The Press Box | Niue survive Chatterjee brilliance to become World Champions

[Till Valhalla]

Response from Niue Cricket & Kilikiti Board to World Cricket Conference


Well, well, well, look who's showing their true colors. The World Cricket Conference (WCC) has certainly outdone themselves this time, haven't they?

How dare they even insinuate that they have the audacity to strip us of our hosting rights? Let's get one thing straight: we earned our hosting rights fair and square, unlike some other nations (cough Denmark cough) who seem to have landed the Club World Cup hosting gig on a silver platter. What's the reasoning behind that, WCC? Maybe because they couldn't host a tea party, let alone a cricket tournament? Oh, but they showed us some fancy photoshopped pictures of renovated stadiums, didn't they? Well, newsflash: we've seen those stadiums firsthand during the Club World Cup, and let's just say they're not exactly up to snuff. Looks like a little scam orchestrated by the WCC and the Dansk Cricket-Union (DCU), doesn't it?

And now, since we've snagged the co-hosting rights for the World Cup, WCC is suddenly sniffing around, trying to snatch it away from us. Is it because we're not one of their golden boys? Or could it be something more insidious, like a hint of racism behind their decisions? Let's not forget about another one of their favorites, Morocco, who gets to play in different continental leagues like the African Cup of Nations and the Sahara Shield. And when they can't win, what do they do? They get their own little Arab Cup to play in. Meanwhile, a cricket-loving nation like Niue gets denied a chance to play in their continental league because, oh, WCC can't be bothered to create a window for it. Lazy, much?

A global body like WCC should have the decency to respect the ethics of a nation like Niue, who actually gives a damn about the future. Unlike some others who are just sitting in their chairs, filling their pockets and playing favorites.

So, WCC, before you go pointing fingers and making threats, maybe take a good, hard look in the mirror. Because the world is watching, and we're not buying what you're selling.

Sincerely,

Niue Cricket & Kilikiti Board​

 

[World Cricket Conference]

New Zealand to host majority of World Cup matches amidst Niue visa denial debacle
Despite having eight internationally-accredited cricket grounds in the country, Niue will only host a select-few matches​

Müller Schwanstegger presides over an emergency meeting convened in Berlin © Associated Press, September 14, 2003​

News coming from Berlin solidifies the World Cricket Conference's decision regarding match allocation between the two host nations for the Cricket World Cup. Following the visa denial controversy instigated by Niue immigration, and exacerbated by the Niue Cricket & Kilikiti Board, the World Cricket Conference was backed into a corner and forced to make a major decision regarding the scheduling of the upcoming event. Initially met with immense remorse, the Conference quickly turned from being regretful of handing over the hosting rights to Niue, to finding a solution for the predicament they were forced into due to discrimination by the host island.

With many possibilities levied at the Management Committee of the World Cup, the one that emerged seemingly as the sole solution to this problem was the allocation of matches to be New Zealand-heavy, with the nations singled-out by Niue immigration to play their matches in only New Zealand. Additionally, Niue would not be compensated by having other teams' matches swapped and played in Niue, in fact, the schedule of the World Cup will now favor New Zealand a lot more overall.

With the World Cup draw scheduled for after the ASCON Asia Cup, it remains to be seen which nation ends up in which group, and how the schedule of the tournament pans out. It is inevitable however, that Niue will have to travel to New Zealand to play teams such as Denmark, Israel and perhaps even Morocco, should they end up being grouped together, given their visa policy. If they had issued visas neutrally, they would've played all their group matches at their own home, like their co-hosts.

 

[Welwyn]

DOUBLE BARRELLED BARNEY

Bermudian Star, Wendell Corden-Cox's relationship with Avengers' owner/captain WG Charles seems to have irreparably broken down despite their victory in the Club World Cup.

It was reported here before the mid-season break that Corden-Cox had left the club in the lurch due to Charles wanting him to miss the Americas Championship to play in the last few rounds of the Princes' Gate Championship. Whilst the Bermudian all-rounder went to Denmark to be part of the Aberystwyth Avengers squad for the Club World Cup, he was not happy with Charles making him bat at five in the first two games of qualifying round, feeling he was being punished by the owner for putting country ahead of club.

