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cricketCricket is the quintessential British game that can trace
its origins back at least 420 years – and some historians suggest even longer.

It’s a simple game that has been taken all over the world
by adventurers and settlers, in particular during the days when it was said the
sun never set on the British Empire.

Indeed, the world’s leading cricket teams do come from
Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, and the West Indies.

It’s also a game that espouses a sense of fair play –
hence the phrase “it just isn’t cricket” if something is thought unfair.

In fact, cricket has so many virtues that it’s being
targeted as a world sport for all.

At the moment it’s the second most played game in the
world (behind football) but its appeal is somewhat limited – until now.

The International Cricket Council (the ICC) has been to
the EU in Brussels to explain why cricket is a game that should be embraced by
all.

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The ICC set up a small cricket pitch in the Josef Antall
building and invited passing MEPs, in fact anyone, to “turn their arm” or have
a go at batting.

And some found that cricket isn’t that easy to play.

One MEP commented “it’s a lot quicker than it looks”.

Surprisingly, 31 European countries already play cricket,
with more than 150,000 participating from junior to senior level. The latest
country to join the ICC is Hungary.

And some countries are doing exceedingly well. Only last year
Ireland beat England in a 50 overs match. The victory included the fastest
century in World Cup history – a 50 ball knock by Kevin O’Brien.

Other teams, like Scotland and the Netherlands, are also on
the verge of breaking into world competitions.

They should all make it through to the next World Cup 20/20
overs competition in 2014 in Bangladesh.

The number of entrants has been extended to give
qualifying chances to the lesser known squads.

It’s anticipated those places will be taken by teams like
Canada, Namibia and Afghanistan.

Nick Pink the ICC’s Regional Development Manager told the
EU Reporter: “It’s really important that we give opportunities to the up and
coming countries.

“Cricket can change the life of a young person,
particularly if their country is a divided nation.

“We are already bringing together Indian and Pakistani
communities with indigenous populations and we’re providing safe places to play
in Israel and Palestine.

“Cricket has a unique ability through its multiple
variations of the game to reach out to young people and adults no matter what
gender, ethnicity, or social background and bring them together.

“It can be a truly unifying sport.”

And Mark Moodley, General
Manager of France Cricket said: "One
of the best things about cricket is that it is a non-contact sport, so girls
and boys can play together making the game far more accessible."

Ole Roland, the Chief Executive of Dansk
Cricket Forbund, said: "To develop the game in Denmark we have introduced
the integration project.

“It develops the management of clubs,
resulting in lots of school visits and cricket camps, education of new coaches.

“In the first two years it gave Dansk
Cricket access to up to 10,000 juniors."

Marike Dickmann, the Cricket Development
Manager for KNCB (Netherlands) said: "It's all about changing attitudes-
bringing in our development plan for all clubs.

“To survive we need to build
sustainability into our youth system and get kids playing together in their neighbourhoods
to interlink communities."

 

Anna van Densky

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EU Reporter publishes articles from a variety of outside sources which express a wide range of viewpoints. The positions taken in these articles are not necessarily those of EU Reporter.
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