French cricket team
Encyclopedia
The France national cricket team is the team that represents the country of France
in international cricket
matches. They became an associate member of the International Cricket Council
in 1998, having previously been an affiliate member since 1987. They won Silver medal in the 1900 Olympic Games
. They are currently the eleventh ranked team in Europe.
word meaning "post" or "wicket". However, it is equally possible that this could be an early variant of croquet
. It must be remembered that most of France during the 14th and 15th centuries was under English occupation in the Hundred Years War and so any cricket references in France at this time are probably due to the game having been introduced to France by the English occupiers.
Horace Walpole
, son of former British Prime Minister
Robert Walpole
mentioned seeing cricket in Paris
in 1766.
The Marylebone Cricket Club
(MCC) were due to make the first ever international cricket tour of France, in 1789, however this was cancelled due to the French Revolution
. This match was finally played in 1989, as part of the bicentennial celebrations of the revolution, with France beating the MCC by 7 wickets.
The first documented match took place in the Bois de Boulogne between Paris Cricket Club and Warwickshire Knickerbockers in 1864. Paris Cricket Club published a book explaining the game the following year.
The one and only appearance for cricket at the Olympic Games
took place in 1900
, with the French team losing the only match played, and thus remaining the reigning silver medal holders to this day. Cricket at 1900 Summer Olympics
.
The French team however, consisted solely of British residents in Paris, members of the Standard Athletic Club
. The Standard Athletic Club
restaged the 1900 Olympic Cricket match in 1987, and France played the MCC in Meudon
in 1989.
In 1910, France took part in an exhibition tournament in Brussels
, also involving the MCC, the Netherlands and Belgium. They played one game, against the Netherlands, winning by 63 runs.
, but an influx of English and Asian immigrants led to a resurgence of the game in the early 1980s. The current French Cricket Association was formed in 1987, and they gained Affiliate membership of the ICC the same year.
After the win in the 1989 match mentioned above, there were a handful of tours from English county teams, and France toured Austria
in 1996, losing both matches against the national team. In 1997, they played in the European Nations Cup in Zuoz
, Switzerland
, winning after beating Germany
by one run in the final. This match was included in the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
list of 100 best matches of the 20th century as David Bordes ran the winning leg bye
with a fractured skull.
They played in the European Championship
in the Netherlands
in 1998, finishing eighth after losing to Germany in a play-off. They became an associate member of the ICC the same year. They finished third in Division Two of the 2000 European Championship.
France played their only ICC Trophy in the 2001 tournament
in Canada
, though they did not progress beyond the first round. The following year, they finished fifth in Division Two of the European Championships, and finished as runners up in the 2004 tournament. They finished sixth in the 2006 tournament after losing a play-off to Guernsey
.
ICC Trophy
European Championship
, Jersey
and the winners of a play-off between Croatia and Israel.
or List A cricket:
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in international cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
matches. They became an associate member of the International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
in 1998, having previously been an affiliate member since 1987. They won Silver medal in the 1900 Olympic Games
1900 Summer Olympics
The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of...
. They are currently the eleventh ranked team in Europe.
Early years
One of the many theories about the origin of cricket is that France could be a possible birthplace of the game. A mention of a bat and ball game called "criquet" in a village of the Pas-de-Calais occurs in a French manuscript of 1478, and the word "criquet" is an old FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word meaning "post" or "wicket". However, it is equally possible that this could be an early variant of croquet
Croquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
. It must be remembered that most of France during the 14th and 15th centuries was under English occupation in the Hundred Years War and so any cricket references in France at this time are probably due to the game having been introduced to France by the English occupiers.
Horace Walpole
Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford was an English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He is now largely remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in Twickenham, south-west London where he revived the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors,...
, son of former British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
mentioned seeing cricket in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1766.
The Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
(MCC) were due to make the first ever international cricket tour of France, in 1789, however this was cancelled due to the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. This match was finally played in 1989, as part of the bicentennial celebrations of the revolution, with France beating the MCC by 7 wickets.
The first documented match took place in the Bois de Boulogne between Paris Cricket Club and Warwickshire Knickerbockers in 1864. Paris Cricket Club published a book explaining the game the following year.
Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
took place in 1900
1900 Summer Olympics
The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of...
, with the French team losing the only match played, and thus remaining the reigning silver medal holders to this day. Cricket at 1900 Summer Olympics
Cricket at the 1900 Summer Olympics
A cricket tournament, played as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics, took place on 19–20 August at the Vélodrome de Vincennes. The only match of the tournament was played between teams representing Great Britain and France, and was won by 158 runs by Great Britain....
.
The French team however, consisted solely of British residents in Paris, members of the Standard Athletic Club
Standard Athletic Club
The Standard Athletic Club is a British social club in Paris, created on 1 March 1890, as one of the first football clubs in France. The Standard Athletic Club won the first French football championship in 1894, and then again in 1895, 1897, 1898 and 1901...
. The Standard Athletic Club
Standard Athletic Club
The Standard Athletic Club is a British social club in Paris, created on 1 March 1890, as one of the first football clubs in France. The Standard Athletic Club won the first French football championship in 1894, and then again in 1895, 1897, 1898 and 1901...
restaged the 1900 Olympic Cricket match in 1987, and France played the MCC in Meudon
Meudon
Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
in 1989.
In 1910, France took part in an exhibition tournament in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, also involving the MCC, the Netherlands and Belgium. They played one game, against the Netherlands, winning by 63 runs.
The modern era
Many cricket clubs folded after the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but an influx of English and Asian immigrants led to a resurgence of the game in the early 1980s. The current French Cricket Association was formed in 1987, and they gained Affiliate membership of the ICC the same year.
After the win in the 1989 match mentioned above, there were a handful of tours from English county teams, and France toured Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in 1996, losing both matches against the national team. In 1997, they played in the European Nations Cup in Zuoz
Zuoz
Zuoz is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-History:Zuoz is first mentioned about 840 as Zuzes. Historically, Zuoz was the political center of the upper Engadin. It was the seat of the local bishop. But, it has long ago been supplanted by other Engadin...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, winning after beating Germany
Germany national cricket team
The Germany national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Germany in international cricket matches. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1999, having previously been an affiliate member since 1991...
by one run in the final. This match was included in the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
list of 100 best matches of the 20th century as David Bordes ran the winning leg bye
Leg bye
In the sport of cricket, a leg bye is a run scored by the batting team when the batsman has not hit the ball with his bat, but the ball has hit the batsman's body or protective gear.-Scoring leg byes:...
with a fractured skull.
They played in the European Championship
European Cricket Championship
The European Cricket Championship is a group of various tournaments in which national cricket sides throughout Europe compete. The tournament is designed to encourage and develop the best players in countries where cricket is not a major sport and Europe's only Test cricket playing country,...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1998, finishing eighth after losing to Germany in a play-off. They became an associate member of the ICC the same year. They finished third in Division Two of the 2000 European Championship.
France played their only ICC Trophy in the 2001 tournament
2001 ICC Trophy
The 2001 ICC Trophy was a cricket tournament played in Ontario, Canada in 2001. It was the qualifying tournament for the 2003 Cricket World Cup...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, though they did not progress beyond the first round. The following year, they finished fifth in Division Two of the European Championships, and finished as runners up in the 2004 tournament. They finished sixth in the 2006 tournament after losing a play-off to Guernsey
Guernsey cricket team
The Guernsey cricket team is the team that represents the Crown dependency of Guernsey in international cricket matches. They became an associate member of the International Cricket Council in 2008.-International Competition:...
.
ICC TrophyICC TrophyThe ICC World Cup Qualifier is an international one-day cricket tournament run under the auspices of the International Cricket Council. Any Associate or Affiliate member of the ICC may attempt to qualify for the ICC Trophy by means of a system of regional qualifying events. The test-playing Full...
