Israel national cricket team

Infobox non test cricket team
country_name = Israel


image_caption = Flag of Israel
icc_member_year = 1974
icc_status = Associate member
icc_region = Europe
current_captain = Not known
WCL_division = n/a
regional_tournament = European Cricket Championship
regional_tournament_division = Three
first_match = 22 May 1979 v USA at Solihull, England
world_ranking = not ranked
regional_ranking = 12th
icc_trophy_apps = 7
icc_trophy_first = 1979
icc_trophy_best = Plate competition, 1990 and 1994
asofdate = 27 October 2007The Israel national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Israel in international cricket matches. Despite being geographically part of the Middle East, they are members of the European Cricket Council. [ [http://www.cricketeurope.net/ECC/DATABASE/MEMBERS/about.shtml European Cricket Nations] ]

They regularly take part in the European Championship, and are currently ranked as the 12th best non-test team in Europe by the International Cricket Council, [ [http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/one-day_rankings.html ICC's one-day rankings] ] having been an associate member of that organisation since 1974. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/95.html Israel] at CricketArchive]

History

Beginnings

As is most often the case, cricket was introduced to Israel by the British. Local enthusiasts managed to keep the game going once the British had left in 1948, but the game was struggling until the mid 1960s, when an influx of Jewish immigrants from cricket playing countries revived the game, mainly South Africa, United Kingdom, and the sub-continent. [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ICC_MEMBERS/ISR/HISTORY.html History of Israeli cricket] ]

The first national league was formed in 1966, which lead the formation of the Israel Cricket Association (ICA) in 1968. The league prospered despite conditions ill-suited to cricket. Games were played on dusty, grass-less football fields, on matting wickets. However, the enthusiasm of the players has overcome these drawbacks.

ICC Membership

Israel became an associate member of the ICC in 1974, with only Pakistan opposing their membership. Israel competed in the first ICC Trophy in 1979, failing to get past the first round. [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT79/ 1979 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo] They also failed to progress beyond the first round in the 1982 tournament [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT82/ 1982 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo] and 1986 tournament [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT86/ 1986 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo]

They reached the plate competition of the ICC Trophy in 1990 [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT90/ 1990 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo] and 1994 [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT94/ 1994 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo] and in 1996 competed in the first European Championship in Denmark, finishing eighth in the eight team tournament. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1996/TOURNAMENTS/EUROCHAMS/about.shtml 1996 European Championship] at CricketEurope] The 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia gave them a brief, though unwanted, moment in the spotlight. Malaysia does not recognise the state of Israel, and they faced political demonstrations throughout the tournament from the Islamic Party of Malaysia. They were the first Israeli sports team to play in the country and finished in 21st place. [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT97/ 1997 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo]

In 1998, they finished ninth in the European Championship ahead of only Gibraltar [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1998/TOURNAMENTS/EUROCHAMS/about.shtml 1998 European Championship] at CricketEurope] and the following year travelled to Gibraltar to take part in a quadrangular tournament also involving France and Italy, losing to France in the third place play-off. [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1999/OTHERS+ICC/GQIT/FRANCE_ISRAEL_GQIT_25SEP1999.html Scorecard] of France v Israel, 25 September 1999 at Cricinfo]

21st Century

Israel have been playing in Division Two of the European Championships since 2000, finishing fifth in 2000, [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2000/TOURNAMENTS/EUROCHAMS/about.shtml 2000 European Championship] at CricketEurope] , fourth in 2002 [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2002/TOURNAMENTS/EUROCHAMS/RESULTS/about.shtml 2002 European Championship Official Site results page] ] and sixth in 2004. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2004/TOURNAMENTS/EUROCHAMSB/results.shtml 2004 European Championship second division results] , European Cricket Council website] In the 2006 tournament, the Israeli team were again met with protests, due to the then ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Their first match, against Jersey was cancelled [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/5238840.stm Conflict affects sport and arts] , BBC] and their remaining two group games were met by protests. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/5247500.stm Protests at Israeli cricket game] , BBC] Their play-off games were then moved to RAF Lossiemouth to be played under armed guard. The second of these games, against Greece was forfeited by the Greeks, who had travel problems. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/5256108.stm Israeli cricket match cancelled] , BBC] Israel thus finished in seventh place. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2006/TOURNAMENTS/EURODIV2/about.shtml 2006 European Championship Division Two] at CricketEurope]

In November 2007, Israel were defeated in a relegation match against Croatia, in the first international cricket game played in Israel. The loss meant that they were relegated from the 2nd European division, to the 3rd. Their next competition will be in 2009. [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/israel/content/story/321386.html Israel relegated to European Division 3 after narrow loss to Croatia] by Israel Cricket Association, 23 September 2007]

Tournament History

ICC Trophy

*1979: First round
*1982: First round
*1986: First round
*1990: Plate competition
*1994: Plate competition
*1997: 21st place
*2001: First round [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT2001/ 2001 ICC trophy] at Cricinfo]
*2005: Did not qualify [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT2005/ 2005 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo]

European Championship

*1996: 8th place
*1998: 9th place
*2000: 5th place (Division Two)
*2002: 4th place (Division Two)
*2004: 6th place (Division Two)
*2006: 7th place (Division Two)

References