Scotland scoops ICC Development Award

Scotland has emerged as one of the most successful nations in Europe for developing grassroots cricket after receiving two major awards in the ICC's Development Programme Annual Awards for 2007.

Scotland and Germany were the biggest winners in the Europe region, picking up two awards each.

Scotland received the awards for the Best Overall Cricket Development Programme and Best Cricket Promotion and Marketing. Cricket Scotland had a particularly successful 2007 as its grassroots programme grew significantly with the help of its official sponsor, Taggarts Jaguar.

Germany was awarded the Best Women’s Initiative Award for an U/17 Women’s Tournament held in Oldenburg in February and the Best Junior Initiative Award for its “Cricket to German Schools” project which has helped double the number of school children participating in cricket across Germany.

Elsewhere, the Spanish club, Madrid CC, won the Best Spirit of Cricket in Partnership with UNAIDs and UNICEF Award after it held a successful charity Twenty20 tournament.

John Wright of Ireland was awarded the Lifetime Service Award. John has just retired from his duties as Honorary Secretary of the Irish Cricket Union after years of service to cricket in both Ireland and Europe.

ICC Global Development Manager Matthew Kennedy congratulated all of the award winners on their achievements.

“These Development Program Annual Awards have become more competitive each year and the Regional judges have recently had a very tough task,” said Mr Kennedy.

“As well as congratulating the winners, I’d like to say that all the submissions leave us feeling immensely positive about the health of the game around the world.

This year’s awards again illustrate the way many established development programs are flourishing as well as how new initiatives and programs are coming to the fore. The global awards are sure to be heavily contested,” added Mr Kennedy.

The Development Program Annual Awards, which began in 2002, promote excellence in cricket development and recognise exceptional performance and service to the game in the ICC’s 91 Associate and Affiliate Members.

Nominees in 2007 came from a range of levels - country, club, association, team, school and individual - highlighting the positive impact cricket is making on the lives of people from culturally diverse communities.

The Regional Award Winners each receive an ICC plaque and be put forward for the ICC Global Awards. The global winners will receive a $2,000 cricket equipment grant.

These winners were selected by the relevant regional head office from the many entries received and will now be nominated for the global award in the relevant category.

The judges for the global awards are Ray Mali (ICC President), Ehsan Mani (Past ICC President), Malcolm Gray (Past ICC President), and Keith Bradshaw (MCC Chief Executive and Secretary). The global awards will be announced on 14 March 2008.