Taiwan: Cricket goes indoors as it attempts to gain roots
Tony Munro - 5 January 2001
One of cricket's strengths as it has spread across the globe has been the
way its various permutations have been able to adapt to the local environs.
Such is the case in Taiwan, where alternatively the heat and rain make
outdoor cricket a difficult pursuit for the island's expatriates.
Accordingly, members of the British, Australian and New Zealand expatriate
communities intend to take the game indoors.
While the Indian community runs its own separate competition, the Britons
and Anzacs, have usually contented themselves with two matches a year
between the respective social groups.
The Indian community is also known to tour through East Asia, and the
British and Anzacs are keen to invite them to the indoor league.
Communication between the two groups is yet to be established.
The main match on the British/Anzac calendar is an annual 40 overs-a-side
game in October. It is played at a ground at Taipei's British School.
Engineers working on Taiwan's High Speed Rail are also becoming involved,
hoping to increase the number of outdoor fixtures.
This in itself represents the other great problem for cricket on Taiwan -
with many of the expatriates being contract workers, there is a large
turnover of potential players, and those those who are there can often be
out of the country on business.
This means any potential clubs would need a large pool of players to draw on
if they are to play consistently.
Despite all of this, there are plans to establish cricket on a more
permanent basis, with nets sessions at the School being used to gauge
interest in forming teams.
Once teams are organised, team representatives will form a committee to
organise fixtures and rules.
Teachers at the British School have commenced coaching sessions with
students. Indigenous involvement is non-existent, with locals maintaining an
'Old England' view of cricket. It is intended to entice Taiwanese Americans
at the British School, however, there is a heavy American sports influence.
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