Cricketers
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
from
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
are currently represented by the
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the Sports governing body, national governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was formed on 1 January 1997 as a single governing body to combine the roles formerly fulfilled by the Test and ...
(ECB) and compete for the
England cricket team
The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engla ...
. There have been some historical instances of a separate Welsh team in the 1920–30s, in the
1979 ICC Trophy
The 1979 ICC Trophy was a limited overs cricket tournament held in England between 22 May and 21 June 1979. It was the inaugural ICC Trophy tournament to be staged, with matches between the 15 participating teams played over 60 overs a side and w ...
, and in the
British Isles Championship between 1993 and 2001, however Wales is not a
separate 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 ...
(ICC).
Some politicians in Wales have argued for Wales to achieve separate ICC status from England and field a Wales cricket team, citing representation and opportunities as contributing factors, and following the establishment of a
Scotland team from the England team in 1994. Cricket bodies in Wales, such as
Cricket Wales
Cricket Wales ( cy, Criced Cymru) is the national governing body of cricket in Wales.
It is an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association
The Welsh Cricket Association (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of We ...
and
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club ( cy, Criced Morgannwg) is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Glamorgan ( cy, Morgannwg). Founded in 1888, ...
oppose such proposals, citing finances and early difficulties. The ECB is neutral on the proposal, whereas the
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
states it is for the cricket bodies to decide, but recognises the opportunity for
Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens ( cy, Gerddi Sophia) is a public park in Riverside, Cardiff, Wales, on the west bank of the River Taff. International test cricket matches and county cricket matches are held in the Sophia Gardens cricket ground, the home of Gl ...
in Cardiff to host England matches. Various cricketers have supported either side of the proposal.
History
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 in 1928.
The team was assembled to play first-class matches, and was mainly supported by the Welsh Cricket Union and Gwilym Rowland, a Denbighshire-based businessman. There were plans for Home Internationals with Ireland and Scotland teams but plans for an annual series were not advanced.
From 1923 to 1930 Wales played 16
first-class matches.
The
Welsh Cricket Association
The Welsh Cricket Association (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of Welsh amateur cricket. It also runs the Welsh Cup and convenes the Welsh Coaching Forum. The WCA aims to promote, encourage, and improve amateur cricket in Wales, and to ...
was formed in 1969 and for the next three decades they played against other ICC teams.
Wales competed in the
1979 ICC Trophy
The 1979 ICC Trophy was a limited overs cricket tournament held in England between 22 May and 21 June 1979. It was the inaugural ICC Trophy tournament to be staged, with matches between the 15 participating teams played over 60 overs a side and w ...
as a non-ICC team, playing by invitation after the late withdrawal of
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
.
Wales won two of four matches, against
the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, and narrowly missing out on a place in the semi-finals to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Among the Welsh wins was a match narrowly won against the Netherlands which was effected by rain. Welsh players that played in the tournament included William Douglas Slade. Between 1993 and 2001, a Welsh team played in the
British Isles Championship, alongside
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and an English XI team.
Between 2002 and 2004, a Wales cricket team was assembled by Glamorgan County Cricket Club, competing against England three times in One-Day Internationals in Cardiff,
winning one of the matches.
Historically, the England team represented
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
, until Scotland became an independent ICC member in 1994.
With former Welsh cricketer
Robert Croft
Robert Damien Bale Croft MBE (born 25 May 1970) is a former Welsh cricketer who played international cricket for England. He is an off-spin bowler who played for Glamorgan and captained the county from 2003 to 2006. He retired from first class c ...
, previously representing Glamorgan and England, viewing the modern England team as comparable to the
British & Irish Lions
The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...
. Whereas
Welsh Labour
Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 1922 ...
AM Mike Hedges
Mike Hedges (born 1953) is a British audio producer/engineer best known for his work with The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Manic Street Preachers. During his career, Hedges has worked with an eclectic roster of artists ranging from roc ...
stated that the
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
teams are actually "
feeder teams" for the England team.
However the use of the term "England", omitting Wales, has been criticised, and Scottish cricket executives are optimistic of their team's development.
Current status
The "Wales seniors friendly team" is the only senior men's Wales team listed by
Cricket Wales
Cricket Wales ( cy, Criced Cymru) is the national governing body of cricket in Wales.
