ICC East Asia - Pacific announces Annual Award winners for 2008

ICC East Asia – Pacific 2008 Annual Awards

                            **‘ICC East Asia - Pacific announces Annual Award winners for 2008’**  

The ICC East Asia - Pacific Region has today announced the Regional Development Program Awards for 2008.

The Japan Cricket Association has won the coveted award for “Best Overall Cricket Development Program”, which is due recognition for their efforts in developing the game across a range of key areas.
ICC East Asia – Pacific (EAP), Regional Development Manager (RDM), Matt Weisheit stated “what is particularly pleasing is Japan’s commitment to sustainable growth and developing women’s cricket, as well as the solid progress in the area of Governance and Administration.”

Following on from last year’s Global Award winning program, Cricket Indonesia has gone back-to-back in winning the “Best Junior Cricket Initiative” with their successful U15 Ultra Milk development program. The program this year has seen the game taken into new Provinces throughout Indonesia and well on its way of reaching over 20,000 young boys and girls.

Cricket PNG was rewarded for their inventive approach to support media coverage of cricket in PNG by winning the “Best Cricket Promotion and Marketing Program”. Cricket PNG invited several national and regional media personalities to attend their well targeted media course that educated media participants on the intricacies of cricket, the role of the ICC and Cricket PNG’s current and future activities. The result has been a great improvement in the relationship between Cricket PNG and the local media.

In addition, Cricket PNG also secured the “Best Photo of the Year” award with a great group photo of the PNG Barramundi’s (National Men’s team) as they tackled the famous Kokoda Trek whilst they were preparing for World Cricket League Division 3.

Like last year, the Japan Cricket Association won the “Best Women’s Cricket Initiative” as they again demonstrated a strong commitment to developing women’s cricket in Japan. In addition to an international tour to Hong Kong, Japan also provided many opportunities for females in coaching, administration and domestic competitions.

The “Best Spirit of Cricket Initiative” was taken out by Cricket PNG for their delivery of a highly successful World AIDS Day initiative that incorporated HIV awareness sessions within cricket clinics for the youth of PNG. The initiative was based on the principles of the successful Cricket PNG Liklik Kriket program and also supported by leading national men and women players and officials.

Hwa Yeon Lee (South Korea) has won the “Volunteer of the Year” award and this represents a positive step forward for cricket in South Korea. Hwa, one of the first and most active locals, has assumed the position of Vice-President and has involved himself in a range of tasks to help promote and grow cricket in South Korea.

The prestigious “Lifetime Service Award” has been won by Dr Alan Wilson (Indonesia). ICC EAP RDM, Matt Weisheit stated that “Alan has been a wonderful servant of Cricket Indonesia over a sustained period of time and is widely attributed for helping make the game what it is today in Indonesia. Alan has been incredible with his time, expertise, generosity and the support he has afforded to the development of the game and cricket community in Indonesia and on behalf of the EAP region we congratulate Alan on this well deserved award”.

The EAP award winners will now join winners from the four other International Development Program Regions at the ICC Global Awards, with winners to be announced on 13th March 2009.

The ICC Development Program Awards were established to recognize exceptional performance and service to the game of cricket in all Associate and Affiliate member countries, and aims to recognize these contributions among all levels of cricket development.

2008 ICC East Asia – Pacific Development Program Awards: