Cricket Hong Kong (CHK) today announced that Director of Cricket Charlie Burke has accepted a senior position at the Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) here in Hong Kong, bringing an end to a highly successful seven-year involvement. Charlie originally joined CHK as Head Coach of the men’s team in the lead up the ICC World Cricket League Division Three in 2011. The tournament was hosted in Hong Kong who were also champions, defeating Papua New Guinea, now also a ODI nation, in a closely fought final at KCC. He then took on the Director of Cricket Role in early 2016 when former Hong Kong Cricket Club Head Coach Simon Cook was hired full time as Men’s Head Coach. During Burke’s tenure, Hong Kong rose from 26th in the world rankings to as high as 10th in Twenty20 cricket last year. On his time with Cricket Hong Kong, Charlie remarked “I’m extremely proud of my contribution and various achievements made during the last seven years. To leave when we are in the top 14 in white ball cricket is something I am especially proud of, as well as seeing the growth of the Junior Cricket Sixes program in such a short time. “To look back and remember where we were as National Teams in 2010 when the Men were ranked 26th, to what we have built on a global stage by competing in two World Twenty20s and contracting players is an incredible achievement by so many people – the win against Bangladesh, and my final tournament as Head Coach, when we beat Afghanistan to qualify for a second World T20 will be a memory that will stay with me forever. The development of the game will continue to be a huge challenge; however, it is great to see we have numerous fully-Chinese sides competing in our men’s and ladies’ domestic competitions, and the continual development of the Dragons participating in international tours/events. CHK CEO Tim Cutler said “To try and summarise his list of achievements after arriving in Hong Kong in 2010 would be impossible, and I personally credit him as the single biggest contributor to bringing Hong Kong Cricket forward from its roots of being played by enthusiastic amateurs to the professional sport it is today here since that time, or in-fact, in Hong Kong’s cricket history. The flow on positive effect this progression has had on so many people in Hong Kong, be they players, staff, officials, volunteers or fans of cricket here is immeasurable. He has left us with an amazing launchpad from which to take cricket in the SAR forward and I know that he will still be a key part of the sport’s development here in his new role at KCC.” CHK President Rodney Miles also contributed his congratulations on Burke’s tenure with “I would like to add my personal sincere thanks alongside all of Hong Kong Cricket for the absolutely exceptional contribution Charlie has made both to the National Teams, and cricket in general as Head Coach and Director of Cricket. Without doubt, Charlie should receive the full recognition for his enormous achievements which have transformed Hong Kong Cricket internationally and financially from our movements up the cricket world rankings tables over the past years. In addition, his support from the beginning, and ongoing involvement have contributed significantly to bringing the Chinese community into Cricket". Charlie concluded with “I can’t thank the Hong Kong cricket community enough for supporting me and my endeavours throughout these seven years. The players, captains, executive members and all the coaching staff are the reason Hong Kong Cricket is where it is today. I’m leaving with Cricket in Hong Kong in better shape than when I started and to me that is the greatest achievement of all.” CHK have put measures in place to find his successor and there will be an announcement in this regard shortly.