Beijing Sixes ready to bowl off

One of the biggest events on the Beijing expatriates' sporting calendar, the Beijing Cricket Sixes, will swing into action for its fourth straight year at Dulwich College on Friday.

The three-day event will feature 16 teams - from the host city, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Australia.

The sides this year will be chasing the inaugural Chander Oberoi Cup.

"Sadly, Chander passed away soon after the event last year," said Beijing Cricket Club president Ian Syer.

"He was a great supporter of the Beijing Cricket Club Sixes for a number of years and a great friend to the Beijing community. His passion for the sport was unsurpassed by any other," Syer said.

The event continues to grow in popularity among the cricket-playing foreign community here and is as much a social occasion as a competitive event. There will be a "bouncy castle" for children as well as plenty of food and beverages for the adults.

The most interesting aspect of this year's event is the inclusion of the first all-Chinese team.

The Beijing Cricket Club and the Chinese authorities in charge of the sport here have run along parallel lines for years, but the Shell Sunbirds, from Shenyang, Liaoning province, could provide a bridge between the two bodies and give the game a much-needed boost.

"We are delighted to finally have an all-Chinese team taking part in the Sixes," Syer said. "It can only be good for the long-term development of the sport in China."

Another new team at the event will be the Singapore Cricket Club, which could give defending champion Phoenix of Beijing a run for its money in the hunt for the Cup.

Phoenix will be looking to continue its dominance this weekend by completing a hat-trick of titles in the capital.

As another sign of the tournament's growth, this Sixes will also feature an Australian umpire and two Chinese colleagues.

Action will start at 9:00 am each day and the finals will be held on Sunday.

tymglaser@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 06/28/2012 page23)