Winning friends and influencing people, Yu Miao at Lord’s, May 2012

The Chinese players who are in England as part of the Capital Kids Cricket initiative have all arrived. “I cannot believe how friendly everyone has been,” says Yu Miao. “It was so nice to meet the England players before their Test match against West Indies at the Lord’s Cricket Ground and then we were all invited to watch the second day’s play.”

“I could not believe that I was asked to give my autograph by some children,” adds the lady all-rounder from Shenyang in north-east China (5180 miles from London; the distance from London to Kingston, Jamaica is 4690 miles). With Yu Miao are two other lady cricketers and three men, university students all, who will be in London for the summer. During this time, as part of Capital Kids Cricket they will be playing and coaching school-children. They will be returning to Lord’s too later this month to take part in a London schools training program where they will be coaching.

“They have already made an impact, word is spreading. ‘Chinese cricketers? Chinese cricket coaches?! At Lord’s!?!’ It may be incredible now, yet given the fact that the players are all seasoned cricketers, of university standard, fluent in the language of cricket if not in English itself – their presence can only lead to increasing global familiarity in the years ahead.

Related:
Capital Kids Cricket
China Cricket Profile

Filed May 22nd, 2012