It is now considered that his surprise omission from the final qualifying round game against Jeddah may well have been due to Corden-Cox refusing to play as the argument heated up and a player from the club has said that during a dressing-room bust up later in the competition, Corden-Cox stormed out shouting that 'once this is done, I will never share a dressing room with you again'.

It has even been rumoured that Corden-Cox has been ringing round the other five Welsh First Class franchises, offering his services to them for the 2004 season at a vastly reduced rate.

 

[Supreme General]

​

The ECB has yet again been forced to make a statement on William George Charles' absence from the England side, this time without the excuse of a Club World Cup for him to try and win for his adopted home at the Aberystwyth Avengers. The ECB chairman yet again has to step in and take action, in a written statement to the press today, Adam Smith said " As we said during our last discussion about this topic, we were disappointed with William's decision last time but we felt that he was within his rights to try and play at the highest level of club competition. A decision which worked out very well for him, with his side winning the tournament. However, we made clear that if he ditched his England duty at any other point there would be consequences, and there will be. This is a breach of his England central contract and the verbal agreements we had with him just before the CWC for him not miss England matches in the lead up to a massive World Cup campaign. As a result, we will be fining him £25,000 up front and another £50,000 suspended fine if he pulls this kind of behaviour again. We here at the ECB are fully behind the current 15 selected to play against Scotland in our World Cup warm matches as our best side begins to become clear for the World Cup in New Zealand."

Fans are of course livid at this blatant disrespect by Charles towards the National team and his country as a whole. As well as the ECB’s reaction given the lucrative wealth WGC has at his disposal through his family. With some small minority fans giving statements and messages to our journalists here at BBC sport saying that they wouldn't want to see him wear the England jersey again if this is how he treats the honour of playing for his country despite all the heroics he has done in the past. However, from the England dressing room, there seems to be no doubt that he will picked and most likely star in The Three Lions' WC campaign in Oceania as he has strong friendships with Captain Richard Head and star bowler Zachary Wilson. Head in particular being the most influential as he has almost unlimited choice in team selection will be pushing for his friend's and who many pundits say is England's only hope for a very unlikely and outside chance of winning the whe tournament's selection. Only time will tell where the WGC saga ends up after his falling out with Bermudian star Wendell Corden-Cox was published by our colleagues in Wales only a few short days ago over Cox not withdrawing from international duty like Charles and after Charles was involved with a scrap with teammates in the team hotel in Saudi Arabia a year ago.

 

[Welwyn]

JOINT STATEMENT
​

Criced Cymru would like to reaffirm their commitment to maintaining good relationships with both the WCC and domestic governing bodies by confirming our overseas player policy.

No overseas player can miss international fixtures with their country to play for a Welsh Franchise unless given prior permission by their governing body. With the Club World Cup, we received permission from the ECB in good faith that WG Charles could play in that tournament. This permission did not extend to missing the Scotland series to play in the last two rounds of the Princes' Gate Championship.

As a result, we can confirm that WG Charles will not be allowed to play in Avengers match that corresponds with an England international until further notice. This starts with the final two rounds of the Princes' Gate Championship, any attempt by Charles to play in this game will result in sanctions against the Avengers.

We thank the ECB with their understanding during this period.

---------------

DATGANIAD AR Y CYD
​

Hoffai Criced Cymru ailgadarnhau eu hymrwymiad i gynnal perthynas dda gyda Chyngor Sir Ceredigion a chyrff llywodraethu domestig trwy gadarnhau ein polisi chwaraewyr tramor.

Ni all unrhyw chwaraewr tramor golli gemau rhyngwladol gyda'u gwlad i chwarae i Etholfraint Gymreig oni bai y rhoddir caniatâd ymlaen llaw gan eu corff llywodraethu. Gyda Chwpan Clwb y Byd, cawsom ganiatâd gan yr ECB yn ddidwyll y gallai WG Charles chwarae yn y twrnamaint hwnnw. Nid oedd y caniatâd hwn yn ymestyn i fethu cyfres yr Alban i chwarae yn y ddwy rownd olaf o Bencampwriaeth Princes' Gate.

