"The El Salvador weather is beautiful, the landscape stunning and cricket has the potential to be a winning formula with the country's sport-crazy people"    Philip Mostyn

THE cricket enthusiasts attempting to revive the game in El Salvador have appealed for equipment and playing materials to maintain an encouraging momentum in South America, despite what they see as "indifference" from the ICC.

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Philip Mostyn, vice-president of the El Salvador Cricket Federation, says that progress has been made towards establishing cricket among the El Salvador community, but the shortage of equipment has become an obstacle. Requests for help to the ICC and even the MCC, usually so sympathetic towards cases like this, have led to nothing.

Though the ICC recently announced they had earmarked £150 million over seven years to assist the smaller countries, the funding would not benefit start-up countries before they achieve affiliate membership. That is the problem for El Salvador.

Mostyn said: "It seems almost embarrassing that England will be playing against the Stanford champions for millions of pounds when there are countries desperate to make cricket live, and we just need a few thousand pounds. World cricket will not survive on Twenty20 alone; it must develop other countries to play and support to keep itself healthy.

"I can even say that I will eventually get bored of the same top 10 countries playing each year. Will the ICC ever expand its elitist wing to other nations? Let me remind the world of David Beckham going to the US, and look at what that did for that part of the world. If Mr Stanford wants cricket to be big in the Central American region and Caribbean, he really needs to see what a few thousand could so that many would appreciate it. Just imagine -- Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, all playing cricket at Test level."

Nevertheless Mostyn said that money, welcome though funding would be, was not the priority in El Salvador. "We are looking for materials," the Englishman said. "I am sure that there are places out there that have old bowling machines and nets and bats -- you name it, we need it. We can pay the shipping, but we are in need of loads of kit needed for schools and locals to get them interested. Heck, our national team needs some too."

In three years from nothing, the El Salvador Cricket Federation have developed a league of four teams in the capital San Salvador. Sponsorship from Microsoft has provided a world class artificial field, and membership has risen from 26 to 52. Four internationals have been played and a first win was gained, against Nicaragua. Mostyn described the youth programme as "very strong".

www.elsalvadorcricket.net

CHARLIE SAYS: It's worth looking at the El Salvador Cricket website and seeing the great strides being made in exposing this great game to a football-made local populus -- an effort driven by a few individuals and their womenfolk. I would love to hear of any ideas to help these people.