It is an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association
The Welsh Cricket Association (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of We ...
. There are also Wales teams in ages up to U18.
The
Wales National County Cricket Club
Wales National County Cricket Club is one of twenty National county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents all of the historic counties of Wales except Glamorgan and is currently the only non-English mem ...
competes in the
National Counties of English and Welsh cricket
The National Counties, known as the Minor Counties before 2020, are the cricketing counties of England and Wales that do not have first-class status. The game is administered by the National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA), which comes unde ...
competitions.
The women's team played in the
Women's European Cricket Championship
The Women's European Cricket Championship is a women's cricket tournament for teams representing European countries. The first edition was contested in 1989.
History
The first Women's European Championship was held in Denmark in July 1989. The ...
in 2005, which Wales hosted, but have since adopted the same system as the men's team, with female players from Wales to represent the
England women's cricket team
The England women's cricket team represents England and Wales in international women's cricket. Since 1998, they have been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by the Women's Cricket Association ...
.
Wales is currently represented by the
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the Sports governing body, national governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was formed on 1 January 1997 as a single governing body to combine the roles formerly fulfilled by the Test and ...
, internationally competing as the
England cricket team
The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engla ...
.
With Welsh players such as
Simon Jones and
Geraint Jones
Geraint Owen Jones (born 14 July 1976) is a former cricketer who played for both England and Papua New Guinea. Born to Welsh parents in Papua New Guinea, between 2004 and 2006 he was the first-choice wicketkeeper for the England cricket team. ...
competing for the England team, such as during their
2005 Ashes series
The 2005 Ashes series was that year's edition of the long-standing cricket rivalry between England and Australia. Starting on 21 July 2005, England and Australia played five Tests, with the Ashes held by Australia as the most recent victors. The ...
win.
Proposals for standalone Wales team
Wales is currently represented by the
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the Sports governing body, national governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was formed on 1 January 1997 as a single governing body to combine the roles formerly fulfilled by the Test and ...
(ECB),
however there have been some calls for Wales to have their own international cricket team like Scotland and Ireland, by various Welsh organisations, publications and public figures.
Cricket Wales
Cricket Wales ( cy, Criced Cymru) is the national governing body of cricket in Wales.
It is an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association
The Welsh Cricket Association (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of We ...
, the sport's governing body in Wales, and the
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club ( cy, Criced Morgannwg) is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Glamorgan ( cy, Morgannwg). Founded in 1888, ...
, have expressed their opposition to any separate team, in particularly over finances and potential exclusion from the
County Championship
The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...
, in which reductions in either would "have a significant negative impact
o the sport in Wales.
Cardiff Council
Cardiff Council, formally the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Cyngor Sir Dinas a Sir Caerdydd) is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The principal area and its council were established ...
and the
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
view being part of the ECB as an opportunity to build-up Cardiff's reputation in cricket and as a sporting hub.
The ECB is netural on the proposal.
Support
Politicians across the politicial spectrum have stated their support for a standalone team such as
Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards may refer to:
Musicians
*Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, pseudonym of bandleader Paul Weston and his wife, singer Jo Stafford
*Jonathan Edwards (musician) (born 1946), American musician
** ''Jonathan Edwards'' (album), debut album ...
,
Bethan Sayed
Bethan Sayed (née Jenkins, born 9 December 1981) is a Welsh politician. She represented the South Wales West (National Assembly for Wales electoral region), South Wales West Region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the Senedd from 2007 to 2021. ...
,
Adam Price
Adam Robert Price (born 23 September 1968) is a Welsh politician serving as the Leader of Plaid Cymru since 2018. , he has sat in the Senedd for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, having previously been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Carmart ...
and
Mohammad Asghar
Mohammad Asghar (30 September 1945 – 16 June 2020), known as Oscar, was a Welsh politician who was a Member of the Senedd for South Wales East (National Assembly for Wales electoral region), South Wales East. He was a member of the Welsh Con ...
, 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",
and Asghar stating in 2021 "if Afghanistan can play world cricket, then for God’s sake Wales should"
and that playing on the international stage would "raise Wales' profile" and be economically beneficial while dismissing concerns from Glamorgan.
Former Labour
First Minister
A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of '' ...
