Russia national cricket team
Encyclopedia
The Russian Cricket Team is a fledgling team which represents the nation of Russia
in International Cricket competitions. They are not officially endorsed by the International Cricket Council
and are therefore not entitled to participate in ICC Official events, however they do have an application to the European Cricket Council
pending, which should see them granted Affiliate Status in the near future.
The Communist Revolution of 1917 put paid to the spread of cricket in Russia as it was seen as a game of the “bourgeois” and playing it was discouraged. With the British moving out of St. Petersburg following the Revolution, the game quickly died with them.
.
The Russian National Cricket team played their first home representative match against a touring side from North Wales - Carmel & District Cricket Club
- at the Moscow State University
Baseball Stadium in 2007.
There is also sporadic games of cricket played in St. Petersburg and an international tournament was held in St. Petersburg in 2006, although teams had to use a tennis ball
as no cricket ball
s were available.
A St Petersburg XI, made up primarily of students from, Mechnikov State Medical Academy also contested two Twenty20
matches against Carmel & District Cricket Club in 2007 using a proper cricket balls and equipment.
Russia played their first international fixtures at the Carmel European Twenty20 tournament held in July 2008. Russia suffered defeats to Estonia
, Czech Republic and a Cricket Board of Wales side.
The Russia side were much improved when they travelled to Prague
in August 2008 where they won the Prague International Twenty 20 cricket cup. In the final, the Czech Republic collapsed to 61 all out against Russia who knocked off the required runs within 11 overs.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in International Cricket competitions. They are not officially endorsed by 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...
and are therefore not entitled to participate in ICC Official events, however they do have an application to the European Cricket Council
European Cricket Council
The European Cricket Council is an international body which oversees cricket in European countries other than the Test-playing cricketing nation of England and Wales.-Activities:...
pending, which should see them granted Affiliate Status in the near future.
Early history
The game was played in St. Petersburg as early as the 1870s. In 1875, the British residents of the city challenged the sailors of the Prince of Wales’ Royal Yacht Osbourne to a match. By 1880 cricket was well established in St. Petersburg, with British diplomats and merchants challenging the British managers and foremen of the textile mills in an annual match. By 1895 there were 4 cricket clubs in St. Petersburg.The Communist Revolution of 1917 put paid to the spread of cricket in Russia as it was seen as a game of the “bourgeois” and playing it was discouraged. With the British moving out of St. Petersburg following the Revolution, the game quickly died with them.
Recent developments
The bulk of the players representing the Russia national cricket team are drawn from the United League of Nations Cricket League which is played in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
The Russian National Cricket team played their first home representative match against a touring side from North Wales - Carmel & District Cricket Club
Carmel & District Cricket Club
Carmel & District Cricket Club is a team based in Flintshire North Wales who play competitive cricket in the North Wales Cricket League. They are also the only Welsh village team to defeat an international cricket team and have staged several matches between national teams at their Pen-y-Gelli...
- at the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
Baseball Stadium in 2007.
There is also sporadic games of cricket played in St. Petersburg and an international tournament was held in St. Petersburg in 2006, although teams had to use a tennis ball
Tennis ball
A tennis ball is a ball designed for the sport of tennis,approximately 6.7 cm in diameter. Tennis balls are generally bright green, but in recreational play can be virtually any color. Tennis balls are covered in a fibrous fluffy felt which modifies their aerodynamic properties...
as no cricket ball
Cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid leather ball used to play cricket. Constructed of cork and leather, a cricket ball is heavily regulated by cricket law at first class level...
s were available.
A St Petersburg XI, made up primarily of students from, Mechnikov State Medical Academy also contested two Twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
matches against Carmel & District Cricket Club in 2007 using a proper cricket balls and equipment.
Russia played their first international fixtures at the Carmel European Twenty20 tournament held in July 2008. Russia suffered defeats to Estonia
Estonia national cricket team
The Estonian Cricket Team is a fairly young team which represents the nation of Estonia in International Cricket competitions. . Granted Affiliate Status in June 2008. Estonian cricket relies upon the support of touring sides from Britain and other European nations to get matches to play...
, Czech Republic and a Cricket Board of Wales side.
The Russia side were much improved when they travelled to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in August 2008 where they won the Prague International Twenty 20 cricket cup. In the final, the Czech Republic collapsed to 61 all out against Russia who knocked off the required runs within 11 overs.
Current squad
- The following table lists the players in the Russia squad for the 2010 European Twenty20 ChampionshipEuropean Twenty20 ChampionshipThe European Twenty20 Championship is a cricket tournament played for the first time in July 2007 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was be the first international Twenty20 tournament ahead of the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship later in the same year....
:- Ashwani Chopra (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...
) - Sumit Hooda
- Jigar Jaswantsinh Jadeja
- Syed Khurshed Akhtar
- Pankaj Kumar Jha
- Rakesh Mohan Rajput
- Radzhinder Singkh
- Rashik Kumar
- Arvinder Singh
- Akila Milan De Silva Thotahewage
- Hitesh Patel
- Sammy Kotwani
- Tanveer Khan
- Mathew Gorman
- Ashwani Chopra (captain