Singapore cricket’s SEA Games plans affected after losing Kallang ground

SINGAPORE - Cricket will make its debut at next year’s South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.

But while most countries are busy gearing up for the regional biennial games, the Singapore national cricket team’s preparations have ground to a halt.

Ever since the Singapore Cricket Association lost the Kallang Cricket Field as its training venue in January, the national team has been without a proper training ground. This, in turn, has affected the team’s ability to train regularly, and stage friendly matches with regional and international sides,

The SCA had to vacate the Kallang Cricket Field, their home for the last 21 years, in January after their yearly lease was not renewed by Sport Singapore (SportSG), who have earmarked it as a location for one of ActiveSG’s football academies.

“We were sent a letter by SportSG telling us that we had to vacate our training ground. The news came like a jolt from out of the blue,” SCA director of operations Saad Khan Janjua told TODAY.

“Yet, in our meetings with SportSG last year, they told us that they would be more supportive of the sport and our plans for the SEA Games. But that has not happened.”

SportSG has allocated the SCA a replacement field at Farrer Park. However, the new venue is problematic.

Firstly, the facility will not be ready until September as boundaries and a clay pitch need to be installed. Secondly, the dimensions do not meet international standards. “I am surprised that we were allocated Farrer Park because that is a football ground and it is not possible to play international cricket on a football ground,” explained Saad.

“The dimensions of the field are smaller and this will make it difficult for us to carry out our trainings, let alone host friendly matches.”

As a result of losing the Kallang Cricket Field, and not having a proper training venue, the Singapore cricket team, who are ranked 24th in the world after rising 15 places over the last nine years, have not been able to train for the last seven months.

Khan said this has been seriously hampering their SEA Games preparations.

The 42-year-old Pakistani-born former Singapore captain said: “The SEA Games are fast approaching and we are in a position to win a gold medal being the second-highest rated team in South-east Asia. This will deter our chances for sure.

“The national players are questioning us as to why we are not able to provide them with a proper training facility despite being the national body.”

The last time Singapore played a competitive international series was against Qatar from March 28 to April 2, where they had to request for special permission from SportSG to use the Kallang Cricket Field.

Singapore, who are ranked sixth in Asia, and in Division Three of the World Cricket League (WCL), ended up losing all their matches - three Twenty20 Internationals and two One-Day Internationals - to a team that was ranked just 14th in Asia and not even a member of the WCL.

“Right now, we are in a ‘blur’ situation and I don’t know what the future holds for us,” said Saad.

“There is no proper communication from SportSG with us and I am hoping for a workable solution sooner rather than later, because this is (ultimately) about Singapore.”

In response to TODAY’s queries, Lim Hong Khiang, who is the Sports Facilities Group chief at SportSG, said: “The use of the field previously occupied by the SCA was reviewed under the Sports Facilities Master Plan. The SCA was occupying that site under TOL (temporary occupation licence), which ended on Dec 31, 2015.

“Currently, the SCA has been given exclusive use of a field at Farrer Park for their training while we explore the prospect for a more permanent facility.”

Former SCA vice-president M. Neethianathan is hoping that the SCA can get the Kallang field back.

“It is sad that SCA has lost Kallang Cricket Field,” said Neethi who served the SCA in various capacities from 2004 to 2015.

“It hosted many international tournaments in the past and brings back a lot of memories. During our tenure, (my committee and I) always had a good relationship with SportSG and did not encounter any issues. I hope there is a chance the SCA can get the ground back.”

That prospect seems unlikely though.

As Lim said in his reply to TODAY: “Kallang Field has been earmarked for football and other sports that would add vibrancy to the precinct and be complementary to events hosted at the Sports Hub.

“Sport Singapore will continue to work with SCA on national team training, hosting of international and league matches, and a long-term facility.”