,
Carwyn Jones
Carwyn Howell Jones (born 21 March 1967) is a Welsh politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2009 to 2018. He served as Counsel General for Wales from 2007 to 2009. Jones served as the Member of the S ...
called in 2017 to reintroduce the Wales one-day team stating, "
tis odd that we see Ireland and Scotland playing in international tournaments and not Wales", although if only Glamorgan's finances were not hit.
Price stated in 2009, that "there are a great number of cricket teams in Wales
.. utno national side. In Carmarthenshire
.. anycricketers
..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
The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
and
ICC development funds for new nations.
In June 2010 a motion for establishing a "Welsh International 20-20 and one day cricket team" was tabled to the UK parliament. In October 2011, a petition was made to the
Welsh Assembly
The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
for a Wales national cricket team.
A 2013 Assembly debate was held on the topic with both
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
and
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
members supporting the establishment of a Welsh team.
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".
Calls were also made for a separate team following England's early departure from the
2015 Cricket World Cup
The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup was the 11th Cricket World Cup, a quadrennial One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament contested by men's national teams and organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was jointly hosted by Aust ...
in Australia.
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom.
Plaid wa ...
included the proposal in its
2016 National Assembly for Wales election
Sixteen or 16 may refer to:
*16 (number), the natural number following 15 and preceding 17
*one of the years 16 BC, AD 16, 1916, 2016
Films
* '' Pathinaaru'' or ''Sixteen'', a 2010 Tamil film
* ''Sixteen'' (1943 film), a 1943 Argentine film ...
manifesto, although the issue was not part of negotiations with Welsh Labour.
There have been suggestions that
the Hundred makes a Wales national cricket team more likely, as the ECB considers reducing County Championship matches putting Glamorgan at risk of not participating in high-level matches. Therefore potentially causing a Welsh cricket team as a response.
Cricket Ireland
Cricket Ireland, officially the Irish Cricket Union, is the national governing body for cricket on the island of Ireland (both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), and oversees the national men's and women's cricket teams. It also org ...
and
Cricket Scotland
Cricket Scotland, formerly known as the Scottish Cricket Union, is the Sport governing body, governing body of the sport of cricket in Scotland. The body is based at the National Cricket Academy, Edinburgh.
The SCU was formed in 1908, but unde ...
have overseen growth in the sport in their nations from a smaller base than Wales, and Cricket Scotland has expressed that developments in increased international fixtures with other teams from Ireland and
the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
can allow a Scottish team "to prosper".
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
The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engla ...
and using the English flag and symbol, 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".
Opposition
Cricket Wales
Cricket Wales ( cy, Criced Cymru) is the national governing body of cricket in Wales.
It is an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association
The Welsh Cricket Association (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of We ...
and
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club ( cy, Criced Morgannwg) is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Glamorgan ( cy, Morgannwg). Founded in 1888, ...
oppose a standalone team separate from the ECB, with Glamorgan arguing for the financial benefits of the Welsh county within the English structure and that a separate team would make "no sense" and cause "serious financial repercussions for the club", with Cricket Wales stating they are "committed to continuing to play a major role within the ECB".
Glamorgan, however, does hold two of the three votes in the management of Cricket Wales.
Alan Hamer, chief executive of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, stated they had informed the
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
in 2011 of their opposition. Hamer stated such a move would end England internationals being played in Cardiff, such as the
2015 Ashes series
The 2015 Ashes series (named Investec Ashes Series for sponsorship reasons) was a series of Test cricket matches played between England and Australia for The Ashes. The venues were Sophia Gardens (Cardiff), Lord's (London), Edgbaston (Birmingham ...
, causing financial difficulties to the club, and that the current arrangement provided a "far higher" playing standard than those of tier two ICC nations.
Succeeding chief executive Hugh Morris reiterated Glamorgan's opposition in 2018, stating he had seen no business plan, that it lacked any financial sense, and would cause the club to lose their stadium, players and make growing the game in Wales "more challenging" as the club was "very much wedded" to the ECB. Morris also stated a Glamorgan team and a Wales national team could not co-exist, with potential ICC Wales and Glamorgan matches clashing.
