Cricket in Chile is on the move - evidence of this is the willingness of no less than eight schools in three different cities to date to participate in cricket development.

So far one clinic with some 40 boys and girls as well as eight coaches enjoyed a morning learning the basics of cricket through the medium of Kwik/Mini cricket. Coaching has also been started at some schools twice weekly, catering for boys and girls from Grades 3 to 6 (8 years old to 12 years old).

The impetus for this revival has been the enthusiasm of Tim Messner, a teacher at one of the local schools, and Kate Smith also a teacher at another school supported by the Chilean Cricket Association members who number 70 of which around 40 are active players. The cosmopolitan group includes a growing number of Chilean players which is extremely encouraging.

At the schools level a Kwik/Mini Cricket Festival is planned for 8 December. It is hoped this festival will attract approximately 100+ young players. Also during the season a number of interschools matches are planned at the Mini/Kwik Cricket level with a view to meeting the challenge of our first proper interschool cricket match early in 2002. This will probably be at the under 13 level.

As coaching is of vital importance the Chile Cricket Association is also hoping to be able to set up a number of coaching courses which will provide certification of Level One coaches. At present the possibility of using Bruce Phillips, who is a Level Two qualified coach (Certification achieved through the United Cricket Board of South Africa) as the course leader is being investigated.

It is hoped that either through the ICC or the UCBSA permission will be granted for him to be allowed to perform this task in Chile. Bruce gained his Provincial B colours in South Africa as well as his International colours for Namibia in the 1980's and has played cricket in both Namibia and South Africa at First & Second Division Level for many years.

Recently a League was established in Santiago with players being allocated to the regions in which they lived. The teams in the league are therefore: La Dehesa; Las Condes; PWCC (Prince of Wales Cricket Club); and Santiago. Matches are played at one of three venues each Saturday.

Three fields are available for matches, two of which have very good turf wickets and settings equal to many First League clubs in established cricketing countries. Two are based at local schools, Craighouse and The Grange and the third is at the Prince of Wales Country Club which has supported cricket in Chile for some 50 years.

An additional club is in semi existence in Valparaiso/Viņa on the coast and a fixture involving a PWCC XI vs Valparaiso is scheduled for 2 February 2002 in which it is hoped the facilities (the clubhouse and grounds still exist) at the coast can be resurrected.

The Scorpions Cricket Club is due to visit on March 27 and whilst the local club championship is scheduled to be completed by Saturday 26 January, matches are scheduled to continue until 14 April 2002.

A tour to Lima, Peru is scheduled for 29-31 March 2002.

Mention must be made of the International Cricket Council's Regional Development Manager, Robert Weekes, who visited recently and who has now received the Chilean (ACC) membership application duly completed. Robert indicated he was most satisfied with the way cricket was being run in Chile and gave the Association much encouragement with respect to the ICC application.

Chile has also participated in all four South American Cricket Championships and has been placed second twice, once and fourth once. The most recent being the 2000 championship where Chile placed second. As this is an international competition albeit on a level appreciably below that of the established cricketing nations of the world, Chile can be proud of the achievements of her white clad ambassadors.

Some general information:

Our oldest active player is Tony Adams, now a young 63 and still turning the arm over and beguiling many a younger player into self destruction.

About the national team:

Under the able captaincy of Stuart Nelson middle order batsman and very adept left arm spinner, the Australian contingent of Tim Messner and Blair Douglas, both of whom are more than passable quickies and supported by Guy Hooper (keeper/batsman) who learned his cricket in the UK and has represented Chile 5 times since his arrival in 1996 and Ian Scott right arm medium pace bowler (also having represented Chile many times) with Bruce Phillips and Clive Marriot possible openers the side is more than able to meet the challenges of any visiting team.

Indeed Edwin Huysing, Kate Smith. Ian Walker, Alejandro Saldaņa , Mike Meade and Peter Brink are also very accomplished players and in Kate Smith our representative from the fair sex we have a most agile wicketkeeper and as correct a stroke player as one would wish to have in a side..(Kate achieved International womens' cricket status in Holland a number of years ago).

With a further 30 players challenging for positions the selection of a team to play visiting teams is becoming increasingly difficult but is of great benefit to cricket in Chile. Any teams wishing to enjoy Latin American hospitality and to experience excellent cricket facilities can contact one or more as listed below:

The Chile Cricket Association Website can be found at www.chile.cricket.org
Our webmaster is Edwin Huysing who can be contacted on ortje@hotmail.com
Club Captain is Stuart Nelson : stunelson100@hotmail.com
Club Secretary is Clive Marriott : cmarriott@prg.cl

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