MCA establishes ninth Cricket Excellence Centre, in Penang

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7  – The Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) continues to take steps to develop the sport by establishing a Cricket Centre of Excellence (COE) in Penang.

The ninth centre for the sport in the country was created through a collaboration between MCA, the Penang Cricket Association and Penang Free School (PFS), aimed at improving the quality and performance of players at the grassroots level to ensure the availability of quality players for the national team.

“The MCA believes that the recruitment of 20 Form One students every year at PFS is a big step in helping to continuously turn out high quality cricket players.

"To realise that dream, the MCA has appointed a full-time coach to conduct training programmes at the school," according to a statement from the MCA.

The other cricket COE are SMK Anderson, Ipoh; SMK Sri Pekan, Pahang; SMK Tengku Indera Petra, Gua Musang; SMK Saujana, Setiu; SMK Seri Kenangan, Segamat; SMK Tinggi Melaka; SMK King George V, Seremban and SMK Sultan Abdul Samad, Klang while the Bukit Jalil Sports School serves as the National Cricket COE.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian T10 Bash tournament, from today to Sunday (Aug 7 - 9), became the first team sports competition held in Malaysia since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented on March 18.

MCA chief operating officer Dinesh Muthuraman said four teams - Central Smashers, Northern Strikers, Southern Hitters and Western Warriors - would compete for three days at the Kinrara Oval in the championship.

“The teams comprise national players, juniors and foreign players residing in Malaysia. This tournament, which is broadcast live on social media, will definitely provide excitement for cricket fans and players," he told Bernama.

According to the format of the competition, each team will play in a round robin to determine the places to the semi-finals and the final scheduled on Sunday.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Invitation Tournament which started on Wednesday at the Badminton Academy of Malaysia (ABM), Bukit Kiara, is the first individual events tournament after the MCO.

-- BERNAMA