The next chapter in the ongoing saga of Argentine cricket, a new season, begins within the next few weeks, and it promises to be a season of interest and excitement, with the forthcoming Americas Cup the real star of the show.

In March next year, six teams will contest for the honour of being crowned cricket champions of the Americas, right here in Buenos Aires. The second edition of this prestigious event will include the hosts Argentina, the defending champions and World Cup qualifiers, Canada, as well as Bermuda and the United States, and two Affiliate qualifiers.

As junior development, especially amongst age group representative players, remains a key focus area, an opportunity has been crreated that will give these promising youngsters their first real taste of First Division action this coming summer.

A fifth team has been added to the elite level, named the Capital Sabres, which will largely be compromised of young U19 cricketers, many of whom participated in the recent Americas U19 Championship in Bermuda. This is all part of the ongoing Development Program of the Argentine Cricket Association, as they seek to prepare today's young cricketers for tomorrow's challenges.

The Capitals will be shepherded along by two well-known and talented players and coaches, Marc Nota and Gary Savage. Hopefully the youngsters will benefit from this direct exposure.

Argentine cricket also has a new National Develoopment Officer. Gaston Arizaga has taken up this challenging role and will be looking to maintain the momentum of local development initiatives. Gaston is also currently a member of the Argentine national team.

Still on the youth front, two teams will be visiting these shores this season - a South African U15 boys team and an U15 girls team from New Zealand play a series of matches here during December respectively.

Three visiting club sides are expected in the second half of the season, all from England, and include the Honourable Artillery Company, the Sou´westers and the Scorpions.

A busy domestic season, with the expanded First Division tournament, including five teams, defending champions Lomas Eagles, Belgrano Cavaliers, Hurlingham Hawks, St.Albans Sharks and newcomers Capital Sabres.

The Robin Stuart Shield will see the debut of Old Georgians, which will add another dimension. The respective lower division competitions continue as before - Second and Third Division and Saturday Championship - with a new competition, the Dowson Cup, exclusively for club second elevens.

There are also plans to start fledgling school leagues, especially at Primary School level, but details of these have yet to be confirmed.

Due to the Americas Cup this season, the annual three day North v South match, this season in its 103rd contest, will be held at the beginning of February.

Also a new innovation this season will be a two day club competition, and the progress of this will be followed with interest.

What will be especially interesting this season will be to see how the players who performed so admirably and brilliantly in Canada at the ICC Trophy translate that into domestic performances.

There is the added enticement this season of the Americas Cup, a chance for many players to perform on home turf against teams like Canada and the United States.

No doubt the players who missed out on the ICC Trophy adventure will also be keen to stake a claim for a place in the national team.

Argentina's new National Coach, Dutchman Marc Nota, has the experience and the expertise to advance the squad from the dizzy heights of Toronto to even greater heights in the Americas Cup. Still, the responsibility will remain on the players, no matter how good the coach is, and the event in March is already keenly anticipated.

A full list of the forthcoming seasons fixtures will be posted on the official website of the Argentine Cricket Association on CricInfo.

All in all, for all ages at all levels, a great season beckons.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Argentine Cricket Association:    cricarg@hotmail.com
Grant Dugmore:                    grantdugmore@hotmail.com
Marc Nota:                        marcnota@hotmail.com
(Provisional) Gaston Arizaga:     donga34 @yahoo.com

Grant Dugmore is the Chief Executive Officer of the Argentine Cricket Association

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