An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
SINGAPORE: Cricket looks set to make its debut at next year's SEA Games, but the Singapore national team's preparations have taken a hit after they lost their training ground.
This took place when authorities took back the Kallang cricket field, which will be
redeveloped for community sporting activities.
The Kallang cricket field has been home to Singapore cricket since 1995. The field is owned by Sport Singapore, which leases it out to the Singapore Cricket Association on a yearly basis. But the lease was not renewed in January, leaving the national team without a place to train.
Their alternative now is to rent cricket pitches at private-member clubs such as the Singapore Indian Association, and these will cost about S$650 per session.
Said Mr Saad Khan Janjua, director of operations and coaching at the Singapore Cricket Association: "We got the letter from Sports Singapore, saying that we have to stop playing here, we can't even use this field or facility. And they've mentioned that they are giving us Farrer Park, which will be ready in September. But from January till September, we don't have any place to train."
A plot of land at Farrer Park has been allocated to the cricketers as a temporary solution, but fences and a clay pitch have to be installed before it can be used. The Singapore Cricket Association said the new facility, which will be up and running by September, will still pose challenges because it does not meet international standards.
Mr Saad noted: "Farrer Park is not a cricket field. It's very small and the dimensions that they're suggesting us to use for two years is very small. I'm afraid that we will not be able to hold any matches. Being a national body, we need to organise, we need to play bilateral series. But we don't have a proper facility."
Singapore's cricket scene has been on the rise, with an increased emphasis on youth development. The national team is ranked 24th in the world, climbing 15 rungs in eight years.
They are gunning for a place at the Under-19 World Cup in 2018 and a medal at next year's SEA Games. But the lack of a proper training ground could hamper the sport's development.
Mr Saad said: “When our national players come, if we don't provide them facilities, how can we compete at the SEA Games and with the world if we don't have a proper facility ... So this is going to be a big problem, so I'm scared that this can damage our position in the world ranking."
The absence of a facility had initially threatened to jeopardise the association's plan to host some matches against Qatar. But on Thursday afternoon (Mar 10), Sport Singapore allowed the series to be held at Kallang.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...s/2590738.html
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