Iran conducts Level 1 coaching course

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Development Officer, Iqbal Sikander, spent a week in Teheran where the Iran Cricket Federation (ICF) conducted its first Level I coaching course.

The course consisted of 23 participants from different regions in Iran. Sikander was assisted by Kambiz Rana, a local ACC Level I coach, and Minoo Hamdollahzadeh in translating the lectures into Farsi with the course focussing on the basics of batting, bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping. All the participants were ex-players, school teachers or federation employees interested in growing their knowledge of the sport.

"All of them were very enthusiastic about cricket and majority of the coaches (15 out of the 23) at the course were ladies. The officials are very keen to develop the game in Iran and I have given the participants drills to work on but I soon hope to provide them with training videos so that they can watch and learn from it," said Sikander.

"The development of cricket in Iran may be slow but it is still a new sport and they have taken to it well. There is a lack of equipment, grounds and coaches and one positive is that the government is now supporting them." he added.

The ICF has been given grounds for practice in Tehran, Zahedan, Chabahar and Konarak. Previously the ACC, through the Pakistan Cricket Board, had sent a lady coach to Iran but now the ICF is looking for a permanent coach for the men?s and women?s squad.

He stated: "Recently the ICF received three Astroturf pitches from the ACC. A large amount of equipment has to be given to them because their numbers are growing by the day."