HONG Kong's performance at the fifth ICC Trophy competition once again raises the question of whether there is room for amateurs in a game dominated by professionals.
As the territory return home today, after a long and hard three-week stay in Nairobi, the players are still wondering what went wrong after the side had done a wonderful job by qualifying for the final eight, for the first time in the tournament's history.
How did Hong Kong, who in the preliminary round had topped the 20-team competition in the run-rate and looked a very competitive side, suddenly go off the boil? One answer would be that Pat Fordham and his team decided that having reached the quarters was a feat in itself (it was), and mentally switched off.
Let there be no doubts. The opposition in the quarter-final group games - Holland, Bangladesh and Kenya, the top three seeds, respectively - were man for man, more talented and fitter sides.
But Hong Kong were capable of putting on a better fight than losing by eight wickets to Kenya, by 134 runs to Holland and by 57 runs to Bangladesh.
The sudden swing in the pendulum was highlighted by the two games against West Africa and Kenya. In the preliminary round against West Africa, Hong Kong amassed their highest-ever total in the ICC Trophy, a record 355. Then, in their next match, the territory plumbed the depths to hit a new low of 86 against Kenya.