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Wales national cricket team

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Wales
International Cricket Council
ICC statusPart of the England and Wales Cricket Board
International cricket
First international21 July 1923 v Scotland at Perth, Scotland
One Day Internationals
World Cup Qualifier appearances1 (first in 1979)
Best resultFirst round, 1979
As of 11 September 2006

The Wales national cricket team (Welsh: Tîm criced cenedlaethol Cymru) is a proposed competitive representative cricket team for Wales.

There is a "Wales seniors friendly team" that currently exists, but it does not play in International Cricket Council (ICC) competitions, as Wales is part of the England and Wales Cricket Board and is represented by the England cricket team.

A Wales national cricket team has been proposed on a number of occasions and continues to be a topic of debate.

Background

Main article: Cricket in Wales

A Wales national team existed in the 1920s and 1930s playing against touring sides such as the West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand and secured a win against the West Indies.[1] From 1923 to 1930 Wales played 16 first-class matches.[2] Wales competed in the 1979 ICC Trophy, winning two of four matches and narrowly missing out on a place in the semi-finals.[1]

The "Wales seniors friendly team" is the only senior men's Wales team listed by Cricket Wales.[3]

Wales is currently represented by the England and Wales Cricket Board, internationally competing as "England".[4]

Proposals for standalone Wales team

Further information: England and Wales Cricket Board § Status of Wales

Wales is currently represented by the England and Wales Cricket Board,[4] however there have been calls for Wales to have their own international cricket team like Scotland and Ireland, by various Welsh organisations, publications and public figures.[4][5][6]

Politicians across the politician spectrum have stated their support for a standalone team such as Jonathan Edwards,[4][7] Bethan Sayed, Adam Price and Mohammad Asghar, with Sayed stating in 2013 that "Wales is the second-oldest cricket playing country in the world, yet it is alone in the British Isles in not having its own national side",[1] and Asghar stating in 2021 "if Afghanistan can play world cricket, then for God’s sake Wales should".[8] Former Labour First Minister, Carwyn Jones called in 2017 to reintroduce the Wales one-day team stating, "[It] is odd that we see Ireland and Scotland playing in international tournaments and not Wales".[8][9][10] Price stated in 2009, that "there are a great number of cricket teams in Wales [...] [but] no national side. In Carmarthenshire [...] [many] cricketers [...] could go on to represent Wales given the right opportunities". Price also added, "Many people argue that Wales is already represented in the England and Wales Cricket Board (the EWCB). But how often do you hear the second letter pronounced by the media or even game officials?", and that support for the team can be provided by the Welsh Government and ICC development funds for new nations.[11]

In June 2010 a motion for establishing a "Welsh International 20-20 and one day cricket team" was tabled to the UK parliament.[12] In October 2011, a petition was made to the Welsh Assembly for a Wales national cricket team.[13][14] A 2013 Assembly debate was held on the topic with both Conservative and Labour members supporting the establishment of a Welsh team.[15]

Bethan Sayed argued at a 2015 Assembly petition committee that Wales should have its own team, stating that Wales has more cricket players (7,500) than Ireland (6,000) which has its own team and twice the population, and that the idea is "an emotive subject".[16][17][18][19][20][21]

Plaid Cymru included the proposal in its 2016 National Assembly for Wales election manifesto, although the issue was not part of negotiations with Welsh Labour.[8]

There have been suggestions that the Hundred makes a Wales national cricket team more likely.[22]

Criticisms of the ECB have also been expressed as reasons for Wales to have its own team. With critics questioning the ECB team being portrayed as the England cricket team and using the English flag, as well as the attitude of the "English establishment", with critics stating that a "significant section of the Welsh population [...] totally reject the England Cricket team as representative of our country".[23][8][24]

Opposition

Cricket Wales and Glamorgan County Cricket Club oppose a standalone team, with Glamorgan arguing for the financial benefits of the Welsh county within the English structure and that a separate team would make "no sense", with Cricket Wales stating they are "committed to continuing to play a major role within the ECB".[25][26][27][28]

Notable Welsh cricketers

The following Welsh cricketers have played Test cricket for England:

