HKCC Qilin players hope to be ambassadors of cricket for Hong Kong’s Chinese community
- The newly formed team had a harsh introduction to competitive cricket, losing by 191 runs in their CHK Challenge League debut
- The squad has grown from 20 to around 50 players in less than a year, with manager Ady Lee saying they could field more than one side
Hong Kong Cricket Club Qilin were given a brutal introduction to competitive cricket on Sunday but the fact that up to 50 players are still eager to make the starting 11 is creating a buzz for the sport’s future.
The Qilin side suffered a 191-run loss to Hong Kong University Students in their CHK Challenge League T20 match at Gin Drinker’s Bay in their opening match. The defeat was comprehensive but not unexpected given that half the team have been playing for less than a year.
“I speak on behalf of all the players in saying there is a strong sense of commitment from everyone at the club to make this initiative happen,” said team captain Jonathan Tan, who was unable to play on Sunday because of an injury.
“Amazingly only five of our players, excluding myself, have played some Saturday cricket. Many of the squad who have played before haven’t picked up a bat or ball for many years.
“And for the 20 plus players who have never played at all, they show great enthusiasm. We can see the development after two or three sessions. It shows that cricket is actually a sport for everyone and that’s really come through in this group of 40 to 50 players.”