Bhutan Cricket History : Part VII ( The Last Part)

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for Being part of Bhutan Cricket. The History of the Bhutan Cricket Concluded with This Post.
Continuation Series of Bhutan Cricket History from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Part VI

The year also saw the sponsor for Bhutan Cricket with cricket overtaking other sporting events of the country and it’s been said by public that “Cricket is the only Active Board where coaching and activities happens year long which the credit to the Young Board Member of Bhutan Cricket. Though Football is number one sports in Bhutan and Archery the National Game of Bhutan.

Zimdra Vanaspati Sponsored Bhutan cricket with 1 Million Ngultrum, Lhaki Cement with One Lakh and Druk Air (Royal Bhutan Airlines), there were other minor sponsored in Mandala Tours and Treks, Bhutan Kaza tours and Trek, Dechen Culutral Trekking Company, Etho Metho Tours and Treks and other companies.

The official presentation of one million sponsor deal for Bhutan cricket was Held in the Thimphu cricket Ground where His Excellency Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, the president of Bhutan Cricket on Behalf of Bhutan Cricket received the Sponsor deal from Dasho Ugen Tshechup Dorje, the Vice-Chairman of Singye Group of Companies, the other present were Bhutan Cricket Board Members, National Coach Baba Sourjah, Senior National players and Media Groups.

Bhutan Cricket Senior National team then tour Sri Lanka before the ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, the 10 days tour benefited the players a lot in playing similar condition of that in Malaysia. The ACC Trophy was Asian Cricket Council Biggest Tournament for Non Test Playing Nation and it’s also a qualifying Tournament for the Next World Cup. The Previous Winner Oman getting a division qualifying from Asia and will play with oceanic and Europe winner for a place in the World Cup Final.

Bhutan were group alongside Nepal, Hong Kong, Kuwait and Myanmar which is group of death, Bhutan couldn’t perform well in the group stages as they were beaten by Hongkong in the their First Match, Nepal then Thrashed Bhutan after Nepal scored 300+ runs and Bhutan were all out for 36 runs, an Himalayan Battle won by superior team. Bhutan were yet again trashed by Kuwait and their only consolation came when they Beat Myanmar by 8 wickets. Jigme Singye was named Man of the Match for his 5 wickets hauls and only the second bowler after Tandin Wangchuk to take 5 wickets in a match. Bhutan debacle in international match was a trend at the moment with less and not having a proper cricket ground back in Bhutan. Given time, Bhutan cricket will be an country to watch out later on.

Back in Bhutan the Thimphu cricket Ground was ready for yet another cricket coaching and organized cricket Tournament, and club matches. The ground which is no more than 70 meters length and 65 meters width attracted the people passing by with the look alike of International Ground. The strip and the mowing style set the example of how well Bhutan Cricket Curator is trained and experienced. The ground gave a different fever for the kids as well for the cricketers and other cricket lovers.

August end and September month was a busy cricket season for the whole Thimphu school as Bhutan Cricket Organized the first ever Under-15 schools tournament for under-15 schools kids. The tournament saw 9 schools participating and lasted for one month, Zimdra Vanaspati, Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines) and Lhaki Cement was main sponsor apart from sponsoring Bhutan Cricket Board. Motithang Higher Secondary School was champion at the end after defeating Yangchenphu Higher Secondary School.

The tournament was a huge success and School kids were lucky to have their match witness by Roger Binny, the former 1983 world cup winner who was in the Country to do assessment of Bhutan Cricket on Behalf of Asian Cricket Council. He did one day coaching camp for the under-15 schools kids and with senior squad as well. The tournament did helped Bhutan Cricket to choose talented Under-15 National Cricket Team where Bhutan reached Final and securing Second spot along with the Coveted Spirit of the Cricket Award during Under-15 Asian Cricket Council Challenge cup held in Bangkok in December 2006. Click here to read the Under-15 School Tournament Match Reports and Archive

Right after the school tournament concluded, Bhutan Cricket Organized Club tournament which is know as Zimdra Vanaspati Cup, Zimdra Being the Official Sponsor of Bhutan cricket. The Tournament news brought new hope and aspiration for former clubs which after a gap of more than two years saw a real cricket match. The matches were played every Saturday and Sunday due to most players are school going student, the tournament format was a league match where every clubs should play against each other and the one Who collects the highest point will be crown the Champion. Five Thimphu Based Club Participated in the Tournament, Friends United, Bhutan Telecom, Bhutan Times, Youth 11, IMTRAT. Friends United were crown Champion with Youth11 securing Second Spot. Click here to Read the Zimdra Vanaspati Cup Match Reports and Archives.

As the Thailand Cricket Association Prepares for the ACC Under-15 Challenge Cup to be held in December 2006, Bhutan Cricket with tournament summer season ended after the Zimdra Vanaspati Cup, Under-15 coaching camp started in the Thimphu Cricket Ground, Players were chosen from the under-15 school tournament and were given coaching, the Coach had tough time to select the 14th players out of 30 probable list. All were equally talented and are keen to represent Bhutan in the International Arena.

Bhutan couldn’t participate in 2005 when the last ACC Under-15 Cricket trophy was held in UAE, the team were fully equipped and were made entry till Thailand when they were rejected for the Issuance of UAE Visa, this sort of Visa Glitch was to be blamed the Organizing Committee after they in first stance agreed to follow the Visa procedure from UAE Cricket office when at last moment they forced Bhutan out of the Tournament.
Anyway back to the Topic, with vigorous Training in the iced cold weather of Thimphu, Bhutan cricket was finally set for the Tournament.

Bhutan young under-15 created history when they reached the Final of the Tournament and only to lose to stronger side Oman. The team played brilliantly through out the tournament with 2 wins and two lose in the group stage, Thailand team were out of the tournament in despair after semi final clash where Bhutan after setting a target of 120 bowled out Thailand team for 105. Such was the sign of strong base of Bhutan cricket after barely 4 years of Introducing cricket in Bhutan. Bhutan was awarded with the Spirit of the Cricket Award for overall disciplines in the Tournament out of 10 countries participate. Bhutan got the entry pass to the Elite Level of the Under-15 Tournament along with Oman in the Next Under-15 Tournament.

At home people gossip the success of the Under 15 Cricket Team and sent Himalayan fever to everyone, cricket blood were injected in to the Stubborn Archery and soccer blood. Click here to Read the Archives News and match reports of ACC Under-15 Challenge Cup 2006 held in Bangkok, Thailand in December 2006.

The Success of the Under-15 cricket Team brought lot of fans and lovers together when Bhutan Cricket organized their own version of Twenty20 Cricket Tournament in Thimphu. 6 Team participated in the tournament which is played in the cold weather condition of Thimphu where the Temperature goes to Minus in morning and Night. The ground used to get bad cover of frost early morning and Night, Match have to be played around 10 am in the Morning.

The Twenty20 Tournament saw the emerging of new technology, the live ground commentary of the whole Match. This is certainly the crowd Puller, the player had so much fun and so the crowds, Girls were few who did the cheering in the Final between Bhutan Telecom and Friends United where Bhutan Telecom outplayed Friends United and won the First ever Bhutan Cricket Twenty20 Tournaments. Click here to Read the Archive News and Match Reports.

This is the end of the Bhutan Cricket History and I take no responsibility if certain things had not been included or vice versa. Thanks to all my valuable reader for time to read it and I must thank Homer for his excellent thought, Rezwan for Shouting it in the Globalvoicesonline and other fellow.

The rest of the Bhutan Cricket story and history can be continued where Bhutan Cricket having a dedicated website and keep updates of cricketing updates within Bhutan and Outside Bhutan