Laws of Cricket head to China

Date released: 11 July 2007

The Laws of Cricket will travel to China on Monday, when an English school (King Edward VII School, in King’s Lynn, Norfolk) sets off on its first-ever Chinese visit.

Eleven fourteen-year-old boys and girls from the school, will be visiting China to take part in a ten-day youth sports festival at Beijing Normal University.

They will be met by students from their twin school (Tsinghua High School, Chongqing) and then take part in a joint sports coaching session. The English students will try Tai Chi while their Chinese counterparts are introduced to cricket.

As part of this introduction, they will be presented with copies of the Laws of Cricket – written in Mandarin.

"There is huge potential for the game in China and, as guardians of the Laws of Cricket, we were very pleased to be able to grant permission for the Asian Cricket Council to produce the Laws in a Mandarin translation.

MCC’s Secretary and Chief Executive, Keith Bradshaw "Dozens of these translated copies will be taken to China, on Monday, as part of an exciting visit by King Edward VII School – a trip which will give beneficial exposure, both to other cultures and to cricket, for all concerned", said Keith Bradshaw, MCC’s Secretary and Chief Executive.

Syed Ashraful Haq, Asian Cricket Council's Chief Executive, said: "I’m delighted that MCC is helping the game to grow in emerging cricketing nations.

"China is aiming to be a cricketing force of the future."

Director of Sport at King Edward VII School, Paul Tebay, added: "I believe we’re the first school to take cricket to China.

"Through the youth sports festival, we aim to show that young people can learn from each other.

"If we can pass on our love of the game, and the Chinese students take cricket seriously, I'm sure they'll do very well indeed."

China was granted Affiliate membership of ICC, the game's world governing body, in 2004 and subsequently received a grant of £200,000 to help the game's development in the country.