Ex-India wicketkeeper Engineer to help Cricket España catch the spirit

Ex-India wicketkeeper Engineer to help Cricket España catch the spiritDubai, Apr. 23 : Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer will help Cricket España and Madrid Cricket Club catch the spirit during ICC centenary year celebrations from April 25 to 27.

The man who played 46 Tests for his country between 1961 and 1975 will run three one-hour coaching sessions over the three days. These sessions will coincide with the Madrid Cricket Club hosting its second Solidarity Twenty20 Tournament at La Manga Club, Murcia in southern Spain.

Eight teams from Spain (Madrid Cricket Club, La Manga Cricket Club, Mojacar Cricket Club), the United Kingdom (Bank of England Cricket Club, Belsize Cricket Club, Milton Keynes Cricket Club) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam Cricket Club and The Hague Cricket Club) will be taking part.

Proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, a Spanish non-governmental organisation working to improve the lives of the people of Anantapur, India. The foundation also plans to set up a cricket academy for more than 1,200 children with disabilities.

And proceeds from Farokh's coaching sessions, which start at around 11 a. m. each day and cost _20, will go towards his charity for homeless children in Mumbai and the tournament fund-raising effort.

The Catch the Spirit celebrations are aimed at promoting the ICC's centenary, the great spirit of cricket and the wide appeal and diversity of the game. While the ICC's Full Members including Australia, Bangladesh, the West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand have already celebrated their weeks, the spotlight will shine on Spain to showcase the spirit of the game and the collective commitment and values which are central to the sport.

The Catch the Spirit flag, an indicator of the ICC's centenary year, will also be present at the tournament.

The Catch the Spirit celebrations will continue across the continent during the European summer. The events due to take place shortly include the Italian under-19 Championship from 1 to 3 May, women's eight-a-side international tournament in Munich, Germany from May 2 to 3, the inaugural under-13 national training camp in Finland from 10 to 14 July, the Limerick World Cup in Ireland from July 12 to 24 and the Maccabiah Games in Israel from July 12 to 24.

Cricket España Chairman Phil Beal said: "I'm really pleased that Cricket España is playing its part in celebrating the ICC's centenary and demonstrate the spirit of cricket in Spain." (ANI)