Cricket is a sport relatively unknown to most Greeks. However, it is believed that this sport or one similar was played in

ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

. This conclusion is drawn from an ancient relief that depicts athletes with clubs and ball. In modern era the cricket in Greece is connected with

Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

where this sport is pretty popular. The sport was imported to Corfu by the British when the Ionian Islands were under

British rule The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

(1815–64). The first teams in the island were created after the departure of the British, shortly after 1864. In 1893, the still existing club Kerkyraikos G.S. (Corfiot Athletic Club) was founded. Other cricket clubs were founded in subsequent years. In 1925 the club GSK Vyron was founded, and in 1976 the club AO Faiax was founded. The

Hellenic Cricket Federation The Hellenic Cricket Federation (Greek: Ελληνική Ομοσπονδία Κρίκετ) is the governing body of cricket in Greece. The current president is Joseph Nikitas. Greece was accepted into the European Cricket Council (ECC) in 1995 ...

was founded in 1996. It is the only Greek sport federation that is not based in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

but based in Corfu.

National team

The Greek national team established after the creation of

. It is an affiliate member of the

International Cricket Council The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, its members are List of International Cricket Council members, 108 national associations, with 12 List of Internation ...

. So far it has taken part in European cricket championships. Two of them have hosted in Greece, concretely in Corfu, the European Championship division five, in 2009 and the European championship division two, in 2012.

The championship

The Hellenic Cricket Federation organises a Greek Men's Cricket Championship, Greek Women's Cricket Championship, Greek Cricket Cup, and various youth Championships. All championships comprise indoor and outdoor competitions. There are 20 clubs that are members of the federation. Almost all teams are based in

, besides a few based in

and

Ioannina Ioannina ( el, Ιωάννινα ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. According to the 2011 census, the c ...

References

External links

Hellenic Cricket Federation
{{Cricket in Greece Cricket in Greece Culture of Corfu