O ganlyniad, gallwn gadarnhau na fydd WG Charles yn cael chwarae yng ngêm Avengers sy'n cyfateb i chwaraewr rhyngwladol Lloegr hyd nes y clywir yn wahanol. Mae hyn yn dechrau gyda dwy rownd olaf Pencampwriaeth Princes' Gate, bydd unrhyw ymgais gan Charles i chwarae yn y gêm hon yn arwain at sancsiynau yn erbyn yr Avengers.

Diolchwn i'r ECB am eu dealltwriaeth yn ystod y cyfnod hwn.

 

[Pinch hitter]

✺ INDIAN DOMESTIC SEASON 2003 ✺

Initial Championship League might get shorter structure in 2003 calendar... Indian cricket Board not want to organise ICL matches during World Cup, which is Starting from November... So, they are thinking about shorten ICL... Structure and duration of the tournament will be announced soon... ICL will get back to full length structure from 2004 onwards...​

 

[Paranoid Kendroid]

Massive domestic system overhaul as DCU embrace for the next cycle 2004-2007
New teams, new competitions and new players

September 30, 2003

The decisions have received a mixed-reception from the Danish public.
​

Dansk Cricket-Union (DCU) have made major changes to their cricketing system, specifically domestic cricket. They are moving away from region-based teams to city-based franchises. Also, the franchises will be owned by private organizations rather than states. Few international organizations have also shown interest. This will lead to higher player salaries and more investments.

A players union, headed by Aksel Johansson, has been adamant in making sure players receive more salary now that there will be 2 more teams in the domestic circuit and broader fixtures.

The eight teams have been reported as (i) Copenhagen, (ii) Aarhus, (iii) Esbjerg, (iv) Odense, (v) Vejle, (vi) Aalborg, (vii) Herning, (viii) Farum

DCU have also announced that new stadiums are being built for the teams which don't have one. Many have been criticising this step, calling it a waste of money as other perfectly fine stadiums, like Viborg and Nykøbing Mors, will become inactive for international cricket. Whether these stadiums will become unoperational is a decision not yet revealed by the board.

"Danish One-Day Cup" will be known as Odin's Shield from 2004 onwards.

All clubs will still follow the contract-based system of signing players. Negotiations have been ongoing and major Danish internationals have been signed by teams. The squads will be revealed after the end of the season.

 

[Welwyn]

AVENGERS DOCKED SEVEN POINTS​

Today, during the first innings of the Princes Gate Championship match between Ynys Mon Islanders and Aberystwyth Avengers, Avengers club captain, WG Charles attempted to bat in place of Max Charles Jr. despite being banned from the fixture.

This was spotted by the umpires and quickly stopped. However, as a deterrent from future breaches, we have taken the decision to both dock the Avengers seven points from the match in question and disallow any batting points gained from the innings in question.
----------------

DIGONWYR WEDI DOCIO SAITH PWYNT​

Heddiw, yn ystod batiad cyntaf gêm Bencampwriaeth Princes Gate rhwng Ynys Môn ac Aberystwyth Avengers, ceisiodd capten clwb Avengers, WG Charles fatio yn lle Max Charles Jr. er iddo gael ei wahardd o’r gêm.

Gwelwyd hyn gan y dyfarnwyr a daeth i ben yn gyflym. Fodd bynnag, fel ataliad rhag toriadau yn y dyfodol, rydym wedi penderfynu docio'r Avengers saith pwynt o'r gêm dan sylw a gwrthod unrhyw bwyntiau batiad a enillwyd o'r batiad dan sylw.

 

[Welwyn]

EDITORS NOTE: Now I have finished the game. No-one will ever believe I didn't know the outcome before deciding on 7 points!!

 

[Welwyn]

AVENGERS GET POINT BACK ON CAS APPEAL
​

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has thrown the Princes Gate Championship into chaos after awarding Aberystwyth Avengers back one point from their seven that were deducted for WG Charles attempting to impersonate Max Charles in their final game.

