ICC Development Program announces regional award winners for 2004

The ICC today announced the regional winners of the ICC Development Program Awards 2004 with prizes awarded to entrants from 26 countries throughout the developing cricket world. Dedicated cricket clubs, coaches and administrators stretching from Argentina to Finland have been rewarded for their efforts in developing the game beyond its traditional boundaries.

ICC Global Development Manager Matthew Kennedy said that he was delighted with the worldwide impact of the awards. "These awards recognise excellence in cricket development and it is fantastic to see that the regional winners have been selected from so many different countries," said Mr Kennedy. "The global spread of entries bears testament to the success of the ICC Development Program since its inception in 1997. "In many of the categories the regional judges had difficult decisions to make and now, over the next month, it will be up to our global judges to select international winners from these very strong contenders." The global winners will be selected by an esteemed panel comprising Ehsan Mani (ICC President), Malcolm Gray (former ICC President), Dr Ali Bacher (ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 Executive Director) and Roger Knight (MCC Chief Executive and Secretary). The global award winners will be announced at the end of March 2005.

This is the third year of the ICC Development Program Awards which were instigated to recognise exceptional performance and service to the game in countries outside the ICC's 10 Full Members. They form part of the ICC's commitment to promoting excellence in cricket development in its 82 Associate and Affiliate member countries. The regional award winners below will each receive a specially-commissioned ICC trophy and a certificate of recognition.

Each regional Flicx Junior Development Initiative Award winner will also receive a Flicx pitch (for further details please see www.flicx.com).