The six captains participating in Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 3 spoke of their excitement and anticipation at a press conference, ahead of the start of the event in Bermuda tomorrow.
Bermuda, Italy, Nepal, Oman, Uganda and the USA will lock horns for a chance to finish in the top two and progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will be held in New Zealand in 2014 and feature 10 of the leading Associate and Affiliate teams.
The top two sides from the New Zealand event will then advance to the ICC’s flagship event, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, where they will compete against the ten Full Members on a global stage.
Bermuda captain Stephen Outerbridge says the opportunity for qualification to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 puts some pressure on the host team. “In 2007, Bermuda did play in the World Cup in the West Indies, so we do have that pressure coming into this event. But at the end of the day we have to play good cricket no matter what division we are in. So we just look forward to the next few days and hopefully it all comes in our favor.”
Having recently finished second at the ICC Americas Division 1 Championship, the left hander feels his side is well prepared for the event on home soil. “I think the Board has given us ample opportunity to prepare for this tournament. We did also go to Barbados in February and then we did play in the ICC Americas Division 1 Championship and then a few games against the US, so I think we’ve shaped up well for this tournament.”
Uganda captain Davis Arinaitwe, whose side is facing the host in its first match, is strongly motivated to win immediate promotion from Division 3, having been relegated from Division 2 in 2011. “As a team we feel we’re here because of one game we lost in Division 2. As a unit we feel, because we are young and the kind of cricket we play, we’re good enough to go out there and be competitive just like in any other game.”
Alessandro Bonora, the skipper of the only European side in the tournament, Italy, is looking forward to a tough week of cricket against familiar teams: “It’s quite nice in a way to return to Division 3 because we see quite a lot of familiar faces – Nepal, Oman, USA - we’ve played against each other quite a lot recently, and Bermuda in Dubai in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012.”
Vaibhav Wategaonkar, captain of Oman, is confident that his side is prepared for a challenging week on the pitch. “It’s a good opportunity for us to play well in the tournament, and we’ll play match by match and see how it goes in the tournament.”
For Nepal captain Paras Khadka, there is no extra pressure despite the opportunities to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: “Playing for your country is always an opportunity as well as pressure. You should be ready to handle that. We’ve been playing well, and if we play to our potential, things should take care of themselves.”
USA captain Steve Massiah acknowledged that the tough week ahead won’t be made any easier by the thoughts of qualifying for the ICC’s flagship 50-over event in 2015. “Absolutely, the team thinks about what is at stake, and I’d like to take this opportunity to wish the five other competing nations all the best. I think there’s a lot at stake and also a lot of motivation for each team competing here.”
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