As a result, it now appears that the Avengers and Ynys Mon Islanders will share the championship. However, the Islanders may now wish to counterlitigate the situation given that the most likely tie-breaker would be match wins, handing the Islanders the title.

 

[Welwyn]

PRINCES GATE ANNOUNCEMENT​

Following the CAS decision, we have agreed to abide by the decision. Given the lack of time before our World Cup Warm-up camp, there will be no time for a play-off between the two teams in question and, as a result, we have decided that the Championship will be shared between the Islanders and Avengers. There will be no further comment at this time.

---------
Yn dilyn penderfyniad CAS, rydym wedi cytuno i gadw at y penderfyniad. O ystyried y diffyg amser cyn ein gwersyll Cynhesu Cwpan y Byd, ni fydd amser ar gyfer gêm ail gyfle rhwng y ddau dîm dan sylw ac, o ganlyniad, rydym wedi penderfynu y bydd y Bencampwriaeth yn cael ei rhannu rhwng yr Ynyswyr ac Avengers . Ni fydd sylw pellach ar hyn o bryd.

 

[isFEISARfair]

STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO NET RUN RATE AND TIEBREAKS


How'd we get here?
On October 19th, 2003 following the conclusion of the final game of the Swiss stage of the 2003 ASCON Asia Cup, a formal complaint was filed against the organizers by an anonymous party after ASCON had posted the final table from the Swiss Stage. The complaint was in regards to the Net Run Rate displayed on the final table, which the complainer believed to be incorrect and that ASCON was publishing misleading and false information. In order to address all issues following a lengthy review ASCON has elected to release this report in relation to both the Net Run Rate discrepancy as well as concerns relating to the Head to Head tiebreak and how it impacts teams.

NRR Swing
For the 2002 ASCON Asia Cup as well as the 2003 ASCON Asia Cup, Net Run Rate was calculated on a per game basis, meaning that each game's results were treated individually and not combined for each team as the tournament goes on. This began to be used in 2002 and was used for at-least two international event as well as two domestic tournaments within the People's Republic of China. How NRR in this fashion would be calculated is that after every game, a Net Run Rate calculator would be used to determine the amount of NRR a team would gain or lose depending on how many runs they scored in the game along with how many overs they faced which would then be compared to both runs allowed and overs bowled in a formula to determine the final output. These outputs were only for that game in particular and so it usually led to large amounts of flocculation in the output generation. An example can be found below:

Game 1: 0.43, Game 2: 2.10, Game 3: -0.87, Game 4: 0.22
0.43 + 2.10 - 0.87 + 0.22 = 1.88

This method will henceforth be referred to as the Swing method, as the Net Run Rate that a team can gain or lose is entirely determined on individual game performance and was for both the 2002 and 2003 Asia Cups how NRR was calculated.

What's the problem?
There were two issues discovered after the complaint was filed, the first being that the calculations for teams that were bowled out in their innings weren't properly calculated, thusly reducing the impact that blowouts had in the tournament and therefore drastically impacting the table. The second and bigger issue is that ASCON was working on the assumption that the Swing method was the correct way used by other WCC recognized tournaments for determining Net Run Rate, however this was in reality incorrect and in reality NRR was calculated in an entirely different method which relied on combining a teams performance over the course of an entire tournament. Due to the fact that ASCON had stated that its NRR tiebreak was to follow WCC laws it does mean that the Swing method cannot be used to determine Net Run Rate and as a result this is considered to be a failure of ASCON administration for not noticing the issue before it was correctly pointed out. ASCON would like to formally apologize to all teams who had participated in ASCON events over the past two years for this massive mistake made by ASCON and we hope you can stick with us.

Actual NRR Totals
The following table contains Net Run Rate totals under both Swing and Nominal:

Team	NRR (Swing)	NRR (Nominal)
Bangladesh	-3.630	-0.912
China	-0.460	-0.415
India	+9.540	+2.968
Kazakhstan	-0.550	-0.332
Nepal	-6.470	-2.030
Pakistan	+3.030	+0.723
Palestine	-1.090	-0.332
Qatar	+2.680	+1.087
Saudi Arabia	-0.600	+0.150
Sri Lanka	-2.300	-0.664

As a result of this, the Standings will have to be updated to reflect the actual NRR totals, however this opens up a new issue, the fact that Saudi Arabia has a legitimate reason to still be in the tournament... however we need to discuss how the Head to Head tiebreak shall work.

