Blow for HK as Chapman misses T20 bid for school

Top-order batsman Mark Chapman has been forced to pull out of Hong Kong's campaign to qualify for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup after the New Zealand school he is boarded at made it through to the National Championship.

The young talent had earlier informed the Hong Kong selectors that he might have to stay and play for King's College in Auckland, one of the top cricketing schools in New Zealand, if they qualified for the championship.

They have done so, prompting 16-year-old Chapman to drop out of the 14-strong Hong Kong squad bound for Nepal at the end of this month.

And in another blow to preparations, Hong Kong have been forced to change their travel plans at the last minute after a number of Pakistani-born players failed to get their visas in time for India.

The squad will now travel to Colombo, Sri Lanka, for a series of warm-up games before the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Twenty20 Cup starts in Kathmandu on December 1.

Hong Kong-born Chapman, an attacking left-handed batsman, has always made it clear that his long-term plans include playing for New Zealand, where his father comes from. Unfortunately, there has been a clash in dates with the December 1-10 ACC Twenty20 coinciding with the school championship.

'This is an important step for Mark in his quest to represent New Zealand one day,' Hong Kong head coach Charlie Burke said.