Campaign for a Wales cricket team
Campaign for a Wales cricket team (Welsh: Ymgyrch dros dîm criced Cymru) is a movement for the re-establishment of a national cricket team representing Wales.
Status Quo
Wales is currently represented by the England and Wales Cricket Board, however, the team is known as ‘England’.
The only "first-class cricket club in Wales" is Glamorgan County, a team that plays in the English county competition.
Previous Existence
A Wales 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. Wales competed in the 1979 ICC Trophy, winning two of four matches and narrowly missing out on a place in the semi-finals.
Calls for a national cricket team
Wales Online noted that Scotland and Ireland have their own international cricket team despite fewer cricket players than Wales.
Jonathan Edwards MP called for a national Welsh cricket team in 2019 saying; “The greatest honour in any sport is to play for your national team - Welsh cricket players are denied that opportunity,”.
There have been suggestions that the Hundred makes a Wales national cricket team more likely.
In 2002 there was a call for Wales to be represented by its own national team, as in other sports, in the same way that Scotland is.
Conservative, member Mohammad Asghar has stated, “if Afghanistan can play world cricket, then for God’s sake Wales should.”
Former Labour First Minister, Carwyn Jones has called to reintroduce the Wales one-day team stating, “It is odd that we see Ireland and Scotland playing in international tournaments and not Wales.”
According to some sources, there has "always have been demand for a separate Wales team" and discussions have arisen about whether a Welsh team would be successful, with some suggesting it would be.
Former Plaid Cymru MP, Jonathan Edwards has proposed multiple reasons as evidence to support a Welsh national cricket team via a document to the Senedd.
In October 2011, a petition was made to the Senedd for a Wales national cricket team.
Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price has called for a Wales national cricket team saying, " "There are a great number of cricket teams in Wales, equal to those of football and rugby, yet unlike those sports there is no national side. In Carmarthenshire there are a number of very talented cricketers who could go on to represent Wales given the right opportunities. Wales have beaten England in One Day International in the not so recent past and there is no reason to believe that as a test nation they could not compete with sides at least of the calibre of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh." 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? A new national team would be able to ask the Welsh Assembly Government for support and the ICC has development funds available to new nations."
Opposition to the England cricket team structure
Some have questioned the naming of the "England and Wales" cricket team and the attitude of the "English establishment", calling for a Welsh cricket team.
Welsh football Dean Saunders has questioned the current naming of the England cricket team which uses "England cricket team" and an English flag for fixtures. He also stated "“I thought it was the England and WALES cricket team!?” and “How come it only says England in the fixtures!”.
There has been criticism of the England and Wales Cricket Board using only the England name even though it selects Welsh players such as Simon Jones and Geraint Jones, both of whom were instrumental in England regaining the Ashes from Australia in 2005.
Status Quo
Wales is currently represented by the England and Wales Cricket Board, however, the team is known as ‘England’.
The only "first-class cricket club in Wales" is Glamorgan County, a team that plays in the English county competition.
Previous Existence
A Wales 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. Wales competed in the 1979 ICC Trophy, winning two of four matches and narrowly missing out on a place in the semi-finals.
Calls for a national cricket team
Wales Online noted that Scotland and Ireland have their own international cricket team despite fewer cricket players than Wales.
Jonathan Edwards MP called for a national Welsh cricket team in 2019 saying; “The greatest honour in any sport is to play for your national team - Welsh cricket players are denied that opportunity,”.
There have been suggestions that the Hundred makes a Wales national cricket team more likely.
In 2002 there was a call for Wales to be represented by its own national team, as in other sports, in the same way that Scotland is.
Conservative, member Mohammad Asghar has stated, “if Afghanistan can play world cricket, then for God’s sake Wales should.”
Former Labour First Minister, Carwyn Jones has called to reintroduce the Wales one-day team stating, “It is odd that we see Ireland and Scotland playing in international tournaments and not Wales.”
According to some sources, there has "always have been demand for a separate Wales team" and discussions have arisen about whether a Welsh team would be successful, with some suggesting it would be.
Former Plaid Cymru MP, Jonathan Edwards has proposed multiple reasons as evidence to support a Welsh national cricket team via a document to the Senedd.
In October 2011, a petition was made to the Senedd for a Wales national cricket team.
Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price has called for a Wales national cricket team saying, " "There are a great number of cricket teams in Wales, equal to those of football and rugby, yet unlike those sports there is no national side. In Carmarthenshire there are a number of very talented cricketers who could go on to represent Wales given the right opportunities. Wales have beaten England in One Day International in the not so recent past and there is no reason to believe that as a test nation they could not compete with sides at least of the calibre of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh." 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? A new national team would be able to ask the Welsh Assembly Government for support and the ICC has development funds available to new nations."
Opposition to the England cricket team structure
Some have questioned the naming of the "England and Wales" cricket team and the attitude of the "English establishment", calling for a Welsh cricket team.
Welsh football Dean Saunders has questioned the current naming of the England cricket team which uses "England cricket team" and an English flag for fixtures. He also stated "“I thought it was the England and WALES cricket team!?” and “How come it only says England in the fixtures!”.
There has been criticism of the England and Wales Cricket Board using only the England name even though it selects Welsh players such as Simon Jones and Geraint Jones, both of whom were instrumental in England regaining the Ashes from Australia in 2005.
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