Head to Head situation
Along with the initial complaint filled, said anonymous complainer has also pointed out that the Head to Head method ASCON has been using may not be optimal or correct to be used, however the board and administration have been split on the issue as to whether or not Saudi Arabia should jump China and Pakistan. Initially it was assumed that Saudi Arabia, having no good Head to Head comparison to be drawn up against compared to all four nations it is tied to would be compared on NRR first to China, who is at the head of a H2H chain and if they have a better NRR then China they would jump them and make the knockouts. This however has been challenged by the notion that since Saudi Arabia still lost to Kazakhstan, and considering both Bangladesh and Kazakhstan lost to Pakistan and China respectively, Saudi Arabia shouldn't be allowed to jump China in the first place, arguing that Saudi Arabia had a relative H2H result through both Bangladesh and Kazakhstan. This is only possible due to a H2H chain which was formed when Kazakhstan lost to Bangladesh, which formed a three nation chain including both mentioned nations and Saudi Arabia. With these two options for H2H, and ASCON's insistence that H2H be prioritized, the board as elected to a decision on October 20th in order to ensure the smooth process of the tournament.

What's gonna happen.
ASCON has elected to go with the relative interpretation of Head to Head, AKA China and Pakistan will make the playoffs as the #3 and #4 seeds respectively and Saudi Arabia will not make the knockouts due to having a relative H2H result through Bangladesh and Kazakhstan. This also establishes a permanent precedent for future ASCON events that will use Head to Head as a tiebreaker in which if a team doesn't have a H2H result that can be compared to teams higher up, if a H2H circle was formed with that team, then that entire circle's losses will be compared to create a relative position all teams involved will slot into, thusly reinforcing ASCON's preference for H2H. While this may be harsh on Saudi Arabia, the board has elected that this is the simplest method forward while also being the most cost effective, preventing the board from having to issues thousands in refunds due to China and Pakistan having their games changed or in Pakistan's case, being knocked out.

Notes for future events.
ASCON has effective immediately clarified that all Net Run Rate numbers displayed will be of nominal NRR and not swing NRR, thusly bringing ASCON back in line with every other WCC-affiliated event. As well ASCON will host a general meeting on whether Head to Head will continue to be used for One Day International tournaments that don't use a group format, something that is likely to become the standard in future ASCON events.

Conclusion
ASCON would like to formally apologize to all member nations for the confusion brought about by this controversy caused by ASCON's own vagueness. Going forward the board will attempt to ensure no further mistakes are made and that events are ran much more smoothly. We also hope this post clarifies ASCON's tiebreak rules and that ASCON will work to make sure all further tiebreaks will have clear and concise wording to ensure there is no debates in the future.

 

[World Cricket Conference]

‘Super Over’ tie-breaker, 18-player team squads: WCC confirm rules of play for the Cricket World Cup
World Cricket Conference confirms significant rule changes for the upcoming edition of the Cricket World Cup in New Zealand and Niue​

WCC President Müller Schwanstegger was an instrumental figure in implementing these changes © Associated Press, October 25, 2003​

As the World of Cricket comes to a standstill for the inaugural edition of the Cricket World Cup, the World Cricket Conference has confirmed significant rule changes for the upcoming tournament to be held in New Zealand and Niue. These changes promise to bring a new dimension to the tournament, previously unseen in cricket.

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of the 'Super Over' as a tie-breaker during the knockout stage of the tournament. An innovative twist in which each team will have the opportunity to bat for six deliveries to set a target, and the chasing side will then have an equal chance to chase down the target within their six deliveries. What sets this Super Over apart is that it will end if the side currently batting loses two wickets within the six deliveries, adding an additional air of tension. This appears to be a massive step up from the previously used tie-breaking method of the bowl-out, which completely disregarded the element of batting altogether.

