Asia's Cricket Council (ACC) chief is optimistic that increasing investment to develop the sport in China will pay dividends in the near future.
"We have made big investment including money and technical support in developing cricket in China," ACC chief executive Syed Ashraful Huq told China Daily in Beijing during his visit to last week's national men's cricket championship.
"I am confident the investment will get paid."
"It is not a bad investment. It is not like going to the stock exchange and buying shares. It is a safe investment."
The Chinese Cricket Association (CCA), which joined the ACC after the former was established in 2004, has been developing the sport in China in recent years by laying a foundation of professionally trained players, coaches and umpires.
Huq believes China will play a pivotal role in making cricket a truly global sport.
"We have trained hundreds of local coaches here," he said.
"I am hopeful China will play well because if China plays well, then the whole value of the sport will go up over the world."
"Only when major countries like China play the sport, at that time we can say the sport is a truly global sport."
"We have more than 100 countries playing in the world, but China makes the most differences."
As the boss of the sport's governing body in Asia, Huq is especially pleased the sport will debut at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, where he hopes it will give Chinese cricket the spur it needs.
"It will have different impact now," Huq said.
"I came to Beijing two days ago and had meetings with chief of CCA."
"This is the first meeting with chief official in China and I am glad to see they are more interested in advancing the sport than I expected."
CCA chief official Liu Rongyao said the national body was fully committed to development programs.
"It is such a good chance," he said.
"Cricket is more and more popular in China's schools."
"After support from international organizations and our own efforts, we will have more people getting involved and will set up national teams for assembled trainings."
Huq even claimed cricket would be the most popular sport at the Guangzhou Games when teams representing the most populous nations face off.
"Eventually the cricket will become the biggest game in Asian Games - the No 1, because it is seen by the most and it is followed by the most," he said.
"Also China will play the cricket as the host. They will send their men's and women's teams and show people what the sport is."
Huq revealed his long-term aim beyond the Asian Games was to put the sport on the Olympic roster.
"China's standing as the world's leading sporting nation can play a major role in influencing future Olympic rosters."
"China is soon expected to overtake the United States as the top Olympic nation, if not at the 2008 Beijing Olympics then possibly London."
"As such they would have a lot of say in what sports are in the Olympics."
"That's why it is important that cricket is developed in China."
"I don't know if cricket can make it into the London Olympics in 2012, where it could have demonstration status, but maybe the one after that."
Huq, who has visited China twice each year since his first visit in 2002, is impressed by the sport's progress among young people and believes China will jump to a mid-level standard in Asia within two years.
"I saw the same boys playing last year and what they are playing now is very very different."
"In about two years time, they will come up to a level of, say, if not India, Pakistan, maybe other countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
"And by 2010, who knows (what will happen for the China's cricket). In three years, they might do something amazing."
"This kind of improvement is not taking place anywhere in Asia. This is because Chinese people are disciplined. When they get their mind on something, they will make it."
Supporting Huq's claims, the national women's cricket team finished a surprising third at last month's Asian Championships, just two years after the women's players picked up a bat and ball.
According to ACC's plan, China's women's team will go to India for training and competition next year.
The men's team, which was selected after the national championships last week, will compete at the U-15 and U-19 Asian Championships later this year.
Next year they will play at senior level.
Former Pakistan international Rashid Khan is currently coaching China's men's and women's cricket teams.
The CCA aims to have 15,000 cricketers by 2009, with a proportional number of umpires and coaches, and 60,000 by 2012.
By 2020, following the establishment of a national league, international club matches and a national school and inter-city competition, the association expects cricket to be played actively by 150,000 people.
三大方法助你突破雅思听力高分
雅思听力提高的碎碎念
提高雅思听力能力的3条建议
解读雅思听力中的基本数字考点
雅思听力的三个细节问题分享
实例讲解雅思听力的审题方法
解读雅思听力的两种常见衔接手段
拿下雅思听力高分的三招
雅思听力租房场景常用词汇整理
雅思听力Section 4的题型及应试技巧
雅思听力的猜词技巧介绍
雅思听力的五条备考建议
24条雅思听力备考建议分享
解答雅思听力电话场景的7个策略
1至3月提升雅思听力的速成技巧:冷凝法
雅思听力备考的立体复习法介绍
雅思听力填空题的通用解题思路
提高雅思听力的四遍式听法
雅思听力的四大备考技巧
解读雅思听力机经使用的四个阶段
实例解析雅思听力考试中的条件词陷阱
雅思听力审题的四个关键点
详细解析雅思听力的选课场景
雅思听力材料的"冷却、回暖"训练法
如何克服雅思听力中的语音现象
值得警惕的雅思听力坏习惯
雅思听力表格填空题的答题策略
雅思听力考试中常见的替换词分享
雅思听力中长段子的精听方法介绍
雅思听力七大陷阱的破解方法
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |