Gibraltar national cricket team

Gibraltar
Association Gibraltar Cricket Association
ICC status Associate (1969)
ICC region ICC Europe
WCL n/a (regional tournaments)
First international
Gibraltar Gibraltar v. Kenya 
(Solihull, England; 16 June 1982)
World Cup Qualifier
Appearances 6 (first in 1982)
Best result First round (1982–2001)
As of 5 September 2015

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 (ICC) since 1969.[1] As of February 2015, Gibraltar are ranked twelfth in Europe by the ICC, behind Austria and ahead of the Isle of Man.[2] An alternative ranking system used by Australian statistician Shane Booth has Gibraltar ranked 59th in the world in both one-day and twenty20 cricket, behind Panama (in both cases) and ahead of Samoa (one-day) and Greece (twenty20).[3]

Gibraltar regularly featured in the ICC Trophy (now replaced by the ICC World Cup Qualifier), but with little success. The team has featured in the top-flight of the European Cricket Championship on four occasions, and placed sixth (out of eight teams) at the inaugural tournament held in Denmark in 1996. After the creation of the World Cricket League, Gibraltar was placed in the 2009 Division Seven. It was subsequently relegated to 2010 Division Eight, where another low finish saw the team again relegated, to regional qualifying tournaments.

With approximately 30,000 residents, Gibraltar has the smallest population of any ICC associate member. Three affiliate members, all dependencies of ICC full members, have a smaller population – in order from largest to smallest, the Cook Islands, Saint Helenian, and Falkland Islands national teams. Three others, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, and Montserrat, are members of the West Indies Cricket Board, a full member.

History

Early years

Cricket has been played in Gibraltar by British servicemen since the late 18th century. A cricket ground is known to have existed north of the Rock of Gibraltar in 1800. Civilians were playing the game as well as servicemen by 1822. The Gibraltar Cricket Club was formed in 1883, and formed the backbone of civilian cricket until well into the 20th Century.[4]

In 1890, a ship carrying the Australia national cricket team on the way to a tour of England, docked in Gibraltar Harbour after a collision with two other ships. The Australians played a game against a Gibraltar Garrison team. The local side were dismissed for just 25, and the Australians won the game, scoring 150/8.[4]

The game was flourishing in the 1930s, with Gibraltar producing many locally born players. However, the Second World War meant a cut back in the game, with many cricket fields giving way to the military, one even being converted into an airfield.[4]

Post-war years

Cricket being played in Gibraltar in 1960

The 1950s saw an increase in clubs, and the Gibraltar Cricket Association was formed in 1960.[4] They were elected to associate membership of the ICC in 1969.[1] Essex County Cricket Club visited after the conclusion of the 1973 English domestic season, and played a Rock XI in a one-day game, winning by 178 runs.[5] Visits by English sides of various ability levels have continued ever since.[4]

In 1982, Gibraltar took part in the second ICC Trophy, without winning a match. They improved on this performance in the 1986 tournament, gaining their first international win against Israel. They performed even better in the next tournament, beating East and Central Africa, Singapore and Israel[4] reaching the plate competition.[6] Israel toured Gibraltar in 1992, winning the match they played against the national side.[4]

Gibraltar finished in 20th place in the 1994 ICC Trophy,[7] and played in the first European Championship in Copenhagen in 1996, finishing sixth after losing to Scotland in a play-off.[8] They finished 19th in the following years ICC Trophy[9] and played poorly in the 1998 European Championship, finishing last in the ten team tournament.[10]

In 1999, Gibraltar hosted a quadrangular tournament also involving France, Israel and Italy,[4] losing in the final to Italy.[11] The European Championship was split into two divisions in 2000, with Gibraltar placed in Division Two, which they won.[12] The following year they travelled to Canada to take part in the 2001 ICC Trophy. A withdrawal by Italy and the non-arrival of West Africa left Gibraltar with just three matches to play against Germany, Namibia and Nepal, losing all of them and not progressing beyond the first round.[4]

Gibraltar defended their European Division Two title in 2002,[13] but could not continue this success in 2004, finishing fifth out of six teams.[14] They did not qualify for the 2005 ICC Trophy,[15] and finished fourth in Division Two of the European Championship in 2006 after losing a play-off to Germany.[16]

Gibraltar placed sixth at the 2009 Global Division Seven tournament and was relegated to Division-eight.

Tournament history

World Cricket League Qualifier

  • 2012: 3rd place (La Manga)

World Cricket League

  • 2009: 6th place (Division Seven)
  • 2010: 6th place (Division Eight)

ICC Trophy

European Championship

  • 1996: 6th place[8]
  • 1998: 10th place[10]
  • 2000: Division Two winners[12]
  • 2002: Division Two winners[13]
  • 2004: 5th place (Division Two)[14]
  • 2006: 4th place (Division Two)[16]
  • 2008: 3rd place (Division Two)
  • 2010: 6th place (Division Two)
  • 2011: 9th place (Division One)
  • 2014: 4th place (Division Two)

National squad

Notes

  1. 1 2 Gibraltar at Cricket Archive
  2. ↑ ICC GLOBAL RANKINGS (as at 29 June 2014) – International Cricket Council. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Shane's Cricket Ratings (ICC associates and affiliates) – Cricket Statistics and Rankings. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "History of the Gibraltar Cricket Association". Gibraltar Cricket Association. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
  5. ↑ Scorecard of Rock XI v Essex, 12 September 1973
  6. 1 2 1990 ICC Trophy at Cricinfo
  7. 1 2 1994 ICC Trophy at Cricinfo
  8. 1 2 1996 European Championship at CricketEurope
  9. 1 2 1997 ICC Trophy at Cricinfo
  10. 1 2 1998 European Championship at CricketEurope
  11. ↑ Scorecard of Gibraltar v Italy, 25 September 1999 at Cricinfo
  12. 1 2 2000 European Championship at CricketEurope
  13. 1 2 2002 European Championship Official Site – results page
  14. 1 2 2004 European Championship Division Two at the European Cricket Council official website
  15. 1 2 2005 ICC Trophy at Cricinfo
  16. 1 2 2006 European Championship Division Two at CricketEurope
  17. ↑ List of Gibraltar ICC Trophy matches at CricketArchive

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cricket in Gibraltar.

Coordinates: 36°6′38.48″N 5°20′48.6″W / 36.1106889°N 5.346833°W / 36.1106889; -5.346833

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