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Cricket (Sport)

Charters Towers Goldfield Ashes: The Biggest Amateur Cricket Carnival in the World

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Charters Towers Goldfield Ashes committee has been boasting to be the biggest amateur cricket carnival in the southern hemisphere, but new research reveals that it is, in fact, the biggest amateur cricket carnival in the world. The carnival has been a staple in the region since 1948, attracting 215 teams to play cricket on 70 fields over three days. The uniqueness of the Goldfield Ashes lies in its one-off event format, where numerous teams come together for a massive cricket extravaganza.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Charters Towers Goldfield Ashes is considered the biggest amateur cricket carnival in the world, according to research and experts in the field.
  • The carnival has been attracting 215 teams to play cricket on 70 fields over three days, making it a massive event.
  • The Goldfield Ashes is a unique one-off event, unlike other regular cricket competitions.
  • The Asian Cricket Sixes Tour chairman, Michael "Cat" Maher, confirms that there is no event in South-East Asia that is bigger than the Charters Towers Ashes.
  • The biggest regular sixes competition in the region is the Chang Mai Sixes, which has been running since '86-'87 and had a maximum of 34 teams.
  • The World Vintage Cricket Carnivals and Tours' Peter McDermott also agrees that the Goldfield Ashes is the biggest amateur cricket carnival in the world.
  • The carnival has been a staple in the region since 1948, with organisers putting the finishing touches on this year's carnival, which begins on Saturday, January 23.

Statistics:

  • 215 teams participate in the Charters Towers Goldfield Ashes.
  • The carnival is played on 70 fields over three days.
  • The Chang Mai Sixes is the biggest regular sixes competition in the region, with a record 34 teams.
  • The Asian Cricket Sixes Tour has teams across South-East Asia.
  • The Nidderdale and District Amateur Cricket League in the United Kingdom has 96 teams participating in a summer season.
  • The United Arab Emirates' Zurich Ramadan Cricket Tournament has 85 company teams participating.

Sources:

  • Michael "Cat" Maher, Asian Cricket Sixes Tour chairman
  • Peter McDermott, World Vintage Cricket Carnivals and Tours
  • Goldfield Ashes website and organizers
  • Changing Main Sixes website and records
  • Cricket news and reports from the United Kingdom and other regions.

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