The Sawasdee Cricket Pages How it all began

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The Sawasdee Cricket Pages
How it all began

Bowling practice

The introduction of Junior Cricket (as it was first called) to Chiang Mai was a response to a joint UN/ ICC initiative for a Global Cricket Week in April 2000, which coincided with that year's 13th Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes Tournament. A junior version of cricket, known as Kanga in Australia, was chosen as the basis for introducing the sport to school children aged between 10 - 12 years. The game, its rules, scoring, coaching and tournament format was adapted and developed locally as the programme grew.

Three schools took part in the first Sixes 'Junior' Cricket Cup in April 2000: Prince Royal's College (PRC), Montfort College and Chiang Mai International School (CMIS). Brian Wiggins, a Level 3 Australian coach, on loan to the Thai Cricket League from the Australian Cricket Board, gave the first junior cricket lessons to students from all three schools in the month before the tournament.

Prompted by the success of the tournament, and the interest shown by the children, the Chiang Mai Schools Cricket Alliance (CMSCA) was formed on 17th June 2000. Start-up funding was provided by the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes. To introduce cricket where it has never been played before, the CMSCA decided it must provide, free of charge to all participating schools, a full set of Junior Cricket equipment and coaching support for teachers and students.

Two inter-school tournaments were held during the 2000 - 2001 season, at Prince Royal's College and Montfort College.
The second Sixes Junior Cup took place at the 14th Chiang Mai Sixes in April 2001. Six schools took part in two age divisions. Montfort College won the finals in both age groups. Nasim ul-Ghani, ICC Regional Development Manager, attended the tournament and assisted in coaching the students. UNICEF Thailand sent Youth Ambassador, Thai movie star Kathaleeya McIntosh, to meet the children and present the medals. Participants at the International Cricket Sixes Week generously donated more funds to help keep the junior program afloat.

Khun Kathaleeya McIntosh talking to competitors in the Junior Cricket Tournament at the Chiangmai Gymkhana Club

Three new schools, Saimoon, Rong Or and Sahagon 2, joined the CMSCA at the start of the 2001 - 2002 season. Prem Center, Baan Nam Phrae and Baan Dong schools joined later in the season Three inter-school tournaments were held during the year, two at Saimoon School, Hang Dong and one at Prince Royal's College.

For these tournaments, matches were played simultaneously on two adjacent pitches to increase the number of games that could be played in a day and the number of schools that could take part. Roger Binny, ACC Regional development Officer attended the first tournament at Saimoon.

A teachers training manual in English and Thai was prepared and given to all school sports teachers and a 'Children's Booklet', in Thai, was given to all children. Local companies, Aztec Engineering and Boart Longyear, sponsored the printing costs.

Brian Wiggins visited Chiang Mai several times during the year. His assistant, Khun Jiravadee 'Tuk' Duangchakam, proposed that junior cricket should be called 'Sawasdee Cricket' and this name was adopted throughout Thailand.

Two Montfort College boys, 'graduating' from Sawasdee Cricket, joined in hardball practice and adult cricket games at Gymkhana Club. They also had extra coaching from Brian Wiggins, and represented Thailand in an Under-13 International competition in February 2002. Two boys from Sahagon 2 also started to play hardball cricket.

The 2001-02 season ended with the third Sixes Junior Cup at the 15th Chiang Mai Sixes in April 2002. Teams from Saimoon School won both the Grade 5 and grade 6 competitions.