The Island Features Monday 26th July, 2010 7 BY ROSSANA FAVERO- considered the golden years where tional debut came in 2006 after KARUNARATNA reached a high standard their membership , when they hile we celebrate the out- with many players reaching took part in Division Three of the standing record of English county level. Argentina ICC Americas Championship in WMuttiah Muralitharan ,it played first class matches between . is fantastic to get to know that his 1911 and 1938. Unfortunately the Brazil won the 2009 ICC achievement will reach Latin sport went into decline after World Americas Championship Division America too, the land of soccer. War II, until Argentina became an Three, winning all of its matches Why? Because cricket is starting Associate member of the ICC in against Belize, Chile and Peru. to become really popular in that 1974, and took part in its first ICC This victory enabled Brazil to region, although the first interna- Trophy in 1979. qualify for the 2010 ICC Americas tional cricket match was regis- Brazil became an ICC member Championship Division Two. tered in the XIX century!! in the year 2002. Their interna- However, they struggled in this The oldest international crick- et match, registered in South Chile informs that “ The game’s America was played in 1868. It was heyday in Chile was in the 1920s the first international match of when Pelham ‘Plum’ Warner cap- the MVCC-Montevideo Cricket Murali admired in tained a touring side against a Club from Uruguay against the Valparaíso XI- regular matches Buenos Aires Cricket Club from were played between Valparaíso Argentina. It took place at the Cricket Club, the Prince of Wales MVCC’s ground called La South America too! Country Club as well as the Blanqueada. Concepción Country Club, whilst The Montevideo Cricket Club the game was also played by St. (MVCC) is a multisport club Peter’s and The Grange School as founded in 1861 by English immi- higher grade. They lost all of their fiercely as any school in England. grants. Its predecessor was the four matches and were relegated The standard of cricket in this era Victoria Cricket Club, which was back to Division Three. is highlighted by the success of founded in 1842. Later rugby was Cricket has been played in one former St. Peter’s student, played as well. Peru for 150 years, at the really Frederick ‘Freddie’ Brown, who Argentine cricket claims to be splendid Lima Cricket & Football went on to successfully captain really old. too. They celebrated Club. The Lima Cricket and both Surrey and England in the their 200th anniversary on 21 Football Club is the oldest Cricket 1950’s”. October 2006. Cricket Argentina Club in South America created 151 The World War II affected the reports that “An event was held at years ago development of cricket in South San Antonio College, where the Cricket in Peru is undergoing America. In recent years, the ICC first recorded match was played resurgence as a recently-admitted has played a pivotal role to pro- back in 1806 by British Soldiers. Affiliate Member of the mote cricket in this region. Now, The history of cricket in International Cricket Council for example in Chile there are now Argentina can roughly be divided (ICC) and a founder member of over 2,000 children involved in all into various phases. From 1806 to Cricket South America, along with levels of junior cricket with a 1900 cricket was established in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Peru competitive national team at U13, Argentina, with the first interna- gained affiliate membership of the U15 and U19 levels. tional matches played, the major ICC on 29th June 2007. They have The ICC Americas clubs founded, and the great North played in every edition of the Championship is a one- day crick- v South contest beginning. The South American Championships et tournament organized by the Buenos Aires Cricket Club in from 1997 onwards, hosting in 1999 Americas Cricket Association for Palermo was inaugurated in 1864, and 2007. They have competed in non- Test national cricket teams in and is the historical reference for the ICC Americas Championship the Americas. As well as providing cricket in the country. Now known since 2008. opportunity for national teams to as the Buenos Aires Cricket & Cricket has been played in play international matches Rugby Club, a project is in place Panama for almost one hundred against teams of a similar stan- where cricket will once again years . It was introduced to the dard, it also provides qualification hopefully become a practiced sport country by West Indians and into the ICC . at this famous club”. South Asians who settled during There are currently four divi- While Argentina first played the canal construction days. The sions taking place biannually with international cricket in 1868 game is most popular today among promotion and relegation taking against Uruguay as mentioned the descendants of these workers. place between divisions. In 2010 above, their international competi- Their first recorded match was Division One, for the first time, a tion against Brazil date back to against Trinidad and Tobago in Twenty20 tournament took place 1888, and against Chile to 1893, 1964 and in recent years a friendly following the traditional 50 overs this encounter is known for the series played against Venezuela in competition. Argentine team taking three and a the year 2000 which