Additionally, squads for the upcoming Cricket World Cup will consist of 18 players, as opposed to the standard 15 seen in previous iterations of international events, particularly the Knockout Trophy. An expansion in squad size allows teams greater flexibility to deal with injuries, fatigue and tactical variations in the Cricket World Cup.

Recognizing the unpredictable nature of the climatic conditions of New Zealand and Niue, where rain can play a prominent role, the World Cricket Conference has also confirmed the introduction of the ‘Duckworth-Lewis-Stern’ method to revise targets in matches affected by rain. This mathematical method, widely regarded for its fairness and accuracy, ensures that rain interruptions do not unduly influence the outcome of matches, thus maintaining the integrity of cricket's World Championship.

These rule changes represent a concerted effort by the World Cricket Conference to adapt and innovate in response to the evolving dynamics of the sport of cricket. By introducing measures such as the Super Over, expanding squad sizes, and implementing advanced methods like Duckworth-Lewis-Stern to counter conditions and situations well beyond the World Cricket Conference's control, the organization aims to elevate the Cricket World Cup as the flagship event of the cricketing world.

The decision to implement these changes comes after extensive consultation with executives, officials, and stakeholders within the cricketing community, reflecting a commitment to fostering a fair and thrilling sporting environment for all involved. With the stage set for an all-exciting tournament in the picturesque settings of New Zealand and Niue, fans around the world can only anticipate witnessing these groundbreaking changes in action, as the world's best collide for cricket's ultimate prize.

 

[World Cricket Conference]

Cricket World Cup schedule released; Niue and Qatar to play tournament opener in Alofi
New Zealand will host a staggering 31 matches including all 7 knockouts, while Niue gets to host only 16 group stage games​

The Cricket World Cup arrives in Alofi for the tournament opener © Associated Press, November 1, 2003​

World Cricket Conference officially release the 2003 WCC Cricket World Cup schedule, allocating 31 matches to New Zealand including all 7 knockout matches, whereas Niue gets a total of 16 group stage games due to their own refusal to grant visas to almost the entirety of their group, and a select-few nations in other groups as well.

World Cup groups were decided based on ODI World Rankings, with host nations Niue and New Zealand taking the first and second seeds respectively, as is the case in every WCC event. Niue, having been grouped with Denmark, Guernsey, Qatar and Vanuatu, would've hosted Group A in its entirety in Niue. However, Niue immigration, and Niue Cricket & Kilikiti Board's refusal to assure visas to Denmark, Guernsey and Vanuatu has resulted in all but one match of the group being played in New Zealand.

Had the country of Niue been impartial and just, the match allocation would've been very different, as it was communicated in the initial draft of the schedule levied around internally. Niue would've hosted all matches of Group A and Group C, as well as two quarter-finals and one semi-final, assuring 23 matches to Niue and 24 to New Zealand. But the Conference saw it best to not assign any knockout matches to Niue knowing they could not ensure visa approvals to certain teams should they qualify for a knockout match in Niue. Allegedly, a major part of this decision being made was also the tropical climate of Niue in December with washouts predicted.

Group B sees New Zealand, China, Russia, England and Norway in the same group, with all matches scheduled in New Zealand. Group C, being the only group to not contain a single nation on Niue's ban-list, has every group match scheduled in Niue, with Canada, India, Saudi Arabia, Bermuda and Wales locking horns in the group.

Group D is a mixed-bag with South Africa and Israel, two more nations on Niue immigration's farcical ban list, being grouped together with Pakistan, Morocco and the United States. Every match including South Africa and Israel will be played in New Zealand, and every other match not including these two teams will be played in Niue.

Knockouts of the Cricket World Cup will be played in New Zealand beginning from December 18th, with the final set to take place in Auckland on the 28th of December, as originally proposed way back at the 2000 Annual Summit. Reserve days have also been added to all knockout matches for the following day to combat potential rain.

