I am writing to of a missed opportunity for Hong Kong, in the terms of development of sports in Hong Kong.
Usually the Rugby Sevens occurs in Hong Kong every year, which attracted a lot fanfare, news, coverage and excitement. There was another event called the Cricket Sixes, which attracted a sizable amount of coverage and excitement. Of course it can never rival the scale of the Rugby Sevens, but I believe this yearly event (starting in 1992) which was suspended since 2012 due a lack of funding, is a good investment for Hong Kong’s development.
The Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is an annual 10-team international (12 since 2011) cricket tournament held at the Kowloon Cricket Club and fully sanctioned by the International Cricket Council. The tournament is made for television, with rules and a venue that encourage aggressive batting and high scoring. Because every player (except the wicket-keeper) is required to bowl one over, the format suits all-rounders. Since 1992, this event as growth from strength to strength. In 2011, this event was upgraded in terms of duration (2 days to 3 days) and more festivities and activities. However this new mega event didn’t lasting long as after 2012, no more events was held due a lack of funding. I think this is a pity as this was the beginning of the Cricket Sixes becoming a major event like the Rugby Sevens, where the attendance is mostly non-Chinese people. The venue could be doesn’t always need to be in Kowloon Cricket Club, as there other Cricket Venues, even Hong Kong stadium, where the Rugby Sevens are held, hosted this event from 1996–1999. I think it’s beneficial for these reasons — the popularity of Cricket as a sport in the Commonwealth and the world, the tourism value of hosting the Cricket Sixes as for Asia’s World City, and it help boost the development of cricket as a sport in Hong Kong.
Firstly, Cricket is a major sport around the world, although its mostly a Commonwealth sport, it still a popular sport in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Zimbabwe and most of the Caribbean (West Indies). Cricket has legacy in Hong Kong thanks to British colonial rule, although it is not popular sport in the region nor is it a typical sport, just like the sport of Rugby, it has become part of fabric in Hong Kong. Cricket used be sport for the mostly for non-Chinese population, (ethnic minorities) mostly coming from the expat community, played by South Asians and white people, however due Hong Kong being a diverse city, cricket, just like Rugby, saw the introduction and interest of Chinese people taking up the sport. This new continuing development with more coverage will lead to more popularity and acceptance among the population of Hong Kong. It would a missed opportunity for Hong Kong not to capitalise on this Commonwealth connection as part of continuing history and legacy of Hong Kong’s linkage to fellow Commonwealth Cricket countries in the region.
Secondly, there is tourist value of hosting the Cricket Sixes. Just like the Rugby Sevens, fans from all over the world came to Hong Kong to experience the three-day event. The same can be said of Cricket. After all, this is Asia’s World City, which doesn’t just include East Asia and South-East Asia, it should also include culture and people from South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia, otherwise its just a tourist slogan, rather an actual description. Rehosting the Cricket Sixes would give more weight and recognition from South Asia, that Hong Kong is Asia’s World City, rather than Singapore as Singapore has a more diverse population than Hong Kong. Promoting the Cricket Sixes will attract tourists from South Asia and other parts of the Cricket-playing Commonwealth countries such as Australia to visit Hong Kong. It’s important to diversify our tourism industry, not to rely on Mainland Chinese even if our biggest market share. Further development of Cricket Sixes can also create jobs and cultural understanding of Cricket for the local Hong Kong community. The tourist opportunities and benefits are endless as long the people and organisations involve are creative and innovate. Just like the Rugby Sevens, each year the event offers other related parties, events and promotions and its gets bigger and better. Restarting the Cricket Sixes will add the quality and quality of experience Hong Kong can offer to Tourists.
Lastly, the Cricket Sixes is a good investment for the development of Cricket in Hong Kong. There is no need to build new Cricket grounds, but rather develop the sport using exciting Cricket grounds, which sufficient enough to accommodate such development. Granted that Cricket is mainly seen as expat or South Asian game and was exclusively played by those people in the past, but things are shifting in this globalised world, as now Chinese people have shown an interest playing this sport. Hong Kong also has a large population of South Asians, than the rest of China, this includes permanent residents. This has led to a great deal of experience and expertise built up that makes the Hong Kong national Cricket team what is it is today, the diversity of South Asian, Commonwealth and Hong Kong Chinese players. Cricket is one those sports, where Hong Kong actually outperforms and has a higher ranking than Mainland China. It would beneficial to further develop Cricket as a sport, to highlight Hong Kong’s unique identity. Hence restarting the Cricket Sixes will grant it more coverage and interest to the sport to the Hong Kong people. Usually hosting a major event relating to a specific sport and its coverage of the said sport, will inspire and encourage people to participate in playing the sport. This in turn will create a even better Hong Kong Cricket team. However at the current stage, due to no widespread coverage nor support, the development of Cricket will continue but with the each Cricket club relying on their own networks and connections. It would be a pity for Hong Kong not to be known as the Cricket city in China nor developing this niche sport through the Cricket Sixes.
In Conclusion, restarting the Cricket Sixes as it would many benefits to Hong Kong. Yes there was an attempt in 2017, but after that year it didn’t continue. Cricket is one of the popular sports in the world, also hosting such as event will attract tourists and it will reinforce Hong Kong as Asia’s World City as well high-lightening our legacy, diversity and unique identity. Lets have the Cricket Sixes every year!!!