- 19791979 ICC TrophyCanada proved too strong for Malaysia, Rasiah Ratnalingham's excellent analysis of 12-5-18-3 not enough to stop the Canadians winning by 44 runs thanks to 77 from Cecil Marshall and 4-33 from John Vaughan...
to 19861986 ICC TrophyThe 1986 ICC Trophy was a limited-overs cricket tournament held in England between 11 June and 7 July 1986. It was the third ICC Trophy tournament to be staged, and as with the previous two tournaments, games between the 16 participating teams played over 60 overs a side and with white clothing and...
inclusive: Not eligible - Not an ICC member - 19901990 ICC TrophyThe 1990 ICC Trophy was a limited-overs cricket tournament held in the Netherlands between 4 June and 23 June 1990. It was the fourth ICC Trophy tournament to be staged, and the first to be held outside England. It was also the first ICC Trophy competition to have a title sponsor, being known...
to 19971997 ICC TrophyThe Carlsberg 1997 ICC Trophy was a cricket tournament played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in March/April 1997. It was the qualification tournament for the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Kenya and for the first time Bangladesh and Scotland all Qualified.-First round:...
inclusive: Not eligible - ICC affiliate member - 20012001 ICC TrophyThe 2001 ICC Trophy was a cricket tournament played in Ontario, Canada in 2001. It was the qualifying tournament for the 2003 Cricket World Cup...
: First round - 20052005 ICC TrophyIreland beat Bermuda easily as Ed Joyce made 103 for the hosts in Stormont.----Denmark beat Uganda by 28 runs as Thomas Munkholt Hansen took 6 for 30 to carry Denmark to a 28-run win over Uganda in Muckamore. Denmark made 197 with Henrik Saxe Hansen making 71...
: Did not qualify
European ChampionshipEuropean Cricket ChampionshipThe European Cricket Championship is a group of various tournaments in which national cricket sides throughout Europe compete. The tournament is designed to encourage and develop the best players in countries where cricket is not a major sport and Europe's only Test cricket playing country,...
- 1998: 8th place
- 2000: 3rd place (Division Two)
- 2002: 5th place (Division Two)
- 2004: 2nd place (Division Two)
- 2006: 6th place (Division Two)
- 2008: 4th place (Division Two)
- 2010: 3rd place (Division Two)
2008
In 2008 France took part in Division Two of the European Championship, playing against hosts Guernsey in addition to Germany, GibraltarGibraltar cricket team
The Gibraltar national cricket team is the team that represents the British overseas territory of Gibraltar in international cricket. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1969. They are currently ranked sixth amongst European non-Test teams.-Early...
, Jersey
Jersey cricket team
The Jersey cricket team is the team that represents the Crown dependency of Jersey in international cricket matches. They became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 2005, and an associate member in 2007....
and the winners of a play-off between Croatia and Israel.
2006 European Division Two Championship squad
The French squad at the 2006 European Division Two Championship was as follows:- Arun Ayyavooraju
- Jonathan Houghton
- Shabir Hussain
- Waseem Bhatti (CaptainCaptain (cricket)The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
) - Thushara Koralagamage
- Javed Ijaz
- Ramesh Sithambarathan
- Tahir Mohammed Saeed
- Leoplod Guy Brumant
- Olivier Papiskokuji
- Khalid Abdul
- Shazad Orangzeb Mohammad
- Rajani Sithambarathan
- Rasu Raguthas
- Pierre Rougone
Other players
The following French national team players have played first-classFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
or List A cricket:
- Simon HewittSimon HewittSimon Mark Hewitt is an English born former French cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, he played more than 100 times for the France national cricket team between 1989 and 2001, most of the time captaining the side, having previously played first-class cricket for...
- played first-class cricket for Oxford UniversityOxford University Cricket ClubOxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
in 1984 - David HoltDavid Holt (cricketer)David Robert Holt is an English cricketer who has also represented the France national cricket team.-Career:David Holt's cricket career began in 1999 when he began to play for the Middlesex second XI...
- played first-class cricket for Loughborough UCCE in 2005 and 2006 - Paul WakefieldPaul WakefieldPaul George Wakefield is a French former cricketer. A left-handed batsman and leg spin bowler, he represented the France national cricket team at the 2001 ICC Trophy, having previously played minor counties cricket for Cheshire.-Career:Wakefield played for Cheshire in the Minor Counties...
- played List A cricket for CheshireCheshire County Cricket ClubCheshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cheshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
in 1983