  • Sydney Barnes: The legendary English fast-medium bowler, born in Staffordshire, made nine appearances for Wales from 1927 until 1930 (retiring at 57 years old). Barnes took 49 wickets for Wales in 1928, including seven for 51 and five for 67 in an eight wicket win over the touring West Indians.[29]
  • Johnnie Clay: Clay played one Test match for England in 1935.[30]
  • Robert Croft: Croft played international cricket for both England and Wales. He is first Welsh cricketer to score 10,000 runs and take 1,000 wickets in first-class cricket.[31]
  • Jeff Jones: He took forty-four wickets in fifteen Tests for England from 1964 to 1968.[32]
  • Simon Jones: He became an integral member of England's triumphant Ashes-winning team in 2005. Jones's pace and mastery of reverse-swing carried him to 18 wickets at 21 in four Tests, before he was forced to sit out a nervy final match due to an ankle problem.[33]
  • Tony Lewis: Lewis captained Glamorgan and England, and went on to become the face of BBC Television cricket coverage in the 1990s, and become president of the MCC.[34]
  • Austin Matthews: He played for Northamptonshire, Glamorgan and single Test for England.[35]
  • Hugh Morris: He played in three Tests for England in 1991.[36]
  • Gilbert Parkhouse: He played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950–51 and 1959.[37]
  • Pat Pocock: He played in twenty Tests and one ODI for England from 1968 to 1985.[38]
  • Greg Thomas: He played in five Tests and three ODIs for England between 1986 and 1987.[39]
  • Maurice Turnbull: He played in nine Tests for England from 1930 to 1936.[40]
  • Cyril Walters: He had most of his success after leaving Glamorgan, as captain-secretary of Worcestershire.[41]
  • Steve Watkin: He played three Test matches in 1991 and 1993, and four One Day Internationals in 1993 and 1994.[42]
  • Allan Watkins: He played for England in fifteen Tests from 1948 to 1952.[43]
  • Wilf Wooller: Cricketer, rugby union footballer, cricket administrator and journalist, Wooller captained Glamorgan CCC for 14 years, was Secretary for thirty and President for six.[44]

Alan Jones played a match for England against Rest of the World in 1970 which was later stripped of Test status. He holds the record for most runs in first-class cricket without playing a Test match. In 2020, he was awarded an England Test cap.[45]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Says, John Fielding (24 February 2015). "The case for a Welsh national cricket team". Gair Rhydd. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  2. ^ "First-class matches played by Wales". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Cricket Wales". wales.play-cricket.com. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "Call for Wales cricket team after England World Cup win". Nation.Cymru. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  5. ^ Furet, Marine (6 September 2019). "Why is Wales not a cricket nation like Scotland and Ireland?". Institute of Welsh Affairs. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  6. ^ Lewis, Thomas (18 January 2022). "Some fans think Wales should declare independence from England - at cricket". North Wales Live. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Towards a National Future for Welsh Cricket" (PDF).
  8. ^ a b c d "105 ICC Members: Should Wales have a national cricket team? – Park Life Sport". Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Wales cricket team should play one-day games, Carwyn Jones says". BBC. BBC News. 4 July 2017.
  10. ^ Williamson, David (5 July 2017). "Carwyn Jones says Wales should have a one-day international Welsh cricket team". Wales Online.
  11. ^ "Calls for a Welsh National Cricket team". Tivyside Advertiser. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  12. ^ "WELSH INTERNATIONAL 20-20 AND ONE DAY CRICKET TEAM".
  13. ^ "Owzat, butt!: Should Wales have national cricket teams?". State of Wales. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  14. ^ "P-04-335 The Establishment of a Welsh Cricket Team". business.senedd.wales. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Establishment of a Welsh Cricket Team". BBC Democracy Live. 23 October 2013.
  16. ^ Shipton, Martin (12 August 2013). "A Welsh national cricket team? AMs will have their say on the possibility this autumn". walesonline. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  17. ^ Wyn-Williams, Gareth (14 March 2015). "Welsh national cricket team should be set up says Rhun ap Iorwerth". northwales. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Towards a National Future for Welsh Cricket". Jonathan Edwards. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  19. ^ Shipton, Martin (23 October 2013). "Should Wales have its own international cricket team, ask Assembly Members". walesonline. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  20. ^ "The bat and the daffodil". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  21. ^ Williamson, David (7 September 2008). "Call for Wales to have its own cricket team". walesonline. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  22. ^ "Why the Hundred makes a Welsh cricket team more likely - but why that's probably not good for Welsh cricket". Nation.Cymru. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Welsh cricket". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  24. ^ "Why is it the English and Welsh Cricket Board but the England Cricket team? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  25. ^ "Clearing the Boundaries" (PDF). Cricket Wales.
  26. ^ "Glamorgan chief executive says Wales cricket team makes 'no sense'". BBC. 14 June 2018.
  27. ^ "Glamorgan oppose petition to form a Wales cricket team". BBC. 12 December 2011.
  28. ^ Shipton, Martin (23 October 2013). "Should Wales have its own international cricket team, ask Assembly Members". WalesOnline. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  29. ^ "The Home of CricketArchive". cricketarchive.com.
  30. ^ "The Home of CricketArchive". cricketarchive.com.
  31. ^ "Croft".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ "Jeff Jones profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  33. ^ "Simon Jones profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos".
  34. ^ "Tony Lewis profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  35. ^ "Austin Matthews profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  36. ^ "Hugh Morris profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos".
  37. ^ "Gilbert Parkhouse profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  38. ^ "Pat Pocock profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  39. ^ "The Home of CricketArchive". cricketarchive.com.
  40. ^ "Maurice Turnbull profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  41. ^ "Cyril Walters".
  42. ^ "Steve Watkin profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  43. ^ "Allan Watkins profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  44. ^ "Wilf Wooller profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.
  45. ^ "Glamorgan legend Alan Jones awarded England cap number 696". Sky Sports. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
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