Mike Hedges
Mike Hedges (born 1953) is a British audio producer/engineer best known for his work with The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Manic Street Preachers. During his career, Hedges has worked with an eclectic roster of artists ranging from roc ...
, Labour
AM, expressed his opposition to the idea in 2013, arguing that separation from the ECB would require Wales to "set up its own board under the ICC", causing Glamorgan to leave the
County Championship
The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...
, including any "shared-out revenue" with
Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
, and the halting of
test matches Test match in some sports refers to a sporting contest between national representative teams and may refer to:
* Test cricket
* Test match (indoor cricket)
* Test match (rugby union)
* Test match (rugby league)
* Test match (association football)
...
at the
Swalec Stadium
The Cardiff Wales Stadium, which is part of Sophia Gardens Cardiff ( ; cy, Gerddi Soffia Caerdydd), is a cricket stadium in Cardiff, Wales. It is located in Sophia Gardens on the River Taff. It is home to Glamorgan County Cricket Club and is lis ...
in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
. Hedges also argued that the ECB has more money than the ICC can provide, that "Glamorgan is already effectively an all-Wales team", as it also plays in
Abergavenny
Abergavenny (; cy, Y Fenni , archaically ''Abergafenni'' meaning "mouth of the River Gavenny") is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a ''Gateway to Wales''; it is approximately from the border wi ...
,
Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay ( cy, Bae Colwyn) is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorpo ...
and
Llanelli
Llanelli ("St Elli's Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. ...
(all not in
Glamorgan county), and that the
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
teams are actually "
feeder teams" for the England team.
Eoin Morgan
Eoin (, or ) is an Irish name. The Scottish Gaelic equivalent is () and both are closely related to the Welsh . It is also cognate with the Irish . In the Irish language, it is the name used for all Biblical figures known as ''John'' in Engli ...
is given as an example of an Irishman playing for England.
Peter Black, Liberal Democrat AM, stated in 2013 that it would be "decades for Wales to be playing cricket with the top teams" and having Glamorgan in the County Championship delivered "great matches over the years". Black compared those supporting a separate Welsh cricket team to those aspiring for
Welsh independence
Welsh independence ( cy, Annibyniaeth i Gymru) is the political movement advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom.
Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following the ki ...
from the United Kingdom.
The Welsh Government and Cardiff Council have argued that participating in the ECB provides Cardiff, when it hosts England cricket matches, with an opportunity to build its reputation as a sporting hub.
Decision
The ECB expressed their open-mindedness to the issue. In the event of such a scenario, Wales would need to apply for affiliate ICC status, separate from the ECB, and meet international standards for competitions and venues, but the ECB stated there is little reason for Wales to not meet such criteria "in the future". The ECB stated they support "the democratic decision and preferences expressed by cricketers in Wales".
Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens ( cy, Gerddi Sophia) is a public park in Riverside, Cardiff, Wales, on the west bank of the River Taff. International test cricket matches and county cricket matches are held in the Sophia Gardens cricket ground, the home of Gl ...
in Cardiff would have to forgo England's Test host status, however between 2020 and 2024, Glamorgan were compensated £2.5 million from the ECB, in return for not hosting any Test matches at the cricket ground between those years.
Assembly Members (now Senedd Members) unanimously agreed in 2013, that the decision of whether Wales should compete as a separate team to the England cricket team would be decided by the cricket sporting bodies themselves.
Welsh Minister for Culture and Sport,
John Griffiths, stated in 2013, that whether there is a Welsh cricket team, it "is largely
hematter for the relevant cricketing authority".
Notable Welsh cricketers
The following Welsh cricketers have played Test cricket for
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
:
*
Sydney Barnes
Sydney Francis Barnes (19 April 1873 – 26 December 1967) was an English professional cricketer who is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time. He was right-handed and bowled at a pace that varied from medium to fast-medium with ...
: 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.
*
Johnnie Clay
John Charles Clay (18 March 1898 – 11 August 1973) was a Welsh cricketer who played first-class cricket for Glamorgan from 1921 to 1949. He also played one Test match for England in 1935.
Personal life and war service
Clay was born in Bonvil ...
: Clay played one Test match for England in 1935.
