Cricket in Russia is a sport played at the amateur, club, intercollegiate, and international competition levels.
Russia has a national team for international cricket. In 2012, they were officially endorsed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as an Affiliate member.[1] In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Russia and other ICC Members after 1 January 2019 will be a full T20I.[2] But in July 2022, because of their continued non-compliance with ICC membership criteria, the ICC terminated Russia of membership in the organization.[3]
History
editThe game was played in St. Petersburg as early as the 1870s.[4] In 1875, the British inhabitants of the city tested the mariners of the Prince of Wales' Royal Yacht Osbourne in a match. The Communist Revolution of 1917 put paid to the spread of cricket in Russia as it was viewed as an activity of the "middle class" and playing it was deprecated. With the British moving out of St. Petersburg following the Revolution, the game rapidly disappeared with them.[citation needed]
By 1995 cricket was played again in Russia, where two groups made up of expatriates took part in a friendly match. In 2004 the United Cricket League was registered as a lawful entity, presently renamed Cricket Russia. Cricket Russia is the main enrolled National Governing Body for Cricket in Russia. The Russia national cricket team played their first home representative match against a touring side from North Wales, Carmel and District Cricket Club, at the Moscow State University Baseball Stadium in 2007. Cricket in Russia is recognised by the Multisport Association of Russia; this is the relationship for all sporting governing associations inside Russia which are not yet Olympic sports. In 2012 Cricket Russia joined the ICC.[citation needed]
In July 2019, cricket was not included on Russia's list of official sports.[5] It meant that Cricket Russia did not receive government funding over the year.[6] However, in May 2020, the Russian Government reversed its decision, recognising cricket as a sport, and therefore eligible for funding.[7]
On 18 July 2021, Russia was suspended due to continued non-compliance with ICC Membership Criteria, was ordered to demonstrate compliance before the time of the next AGM or face having its membership of ICC terminated with immediate effect.[8]
An ICC statement in July 2022 explained that Russia’s 2021 suspension was the result of a failure to comply with ICC membership criteria dating back to July 2019 and that membership had been "terminated" following a failure to overcome those issues.[3]
References
edit- ^ "ICC Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ^ "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Cricket Russia stripped of ICC membership for "non-compliance"". The Cricketer. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "No grounds, no problems: How Russian cricket is fighting against the odds". Emerging Cricket. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Cricket Is Not a Sport, Russia Says". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ "Cricket not included on Russia's officially recognised list of sports". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ "Cricket recognised by Russia sports ministry". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "ICC inducts Mongolia, Tajikistan and Switzerland as new members". ESPNCricInfo. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2024.