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Paul McNamara

Hong Kong missed the chance to create a thriving, world-class cricket hub when plans for a suitable playing arena at Kai Tak were abandoned, the sport’s former chief in the city has said.
Tim Cutler said he had pushed during his two years as Cricket Hong Kong chief executive for the secondary stadium at Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) – now known as the youth sports ground – to be configured for cricket.
Melbourne Cricket Club was among the sub-consultants employed during KTSP’s planning stage. Ultimately, however, an athletics track was installed at the 5,000-seat venue, which can also stage football and rugby.
“There are so many facilities with running tracks nearby, but Hong Kong has no world-class cricket ground to host major events,” said Cutler, who could not bring himself to visit the smaller venue when he attended March’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium.
“All the early designs had cricket in the sports ground. It’s 150 metres [in diameter], which is exactly what you need for top-level cricket. It’s hugely frustrating.”

Now CEO of the Vanuatu Cricket Association, Cutler pointed to Rwanda’s 10,000-capacity Gahanga Cricket Stadium, which opened in 2017 and has already hosted more T20Is than any other African venue.
The 3,000-seat Oman Cricket Academy Ground, meanwhile, opened in 2012 and was used to host 2021 T20I World Cup matches.
“If you had that ground in Hong Kong, where there is already a cricket-loving community, and brought those major events, the game would grow, and get into more schools,” Cutler said.
The current chairman of the local cricket association, Burji Shroff, has warned that without better facilities, Hong Kong’s teams risked slipping into international irrelevance.
Cutler, who was CEO between 2015 and 2017, was making the same noises a decade ago.
“You reach a point where you need to play in quality facilities,” the Australian said. “You have to play the same version as international cricket, and in an environment to build your skills.
“Lack of facilities is one of the biggest barriers to progress. We were Hong Kong’s highest-ranked sport by a long way, playing in World Cups and known around the world, but we had to battle so hard for recognition.”
Cutler was among the architects of the Hong Kong T20 Blitz, a franchise tournament that drew illustrious names including Kumar Sangakkara, Michael Clarke and Misbah-ul-Haq.
Staged at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, the city’s only international-standard venue, the Blitz lasted from 2016 to 2018, although Shroff has indicated he would like to relaunch it.
The original vision was to expand it into a global league, while Cutler had eyes on the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes joining a worldwide circuit, in the image of World Rugby’s sevens series.

“We had an investment offer that didn’t proceed, so we couldn’t move forward with any of those grand plans,” said Cutler, who left his role after the 2017 tournament when relationships at the local governing body became strained.
“The Blitz was really good for the game in Hong Kong, and for Hong Kong’s reputation as an innovator. It showed the potential for cricket in the city to be so much bigger.
“It was a 10-year job, but I didn’t get to see it through. I had to learn from it and be better, not bitter. Vanuatu are probably beneficiaries of that experience.”


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Sport

Cricket

Hong Kong

‘Lack of facilities is one of the biggest barriers to progress,’ former Cricket Hong Kong chief executive Tim Cutler argues


‘Lack of facilities is one of the biggest barriers to progress,’ former Cricket Hong Kong chief executive Tim Cutler argues.


ICC (International Cricket Council)

Kai Tak Sports Park

Kai Tak’s lack of cricket ground is missed opportunity, governing body’s ex-CEO says

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Lack of facilities is one of the biggest barriers to progress,’ former Cricket Hong Kong chief executive Tim Cutler argues

‘Lack of facilities is one of the biggest barriers to progress,’ former Cricket Hong Kong chief executive Tim Cutler argues