Wales national cricket team

The "Wales seniors friendly team" is the only senior men's Wales team listed by Cricket Wales.[13] There are also Wales teams in ages up to U18.[1]

The Wales National County Cricket Club competes in the National Counties of English and Welsh cricket competitions, representing all of Wales outside of Glamorgan, which is represented by Glamorgan County Cricket Club in first-class competitions.[14][15]

The women's team played in the Women's European Cricket Championship 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.[7]

Wales is currently represented by the England and Wales Cricket Board, internationally competing as the England cricket team.[16] With Welsh players such as Simon Jones and Geraint Jones competing for the England team, such as during their 2005 Ashes series win.[7]

Politicians across the political spectrum have stated their support for a standalone team such as Jonathan Edwards,[16][17] Bethan Sayed, Adam Price and Mohammad Asghar, 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",[1] and Asghar stating in 2021 "if Afghanistan can play world cricket, then for God’s sake Wales should"[18] and that playing on the international stage would "raise Wales' profile" and be economically beneficial while dismissing concerns from Glamorgan.[12][19] Former Labour First Minister, Carwyn Jones called in 2017 to reintroduce the Wales one-day team stating, "[It] is odd that we see Ireland and Scotland playing in international tournaments and not Wales", although if only Glamorgan's finances were not hit.[18][20][21] Price stated in 2009, that "there are a great number of cricket teams in Wales [...] [but] no national side. In Carmarthenshire [...] [many] cricketers [...] 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 and ICC development funds for new nations.[22]

In June 2010 a motion for establishing a "Welsh International 20-20 and one day cricket team" was tabled to the UK parliament.[23] In October 2011, a petition was made to the Welsh Assembly for a Wales national cricket team.[7][24] A 2013 Assembly debate was held on the topic with both Conservative and Labour members supporting the establishment of a Welsh team.[19]

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".[14][25][26][27][28][29] Calls were also made for a separate team following England's early departure from the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australia.[25]

Plaid Cymru included the proposal in its 2016 National Assembly for Wales election manifesto, although the issue was not part of negotiations with Welsh Labour.[18]

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.[30]

Cricket Ireland and Cricket Scotland 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 can allow a Scottish team "to prosper".[8]

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 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".[10][18][31][32]

Cricket Wales and Glamorgan County Cricket Club 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".[15][12][33][34] Glamorgan, however, does hold two of the three votes in the management of Cricket Wales.[2]

Alan Hamer, chief executive of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, stated they had informed the Welsh Government in 2011 of their opposition. Hamer stated such a move would end England internationals being played in Cardiff, such as the 2015 Ashes series, causing financial difficulties to the club, and that the current arrangement provided a "far higher" playing standard than those of tier two ICC nations.[15] 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.[8][34]

Mike Hedges, 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, including any "shared-out revenue" with Sky, and the halting of test matches at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff. 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, Colwyn Bay and Llanelli (all not in Glamorgan county), and that the Ireland and Scotland teams are actually "feeder teams" for the England team.[12] Eoin Morgan is given as an example of an Irishman playing for England.[7]

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 from the United Kingdom.[12]

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.[8]

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".[7] Sophia Gardens 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.[35]

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.[12] Welsh Minister for Culture and Sport, John Griffiths, stated in 2013, that whether there is a Welsh cricket team, it "is largely [the] matter for the relevant cricketing authority".[19]