Cricket is one of the world's most popular sports in terms of aficionados and fan base. It is the most popular game in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies and the United Arab Emirates, and second most popular after football and other sports in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. It is also enjoying increasing popularity in Canada, Africa and the Netherlands.
On 24 November, 2014, in New Delhi, Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot and David Richardson, Chief Executive of the ICC, announced Hublot's appointment as Official Timekeeper in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
The same day in Sydney, the captain of the Australian national cricket team since 2011, the famous batsman Michael Clarke, announced his appointment as a Hublot Ambassador. He will be the face of the new advertising campaign dedicated to this theme.
"Hublot has once again proven itself as the first, unique, and different luxury brand to enter cricket. This incredible sport will round off our worldwide marketing presence, and help drive our development in countries with high commercial potential. I am delighted with this great collaboration that awaits us, and am very proud that the ICC has chosen Hublot as its partner", remarked Ricardo Guadapupe, CEO of Hublot.
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “As anticipation builds for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the ICC is delighted to announce this new and exciting partnership with Hublot, a Swiss watchmaking brand, as the Official Timekeeper. Hublot has a strong reputation worldwide and we are delighted to welcome this luxury brand to our suite of commercial partners, and we look forward to working together over the coming months.”
To mark the announcement of Hublot's entry into the world of cricket, the Swiss watchmaking brand has developed a Classic Fusion Chrono Cricket watch especially for devotees.
Equipped with a HUB1155 self-winding chrono movement, openworked, and with a date window at 6 o'clock, the Classic Fusion Chrono Aerofusion Cricket bears on its dial four distinctive signs referring to cricket: on the dial, we can see at 12 o'clock a triple applique in reference to the stumps which are placed on the wicket, which is the name for one of the two sets of 3 wooden poles defended on the field by the batsmen; the hands on both counters are shaped like the cricket bat, which is reminiscent of a short paddle and made from willow and rattan. The case-back bears the exclusive symbol of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in transfer form on the sapphire crystal. This assembly is rounded off by a red calfskin leather strap stitched onto black rubber, with triple saddle stitching in the style of a cricket ball.
This 45 mm diameter watch is available in two versions: a King Gold limited edition of 100 numbered pieces and a titanium edition of 250 numbered pieces. Each watch is delivered with a second white strap.
