Hong Kong cricket matches to continue amid coronavirus threat as Little Sai Wan and Kowloon Cricket Club claim Premier League wins
- Temperature checks and health declarations are being taken at venues with Cricket Hong Kong keen to stage successful Premier League
- Five teams are competing over 10 weeks in the tournament, which is returning to the domestic calendar after two years
Matches in the Hong Kong Premier League cricket tournament will carry on despite the coronavirus threat that has caused havoc with the global sporting calendar.
The league kicked off on Sunday with Diasqua Little Sai Wan scoring an 82-run victory over Hong Kong Cricket Club in their opener while Kowloon Cricket Club defeated United Services Recreation Club by seven wickets in the other game.
Cricket Hong Kong’s participation manager Ravi Nagdev said organisers were confident of staging a safe and successful tournament by implementing the necessary precautions.
“As long as the venues are open, we will be playing games,” said Nagdev. “Obviously, there are restrictions in place. There are not too many spectators, only players and officials, and we’re not opening to non-members [of clubs].”
The five-team, 50-overs league is due to be played over six weeks using a round-robin format. The tournament returns to the domestic calendar after a two-year break. The fifth team in the competition, Pakistan Association, had a bye on Sunday.
Nagdev said temperature checks are taken at each venue and anyone entering must sign a health declaration. Those who have returned from overseas travel will be refused entry.
Sai Wan captain Ehsan Khan scored 132 off 120 balls, including three sixes and 17 fours, as they totalled 299 for seven, with Waqas Khan hitting 89. Home side HKCC were bowled out for 217 in 46.2 overs with Mohsin Khan taking four wickets – including a hat-trick – for 38 and Aftab Hussain three for 42.
“It was a good start for us, we had no problem playing because we are given assurances about safety and the Hong Kong Cricket Club did a professional job,” said Ehsan.
“I’m happy to get a century, the last match I played I missed scoring a hundred because of a mistake I made so I’m delighted to be able to make it up.”
In Kowloon, KCC restricted USRC to 201 for nine in their 50 overs, with late hitting by Muhammad Awais, who scored 70 in 52 balls, helping to take their score above 200. KCC’s chase was built around Rory Cox’s unbeaten 84, made from 102 balls with two sixes and nine fours, while Simandeep Singh’s 53 and skipper Jamie Atkinson’s 35 helping them across the line in 30.5 overs.
