revival for Kai Tak but his 24 was their best on the day as the last 6 wickets could only muster 22 runs. The wickets were shared around by the Lancers’ bowlers with Nitesh Talwar, Rahul Tonapi and Tauseef Bukhari all claiming three each. An unbeaten 55 from Soma Nair was more than enough to see SCC Lancers to victory in 19.3 overs.
At PKVR Park: Kai Tak 97 from 24.1 overs lost to SCC Lancers 3/98 from 19.3 overs by 7 wickets.

Sunday, 13th September 2015

Women’s Twenty20 Cup
In the second week of the Women’s T20 Cup, HKCC Willow Wielders, DLSW Wasps and CCC Fung Wong were victorious.

In the early game, CCC Fung Wong scored a nine wicket victory after dismissing PACC for 22 in just 8.5 overs. The CCC women only needed 4.4 overs to knock off the required runs.
At PKVR Reservoir: PACC 22 from 8.5 overs lost to CCC Fung Wong 1/25 from 4.4 overs by 9 wickets.

There was an even more lop-sided game in the second match of the day with HKCC Willow Wielders thumping USRC by ten wickets. None of the USRC batters could register a run as USRC was dismissed for 23 in ten overs with Subhadra Bandyopadhyay picking up 7-2 from three overs. HKCC Willow Wielders had no trouble knocking off the wining runs in 4 overs.
At PKVR Reservoir: USRC 23 from 10 overs lost to HKCC Willow Wielders 0/24 from 4 overs by 10 wickets.

The final game of the day did see some decent action as DLSW Wasps beat KCC Maidens by 64 runs. Shanzeen Shahzad hit 65 and Yousaf Mehreen scored 61 as the Wasps scored an impressive 3/161 from their 20 overs. In reply, KCC Maidens could only manage 7/97 from their 20 overs with Shanzeen and Kinza Zahid picking up two wickets each.
At PKVR Reservoir: DLSW Wasps 3/161 from 20 overs beat KCC Maidens 7/97 from 20 overs by 64 runs.

One-Day Premier League
The One Day Premier League competition kicked off with defending champions HKCC taking on DLSWCC Prism at Hong Kong Cricket Club and KCC facing the HKCA U19s at Kowloon Cricket Club. Both matches were scored live on Cricinfo for the first time.

At Hong Kong Cricket Club, Little Sai Wan Prism stunned the hosts by 123 runs thanks to a brilliant batting effort that saw them post 6/332 from their 50 overs. Babar Hayat scored the first century of the season with a run-a-ball 100 while Ehsan Khan hit 83 runs. The pair shared a 163 run partnership before Munir Dar (54) and Shahid Wasif (49*) smashed 90 runs off 33 balls to lift DLSW to their big total.

HKCC made a good fist of their reply, being well ahead of the DLSW score in the early stages of their innings. But the regular loss of wickets blighted their chase and they eventually fell 123 runs short. Nizakat Khan’s 46 was the best for HKCC, sharing an 84-run partnership with Courtney Kruger who scored 42, while Simon Cook and Dlajeet Singh both struck 31. Ehsan Khan did the damage with the ball for DLSW, claiming 5/37 from his 8 over spell.
At HKCC: DLSW Prism 6/332 from 50 overs beat HKCC 209 from 40.1 overs by 123 runs

In the day’s other match, Kowloon Cricket Club defeated the HKCA Under-19s by 140 runs at Kowloon Cricket Club. KCC plundered the U19s attack for 326 runs off their 50 overs with Jamie Atkinson hitting 93 and Kincit Shah and Ryan Campbell completing half-centuries. Tanveer Ahmed was the best of the U19s bowlers, picking up 3/54 from his ten over spell.

In reply, the U19s started solidly with the openers putting on 50 runs for the first wicket. But wickets tumbled regularly and from 8/95 there was no coming back. Left-arm spinner Dan Pascoe did the damage for KCC, picking up 5/30 from his ten over spell. A last wicket partnership between Tanveer Ahmed and Saad Mohammad worth 72 runs was the best for the U19s as the finished on 186 from 48.5 overs.
At KCC: KCC 7/326 from 50 overs beat HKCA U19s 186 from 48.5 overs by 140 runs.

Source: HK Cricket Association

Cup Final Video as Hong Kong beat China to Win the China Sevens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lypniCVnRr4

51 HKG v CHN Women Cup Final (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lypniCVnRr4)

Watch the Cup Final as Hong Kong beat China to win the China Sevens. The Asia Rugby youtube channel has videos of all the matches at the recent tournament. The semi-final victory over Japan is if anything the more impressive match result.

A fantastic result, congratulations ladies!!!