With Niue set to take on Qatar in the World Cup opener, the world of cricket gears up for an enthralling two months of non-stop cricketing action. All eyes turn to the Oceanic islands of New Zealand and Niue, as the world's best cricket-playing nations converge and collide for cricket's ultimate prize, the WCC Cricket World Cup.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

World Cup-bound Moroccan squad named; Said El-Ouadie, Abdelhak Idrissi and Ely Ziyech given maiden call-ups

Moroccan Cricket Federation confirm their 18-player squad for the upcoming World Cup in New Zealand and Niue. Abderrahim Zniber, "the father of Moroccan cricket", will lead the side into battle in the inaugural edition of cricket's World Championship. As expected, Morocco have largely named an unchanged squad from their unbeaten run of six ODIs from September through to October, with the inclusion of three Wydad players being a noteworthy distinction. With WCC expanding squad size for such a massive event, it allowed room for the MCF to squeeze in top Moroccan performers outside of the original fifteen earmarked for the World Cup.

Said El-Ouadie has been a revelation for both, Tangier Wydad and The Atlas Lions, having been their best-performing player by a country mile. El-Ouadie boasts an impressive bowling average of 23.03 after bagging 30 wickets in 19 matches, with his best bowling innings of 4/34 coming in only his third professional cricket match, that too against the eventual Moroccan Cup winners of the season and one of the top Moroccan clubs, Raja Casablanca.

Another Tangier Wydad name added to the squad is Abdelhak Idrissi, the vice-captain of both Wydad and The Atlas Lions. More than anything else, he's been given the call-up as the backup wicket keeper for Youssouf Berrada, should the latter miss out for Morocco in any of their World Cup matches for any reason.

Ely Ziyech also receives a maiden call-up, replacing El Bachir Benzakour after having scored nearly twice as many runs as him during all matches played in 2003. Raja opener Benzakour scored 521 runs in 17 games at an average of 30.65, whereas Ziyech amassed 907 runs from 27 games at an average of 34.88. Ziyech also scored a hundred and a fifty more than Benzakour, and with Rami and Zniber already in the squad, Benzakour's part-time spin is hardly of any additional value.

Lastly, Hicham Ben Barka gets added to the fold in the ODI side as well after being in-and-out of favour with the team selectors, owing largely to his personal relations with the board and its officials. Despite being described as "difficult to work with", Hicham gets the nod of approval ahead of Zineddine Zraibi and Zubayr Bennis due to the balance he provides the team with by being a batting all-rounder who bats in the lower-order.

Unfortunately for Abdelkarim Raihani and El Bachir Benzakour, two players outed publicly as being part of MCF's plans for the World Cup, end up missing out on being part of the first-ever Moroccan World Cup squad. Raihani has been reportedly left behind in favour of Arwarh Benjelloun due to how poor of a run he had during the Arab Cup, where he scored a grand total of 70 runs from 5 innings at an astoundingly out-of-character average of 17.50. El Bachir Benzakour on the other hand has had his dreams of representing Morocco at the World Cup dashed as Ely Ziyech gets preference over him owing to the latter's undeniable run tally in the season.

As the World Cup draws closer and closer with each passing minute, the Moroccans are ready and eager to showcase their standing to the world of cricket with dreams of having a memorable, if not notorious World Cup run, despite being on the lower end of the pecking order globally.

MOROCCO [ Cricket World Cup ]

53. Hervé Hocquard (30) Al-Ittihad
75. Zouhair Rami (35) Maghreb
87. Rachid Al-Fassi (20) Raja C. A.
26. Ely Ziyech (30) Maghreb

13. Zamen Ibn Al-Hasan (31) Raja C. A.
29. Youssouf Berrada (28) Al-Ittihad
51. Abderrahim Zniber (32) Raja C. A.
55. Arwarh Benjelloun (32) Al-Ittihad

08. Waqqas Al-Jirari (31) Al-Fatah
18. Abdelhak Idrissi (24) Wydad
77. Hicham Ben Barka (28) Wydad
06. Sufyan Ben Barka (29) Al-Fatah

69. Abdelhamid Aberkill (22) Maghreb
22. Said El-Ouadie (20) Wydad
50. El Mahi Khatibi (26) Al-Ittihad

62. Abderrahman Oulehri (31) Raja C. A.
22. Abdelkarim Toulali (33) Al-Ittihad
01. Pierre-Marie Rapace (29) Raja C. A.