*
Robert Croft
Robert Damien Bale Croft MBE (born 25 May 1970) is a former Welsh cricketer who played international cricket for England. He is an off-spin bowler who played for Glamorgan and captained the county from 2003 to 2006. He retired from first class c ...
: 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.
*
Jeff Jones: He took forty-four wickets in fifteen Tests for England from 1964 to 1968.
*
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.
*
Tony Lewis
Anthony Robert Lewis CBE (born 6 July 1938) is a Welsh former cricketer, who captained England, became a journalist, went on to become the face of BBC Television cricket coverage between 1986 and 1998, and became president of the Marylebone Cr ...
: 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.
*
Austin Matthews
Austin David George Matthews (3 May 1904 – 29 July 1977) was a cricketer who played for Northamptonshire, Glamorgan and England.
Cricketing career
Born 3 May 1904 in Penarth, Glamorgan, Austin Matthews began playing cricket at a young age ...
: He played for Northamptonshire, Glamorgan and single Test for England.
*
Hugh Morris: He played in three Tests for England in 1991.
*
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse (12 October 1925 – 10 August 2000) was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Test cricket, Tests for England in 1950, 1950–51 and 1959.
Parkhouse was a right-handed batsman who spent most of his career as a ...
: He played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950–51 and 1959.
*
Pat Pocock
Patrick Ian Pocock (born 24 September 1946) is a Welsh former cricketer, who played in 25 Test matches and one One Day International for the England cricket team between 1968 and 1985.
The cricket correspondent Colin Bateman opined, "The sel ...
: He played in twenty Tests and one ODI for England from 1968 to 1985.
*
Greg Thomas
Greg Thomas (born John Gregory Thomas, 12 August 1960) is a Welsh former cricketer, who played in five Test matches and three One Day Internationals for England between 1986 and 1987.
Life and career
Thomas was born in Trebanos in Glamorgan. ...
: He played in five Tests and three ODIs for England between 1986 and 1987.
*
Maurice Turnbull
Maurice Joseph Lawson Turnbull (16 March 1906 – 5 August 1944) was a Welsh cricketer who played in nine Test matches for the England cricket team between 1930 and 1936.
A talented all round sportsman, Turnbull excelled in several sports. In ...
: He played in nine Tests for England from 1930 to 1936.
*
Cyril Walters
Cyril Frederick Walters (28 August 1905 – 23 December 1992) was a Welsh first-class cricketer who had most of his success after leaving Glamorgan to do duty as captain-secretary of Worcestershire. In this role he developed his batting to such ...
: He had most of his success after leaving Glamorgan, as captain-secretary of Worcestershire.
*
Steve Watkin
Steven Llewellyn Watkin (born 15 September 1964) is a former Welsh cricketer who played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club and the England cricket team. A reliable seam bowler who never suffered serious injury despite several lesser niggles, h ...
: He played three Test matches in 1991 and 1993, and four One Day Internationals in 1993 and 1994.
*
Allan Watkins
Albert John "Allan" Watkins (21 April 1922 – 3 August 2011) was a Welsh cricketer, who played for England in fifteen Tests from 1948 to 1952.
Life and career
Born in Usk, Monmouthshire, Allan Watkins made his debut for Glamorgan just three ...
: He played for England in fifteen Tests from 1948 to 1952.
*
Wilf Wooller
Wilfred Wooller (20 November 1912 – 10 March 1997) was a Welsh cricketer, rugby union footballer, cricket administrator and journalist.
He was acclaimed as one of the greatest all-round sportsmen that Wales has ever produced. He captained G ...
: Cricketer, rugby union footballer, cricket administrator and journalist, Wooller captained Glamorgan CCC for 14 years, was Secretary for thirty and President for six.
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.
See also
*
List of movements in Wales
This is a list of historical and current movements, campaigns and political positions in Wales.
Current
Political
* All Under One Banner Cymru
* Union Jack#21st century, Campaign for a new UK flag
* Labour for an Independent Wales, Labour for ...
*
Sport in Wales
Sport in Wales plays a prominent role in Welsh culture. Like the other countries of the United Kingdom, Wales enjoys independent representation in major world sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup and in the Rugby World Cup, but competes as ...
References
External links
Cricket WalesWelsh Cricket Association
{{National sports teams of Wales
Cricket in Wales
National cricket teams
Wales in international cricket
C