Cricket officials yesterday outlined plans to build cricket grounds as part of a leisure park project in Yunlin County as administrators of the sport eye a return to international affiliation.
Taiwan has one venue dedicated to the sport, the Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District, and if the Yunlin plans are completed as scheduled in 2022, the nation would have three.
To gain Asian Cricket Council (ACC) affiliation, the pathway Taiwan faces to gain International Cricket Council recognition and to play on the global stage, two cricket grounds are required.
Although advice from experts says that the ACC rules regarding grounds can be filled using non-dedicated venues, those that would qualify — for example, the Yunsan baseball fields in Chiayi City, which Taiwan Cricket use for matches outside Taipei — are rented baseball grounds that are unsuitable for regular cricket due to their lack of availability and facilities, which make matches a challenge to stage.
At a meeting hosted by the cricket association in Yunlin, Republic of China Cricket Sports Association member Lu Jia-hong presented an artist’s depiction of a “cricket and leisure park project” at the Mailiao Industrial and Port Control Zone.
The area is undeveloped and Lu said that access is difficult, so a road would need to be built to facilitate backfilling and other preparations.
Drainage work and paving are scheduled for March through July 2022, with completion of the venue expected in September that year, he said, adding that the plans are subject to change pending further assessment.
Cricket organizer Ali Chang said that another meeting is scheduled for today to present further plans for the cricket grounds, as well as academy buildings, a golf course and a hotel.
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
REUNION: Former Barcelona players Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Miami coach Javier Mascherano are to face their former coach Luis Enrique Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi faces a tantalizing reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 after both sides on Monday progressed to the knockout phase. Miami drew 2-2 with Palmeiras to go through second in Group A, after the Brazilian side fought back from two goals down to seal top spot. They now face an all-Brazil clash against Botafogo, who lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid, but progressed from Group B in second at the expense of the Spaniards. Champions of Europe PSG won the group with a 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders, paving the
Taiwanese women’s doubles star Hsieh Su-wei and Australian teenager Maya Joint on Tuesday eased into the Eastbourne Open quarter-finals in England as Hsieh prepares for the Wimbledon Championships next week. Four-time Wimbledon women’s doubles champion Hsieh and 19-year-old Joint fired two aces and converted five of eight break points to defeat Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Poland’s Katarzyna Piter 6-3, 6-3 in 58 minutes on the grass court. Hsieh and Joint are today to face fourth seeds Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who advanced on Monday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Quinn Gleason of the US and
Dale Earnhardt Jr might already be NASCAR’s most popular crew chief. He is certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt on Saturday called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet, as they landed in victory lane in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. “It felt good to have some input and decisionmaking power,” Earnhardt said. “And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.” Earnhardt — who won NASCAR’s most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his