MALTA

Malta Cricket Association

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1800

FIRST RECORD
OF CRICKET

1989

Body Established

1998

JOINED
THE ICC

12

NUMBER OF CLUBS
AS AT NOV 2020

CRICKET IN MALTA

Malta Cricket are very proud of their cricketing traditions. The game has been played locally since the first recorded game between the sailors of Admiral Horatio Nelson’s fleet in 1800. The England cricket team, captained by the great W.G Grace, played a match on Maltese soil on their way to the 1891/92 Ashes in Australia.

The Malta Cricket Association was formed in 1989 and became a founding member of the European Cricket Council. It was inducted by the International Cricket Council in 1998 and has held ICC Associate membership since 2018. Despite its modest size and population, Malta boasts a commendable international record with 50 wins from its 110 matches up to October 2020. Malta’s best performances were between 2013 and 2016, winning 13 of 15 internationals whilst claiming the 2013 Malta T20 Tournament and the 2014 Pan European T20 Tournament. Its most memorable victories have come against Italy, Austria and Spain.

Malta’s excellent climate allows for cricket all year round and since 2000 it has been Europe’s most popular all-year cricketing destination for touring teams. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) have toured the Maltese Islands on three occasions to date.

In 2017/18, Malta Cricket launched its very own Social Inclusion Project “Malta Tape Ball Cricket League” at the Malta University Ground which helped forge friendships between local cricketers of all races. It proved to be the catalyst for an unprecedented increase in participation and cricket is now Malta’s fastest growing sport with around 200 players competing in the annual T20 Malta Cricket League.

Malta Cricket works very hard to maintain its Junior Academy and links to local schools. The Malta Schools Cricket Project has seen over 50 local PE teachers complete their Cricket Coaching certificate. Now more than 2,400 children in Malta and Gozo (the second largest island within the Republic of Malta) play cricket at school. Malta Cricket have hosted one-day schools’ competitions during its international festivals and remains committed to developing female cricket. In 2020, the Malta Ladies team competed in the Gozo Indoor Cricket Festival. Malta Cricket has a commitment to make the game affordable and accessible to all, reflecting its underlying commitment to fairness and inclusion.

Men's

First men’s international match: vs. Belgium, 21 May 1990, European Festival (Guernsey)

First T20I: vs. Spain, 29 Mar 2019, La Manga (Spain)

Major international victories:

vs. Italy, 14 Jul 1992 (European Cricketer Cup – England)
vs. Austria, 18 Aug 1997 (European Nations Cup – Switzerland)
vs. France, 12 & 17 Mar 2000 (Malta)
vs. Spain, 15 Aug 2001 (ECC Trophy – Austria)

Leading men’s international players: Michael Caruana (1990-2012); Frankie Spiteri (1997-2016); Andrew Naudi (1997-2019); Angelo Spiteri (1997-2009); John Grima (1992-2017); John Callus (1999-2012); Ronnie Sacco (2005-2016); Nowell Khosla (2011-2019) 

International Tournaments Best Performances: 

Winners – 2014 Pan European T20 (Hungary)
Winners – 2013 Malta T20 International Tournament
Winners – 1994 Malta International Festival
3rd – 2003 ECC Trophy, Austria (11 teams)
Semi Finals – 2001 ECC Trophy, Austria (9 teams)

League formats: T20

WCL / World Cup History: N/A

Women's

First women’s international matches: 2010

Principal Grounds

Marsa Oval, Malta

Ronnie Sacco Oval, Gozo

MCA Links

Originally compiled by

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