JEDDAH, 29 April 2004 — Jeddah Cricket League (JCL), the oldest cricketing organization that has pioneered cricket across Saudi Arabia since 1976, achieved a milestone last week when the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) accorded affiliation to it. “The GPYW headquarters in Riyadh has formally accorded affiliation to JCL under the patronage of Zainal Alireza to promote the game, and has issued the appropriate license,” JCL President Shahid Amin said at a press conference held on Tuesday night.
“The next step is for JCL to get the affiliation from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and International Cricket Council (ICC),” said Amin who has traveled extensively to ICC headquarters in London and to meet Zakir Hussain Syed, development manager at ACC, in Malaysia.
GPYW also presented a crystal memento to Amin in recognition of his services for promoting cricket in the Kingdom.
Pakistan Consul General Masood Akhtar and Bangladesh Labor Counselor Muhammad Abdul Hamid were present at the largely attended meeting called by JCL to mark the affiliation. Messages of congratulations from Indian Consul General Syed Akbaruddin and Sri Lanka Consul General A.M.J. Sadiq were read. Besides, representatives of all JCL-member clubs, including officials from organizations from Eastern Province and Yanbu were among those present.
Pakistan consul general said he was himself a right-hand batsman and left-arm bowler in his early days. “It’s good that cricket has brought India and Pakistan on the path of friendship,” he said referring to the recently ended Indian cricket tour of Pakistan. “Although India won the Series, Pakistan won the Hearts,” he said and hoped that JCL would succeed in producing cricketing talents of international standard. He extended support to JCL.
Yasin Alireza congratulated Zainal Alireza for achieving the singular success for JCL. “Zainal has got the license, but it’s Shahid Amin who single-handedly brought it.”
Tariq A. Al-Maeena described Shahid Amin as the Asif Iqbal of the Kingdom. He described Shahid Amin as one who would take Saudi cricket to a dimension different from what the Pakistani legend did in Sharjah. He congratulated him and the JCL for the achievement.
Shahid Amin said JCL, with its patrons Zainal Alireza of the Ali Reza Group, and Arab News Editor in Chief Khaled A. Al-Maeena, had successfully completed 28 years of excellence in cricket. JCL started with two teams in 1976, which grew to 54 teams participating in various leagues and tournaments, in addition to 12 schools and eight JCL Colts Teams taking part in various competitions.
“JCL represents about 57 percent of the Kingdom’s teams,” Amin said. JCL has nine grounds in one complex, which is considered to be the largest of its kind anywhere. It also has more grounds in Jeddah. “All these developments place JCL on top for giving cricket a new dimension in the Kingdom,” Amin said and referred to the cooperation of King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) authorities. He thanked engineer Sameer Al-Maddah, deputy director general at KAIA for his interest in cricket and offering grounds on the premises. “We don’t pay a single halala to KAIA for leasing the grounds,” Amin said. “This shows Al-Maddah’s passion for cricket and interest to promote the game here.”
Amin also made a particular mention of Zainal Alireza, Khaled Al-Maeena, Yasin Alireza and Tariq A. Al-Maeena, who were among the first cricketers playing 28 years ago. That was the time when teams with Australians and other expats initiated cricket matches with just two teams.
The affiliation is also for the umbrella organization Central Cricket Control Board (CCCB) — a conglomeration of JCL, Yanbu Cricket League (YCL), Madinah Cricket Association (MCA), Eastern Province Cricket Association (EPCA) and Central Province Cricket Association (CPCA). It is a culmination of the announcement made during a similar conference held at Radisson Hotel on Dec. 24, 2003 by Zainal Alireza that the JCL had sought affiliation from the GPYW.
With its increasing activities, JCL improved its infrastructure and now has 15 cricket playing grounds in Jeddah, with nine of them concentrated in a single cricket complex, which is “by far the biggest ever anywhere.”
JCL is now a full-fledged cricketing organization with dedicated members on board and hundreds of cricketers, past and present, on its roll. It has been an inspiration to all cricket clubs and associations based in the Kingdom, for it has been the first to establish its presence. “This marathon innings is growing stronger year after year for the benefit of many cricketers and fans as well as for the game of cricket itself,” said Amin who has been elected as JCL’s unopposed president all through its 28-year existence. Most of the member-clubs are proposing him to be president for life in recognition of his services to cricket.
YCL President Abdul Jabbar said the industrial city boasts the first floodlit stadium.
In 1999, CCCB was formed and Amin was unanimously elected its president and chief executive officer.
He inherited cricket administrative skills form his grandfather Mian Muhammad Azhar Hassan, who served the longest term as general secretary of Pakistan Cricket Control Board. Shahid’s father played for the very first Pakistan team in 1948 against the World XI Series that earned Pakistan affiliation with the International Cricket Council (ICC). His father witnessed the events. JCL conducts various events in five divisions — Premier Division, Divisions I & II, school tournament and social matches. Social matches are arranged to strengthen the bonds between members of different multinational communities. Amin introduced his executive committee members who include highly educated and well-placed individuals in reputable organizations.
Khaled Kanoo, Mohammed Al-Hamrani, Ahmed Al-Marzouki, managing director of Sadafco, PIA’s Salim Nisar, Al Naghi group, SGB Baroom, Zultec and others mainly sponsor JCL.
Shahid Amin in his closing remarks reminded members of the JCL motto: “JCL sets the standards for others to follow.”
