New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Guernsey, an island country in the English Channel off the French coast of Nornmandy, in has been granted associated member status of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Guernsey has become the 34th country to be awarded the membership after its application was unanimously approved during the annual conference in Dubai.
Three more countries from Europe -- Bulgaria, Estonia and Turkey - have been given affiliate status, taking the ICC's total member count to 104.
The decision to promote Guernsey to associate status comes three years after it was granted affiliate membership. ICC were impressed by the facilities, with a vibrant club and coaching structure in place, on the island.
Guernsey won the ICC European under-15 Division 2 championship in 2007, beating nine other European associate and affiliate members, and finished second and third in the European U-19 Division 2 and U-23 Division 2 respectively.
'Cricket is a well established sport in Guernsey and it is fitting that after only three years of ICC affiliate membership that the country has been promoted to an associate member, ' Richard Holdsworth, the ICC's regional development manager, was quoted as saying in Cricinfo.
'The infrastructure on the island has developed well in recent years with good support of local sponsors and government organisations. Their excellent facilities including grass pitches and a new indoor cricket centre will help them to further develop at International level,' he added.