they won 1-0. Although cricket remains a half days to reach Santiago in The team was invited to play in hugely minority sport within the Chile, crossing the Andes by mule! the Fourth South American sporting and primarily football In 1891 the famous annual three- Championships later that year. culture of the countries, soon com- day North v South fixture was The team performed well in its petitive records at international played for the very first time, and first international tournament, level will be achieved and will is still today a highlight of the finishing fourth of seven teams. earn respect for all these national domestic calendar. The first league In Chile, cricket was first teams from the rest of the cricket competition was held in 1897. played in the country in 1829 in world. The fantastic performance The Argentine Cricket the coastal city of Valparaíso of Muttiah Muralitharan will be Association was founded in 1913, between the officers and men of kept in the hearts of cricket and will celebrate their centenary Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, right, and teammate Prasad Dhammika, left, carry their bowler two Royal Navy vessels and the lovers all over the world as a role in 2013.The Association reports Muttiah Muralitharan at the end of the first match between India and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri first club, the Valparaiso Cricket model for all. that the years from 1900 to 1939 are Lanka, Thursday, July 22, 2010. Muralitharan ended a glorious test career Thursday becoming the first Club was formed in 1860.Cricket Bravo Murali!! bowler to take 800 test wickets as Sri Lanka trounced India by 10 wickets in the first test. (AP) Cheerleading is ‘not a competitive sport’ rules judge Nick Allen in Los Angeles of college cheerleading has its 35 games last year, has been Tori Maynard, a member of Cheerleaders have been been decided by a judge. reinstated and the players the University of Oregon angered by a US court ruling The 40-strong cheerleading were jubilant. team, said: “We don’t even use that their pom pom routines team had shown the court a Robin Sparks, the coach, that word anymore. It’s a do not constitute a competi- video of themselves perform- said: “The athletes all look for- stereotype. We’re trying to tive sport. ing acrobatic moves in a ward to getting back on the change the perception of the national competition but it did volleyball court for preseason sports fan, have them under- n a ruling that could have nothing to sway the verdict. in three weeks. stand what this is, and have ramifications for the most Mary Ann Powers, coach of “As their coach, I feel fortu- them respect that.” But oppo- Ipopular girls at colleges across the country cheerlead- ing was deemed too “disorgan- ised” for full sporting status and declared a support “activi- ty.” The decision followed a bit- ter legal case brought by play- ers on a university women’s volleyball team who claimed they were being discriminated against in favour of cheerlead- ers. Quinnipiac University in Connecticut had announced in March last year that it was cutting the women’s volleyball team to save money. That would have put it in breach of equality laws which require it to offer similar ath- letic opportunities for male and female students. The university said it would instead offer a sporting outlet for girls by setting up a cheerleading squad, which was cheaper. Sidelined volleyball players A US District Judge has ruled that cheerleading doesn’t count as a real sport were outraged and set out to the crestfallen cheerleaders, nate to be able to work with nents say colleges are just turn the tables by suing the said they had been unfairly such strong young women who using competitive cheerlead- university and arguing that stereotyped as “the bobby are not afraid to stand up for ing as an excuse to eliminate cheerleading was not a sport. socks, the ponytail and skirt their principles. It will be a joy recognised women’s sports In a clear legal win for the and the girl that wants to be to be back in the gym with which cost more money. volleyball team, US District liked by all the boys.” She said them this fall.” Competitive Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a Judge Stefan Underhill ruled: her team was instead com- cheerleading consists of lawyer for the Women’s Sports “Competitive cheer may, some prised of high level gymnasts intense two-and-a-half minute Foundation, said: “I would time in the future, qualify as a who must perform specific routines which are scored like hate to see viable sports that sport. Today, however, the tumbling and throwing ele- gymnastics. lead to Olympic possibilities, activity is still too underdevel- ments. Over 5,000 cheerleaders international opportunities, oped and disorganised to be She said: “I think what participated in this year’s thwarted in favour of a sport treated as offering genuine offends cheerleaders more National Cheerleaders that doesn’t lead to any of varsity athletic participation than anything is other women Association collegiate national those.” opportunities for students.” degrading them and knocking championships in the US. (C) The Telegraph Group It was believed to be the what they do.” The volleyball Some participants even object London 2010 first time the sporting status team, which won only five of to being called “cheerleaders.”