5 hours Ago By Paul McNamara
Hong Kong missed the chance to create a thriving, world-class cricket hub when plans for a suitable playing arena at Kai Tak were abandoned, the sport’s former chief in the city has said. Tim Cutler said he had pushed during his two years as Cricket Hong Kong chief executive for the secondary stadium at Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) – now known as the youth sports ground – to be configured for cricket. Melbourne Cricket Club was among the sub-consultants employed during KTSP’s planning stage.
Ultimately, however, an athletics track was installed at the 5,000-seat venue, which can also stage football and rugby. “There are so many facilities with running tracks nearby, but Hong Kong has no world-class cricket ground to host major events,” said Cutler, who could not bring himself to visit the smaller venue when he attended March’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium. “All the early designs had cricket in the sports ground.
It’s 150 metres [in diameter], which is exactly what you need for top-level cricket. It’s hugely frustrating.” Now CEO of the Vanuatu Cricket Association, Cutler pointed to Rwanda’s 10,000-capacity Gahanga Cricket Stadium, which opened in 2017 and has already hosted more T20Is than any other African venue.
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