Cricket: Oman Cricket to focus on grassroots development after national team’s success

Sports Sunday 08/October/2017 22:57 PM
By: Times News Service
Cricket: Oman Cricket to focus on grassroots development after national team’s success

Muscat: After the unprecedented success of the national team that saw them promoted from ICC WCL Division 5 to 2 competitions in a short span of time, Oman Cricket are turning their attention to grassroots to realise their ultimate goal of all-round development.
Describing their strategy of making waves at the top before moving to the ground level as a deliberate one, Oman Cricket board member Pankaj Khimji said now is the time for development at the grassroots.

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The official revealed the details of their new development plans during the Oman Cricket Awards Gala on Sunday.
The annual award ceremony, which honoured the best teams and individuals performers of 2016-17 season, was held at Al Falaj Hotel with Minister of Sports Affairs Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al Mardhouf Al Saadi presiding over as the chief guest.
Speaking on the day when Zeeshan Maqsood won the Player of the Year Award to add to the delight of Assarain, who won both Premier League and Premier League T20 titles last season, Pankaj Khimji said while the focus will now be on grassroots development, the governing body of Sultanate’s cricket has plans to host teams from USA, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe as part of Oman team’s preparations for the ICC WCL Division 2.
“To make an impression with the national team at the international level has been one of our strategy. Thanks to support we got from all quarters and the hard work of the players and the coaches, the national team tasted success,” Pankaj said.
“We are proud to say the team has made their mark. The journey has been great, moving from ICC WCL Division 5 to Division 2 in a short span of time. The support from the government and the sponsors as well as ICC and ACC has really helped to us to develop the infrastructure and with that the national team,” he said.
“We have plans to develop cricket outside Muscat, to take the game to other parts of the Sultanate. Those plans are already in place, we have conducted cricket activities in Salalah and now we will be moving other regions,” he said.
“But now we are looking at grassroots development. In the next three years from 2018 and 2020 we will start working on the project in co-operation with MCC,” he said referring to Marylebone Cricket Club with whom the Oman Cricket signed a agreement recently.
“As per the plans we will nurturing the talents at under-5, under-7 and under-9 levels. We also try to bring in young players from the neighbouring areas of Al Amerat,” he said.
But at the same time, Pankaj stressed that Oman Cricket will however continue with their development plans at the top level, providing the national team all the support they need to perform well at the international arena.
“The national team will be competing in the ICC WCL Division 2 in February. We will be hosting the UAE team in the near future as we have done in the past. We are also in the talks to invite USA and Afghanistan teams. In all probability we will also be inviting Zimbabwe team as well,” he revealed.
Earlier, Oman Cricket Chief Development Officer and national team coach Duleep Mendis spoke about the need for the teams and players to continue to work for further improvement.
The Sri Lankan great said: “We are doing well in the domestic front with 93 teams taking part in different leagues. Now we have to develop cricket and our activities outside Muscat.”
“Similarly the players have to keep improving and maintain the highest standards and traditions of the game,” he added.
Later, chief guest Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al Mardhouf Al Saadi handed over the trophies to the teams and individual performers as well as various sponsors who support Oman cricket during the season.

List of awardees:
Premier League T20:
Winners: Assarain
Runners-up: Al Turki NMC
J Division:
Winners: Unique Elegant
Runners-up: Classic Cricket
I Division:
Winners: Mehul Enterprises
Runners-up: Times of Oman
H Division:
Winners: Douglas OHI
Runners-up: Khalsa United
G Division:
Winners: National Bank of Oman
Runners-up: Bank Muscat
F Division:
Winners: Trust Oilfield
Runners-up: Rukun Al Yaqeen
E Division:
Winners: Bahihi
Runners-up: Abu Maathar
D Division sponsored by Enhance
Winners: Carillion Alawi
Runners-up: Bab Al Rayan
C Division sponsored by Raha Polyproducts
Winners: Ernst & Young
Runners-up: Al Mardhuf LLC
B Division sponsored by Al Ansari Group of Companies
Runners-up: Zawawi Powertech
Winners: Fairtrade
A Division sponsored by Khimji Ramdas LLC
Winners: NYDT
Runners-up: MDC Enhance
Premier Division sponsored by Muscat Pharmacy & Stores
Winners: Assarain
Runners-up: Muscat CT

Individual awards
Omani players (playing for one team):
Best batsman: Salim Al Balushi - OCT Mabellah
Best bowler: Haitham Khalid Al Sabri - OCT Al Amerat
Omani players (playing for more than one team):
Best batsman: Yousuf Al Balushi - NYDT, OCT Seeb, Bank Muscat
Best bowler: Younis Al Balushi - OCT Mabellah, Zawawi Powertech
Best all-rounder: Abdul Ghani Rahim Al Balushi - OCT Al Hail A, Majees
J Division:
Best batsman: Hari Prasad Venkataraman - Design Group
Best bowler: Vicky Mandalia - Uique Elegants
I Division:
Best batsman: Azeem Muhammad - Times of Oman
Best bowler: Azeem Muhammad - Times of Oman
Consolation batting: Elson Samson - Hussain Fadhil & Partners
Best all-rounder: Azeem Muhammad - Times of Oman
H Division:
Best batsman: Sushil Kadam - Khalsa United
Best bowler: Vinod V Nair - Douglas OHI
G Division:
Best batsman: Maanas Kapoor - National Bank of Oman
Best bowler: Zaheer Abbas - National Bank of Oman
Consolation batting: Yousuf Al Balushi - Bank Muscat
F Division:
Best batsman: Robin Durai - Rukun Al Yaqeen
Best bowler: Mohan Babu Murugan - Rukun Al Yaqeen
Cosolation batting: Raghunath Masanam - Rukun Al Yaqeen
Consolation bowling: Muniraja Chithanoor - Rukun Al Yaqeen
E Division:
Best batsman: Irfan Haider Syed - Ibrahim Al Kisri
Best bowler: Kishore Krishnan - Bahihi
Consolation bowling: Mohammad Muslim Alam - Ibrahim Al Kisri
D Division:
Best batsman: Davinder Kumar - Carillion Alawi
Best bowler: Omkar P Ozadekar - Arabian Sea Bridge Trading
Consolation batting: Salim Shaikh - New Prism International
Best all-rounder: Syed Irfan Ashraf - Bab Al Rayan
C Division:
Best batsman: Prasad Peruli - Landscape Architecture
Best bowler: Sharique Baig - UKI Inspired
Consolation bowling: Jakir Hushen - Al Mardhuf
B Division:
Best batsman: Vijayanand Dhayanandan - Fairtrade
Best bowler: Muhamad Raza Mohsin - Fairtrade
A Division:
Best batsman: Robins Barmeda - Indian Social Club
Best bowler: Gurmail Jaspreet Singh - NYDT
Consolation batting: Shuaib Ismail Al Balushi - NYDT
Consolation bowling: Imran Haider Mirza - Salman Stores
Premier Division:
Best batsman: Zeeshan Maqsood - Assarain
Best bowler: Baadal Singh - Muscat CT
Player of the year sponsored by Assarain: Zeeshan Maqsood of Assarain

Sponsors
Oman National Team: Oman TEL
Oman National Team: Samsonite
Junior U-16 Boys & U-19 Women’s Tournament: Al Turki enterprises
Junior U-19 Boys, A Division League & Knock -Out Tournament: Khimji Ramdas LLC
Premier Division: Muscat Pharmacy & Stores
B Division League: Al Ansari Group of Companies
C Division League: Raha Polyproducts
D Division League: Enhance
Auditors: Maganlal Thakkar