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AFGHANISTAN TO TRAIN AND PLAY AT THE BAY OVAL

The Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui, will host Afghanistan who is one of the four qualifiers for the ICC World Cricket Cup 2015, to travel to New Zealand and Australia in September and October 2014.

The tours are part of the ICC High Performance Programme and will assist United Arab Emirates (UAE) Scotland, Ireland and Afghanistan preparations, for crickets pinnacle 50-ovre tournament.

The rapid rise of Afghanistan cricket to qualify for the ICC World Cricket Cup 2015, is a fairytale of determination to overcome the odds. While cricket was first played in Afghanistan in the mid 19th century, it wasn’t until 2001 that an Afghanistan National Cricket team was formed.

The National Afghan side had a rapid rise through the ICC World Cricket League and qualified for the 2009 World Cricket Cup Qualifiers. In 2013, they qualified for the World Cricket Cup 2015, after finishing second in the ICC World Cricket League.

In an ICC release Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi said he sees the ICC High Performance Programme tours as a great opportunity for his side. “It is a huge honour for Afghanistan to be playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. We will do our best to justify qualification to the tournament and that is where the pre-tournament tour will prove very useful” said Nabi.

“Not only will we be able to familiarise ourselves with the conditions that we will face during the tournament, but we will also be able to seek guidance from former legends of the game and utilise world class facilities on offer in Australia and New Zealand.”

Afghanistan, will arrive in Mount Maunganui on the 29th September 2014 and train at the Bay Oval practice facilities, before playing four games against two New Zealand first class sides. On the 2nd and 4th of October they will face the Auckland Aces in one-day action before meeting the Northern Knights on the 7th and 9th of October.

An aside to the Afghanistan matches, will see the Aces and Knights square off on the 6th October, as both teams prepare for their professional campaigns in the 2014/15 season.

A couple of days after Afghanistan departs Mount Maunganui, the Ireland Cricket team will arrive for three days of training and practice from the 12th to the 14th of October. 

Afghanistan Cricket Team Schedule at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
29 September  Arrive and train
2 October v Auckland Aces
4 October v Auckland Aces
7 October v Northern Knights
9 October v Northern Knights

Ireland Cricket Team at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui 12th – 14th October