| Cricket in Albania | |
|---|---|
 The Selman Stërmasi Stadium where the first cricket event in Albania was held in August 2001. | |
| Country | Albania |
| Governing body | None |
| National team(s) | Albania |
| First played | 24 May 2015 |
| Registered players | None |
Cricket is a relatively new and unknown sport in Albania, with the first match in the country being played in 2015. There are no official cricket clubs in Albania, and expats occasionally play exhibition games between one another.
Cricket was first introduced to Albania in August 2001 through European Cricket Council coach and Englishman Tim Dellor. The UK-based charity, Children's Aid Direct had set up the cricket event at the Selman Stërmasi Stadium in the capital Tirana for 50 orphans and refugees. Previously, Albania had the most tenuous of links with cricket, in that C. B. Fry, captain of England cricket, was once offered the throne of the country, to which he declined. [1]
The first recorded game of cricket to be played in Albania took place at the Internacional Complex in Pezë Helmës near Tirana on 24 May 2015 between Albanian Eagles and International Lions. Leka II, Crown Prince of Albania was the honorary captain of the Albanian Eagles, while English writer and comedian Tony Hawks captained the International Lions, with the game being won by Albanian Eagles won by 1 run and were all out for 49. The game was sponsored by Crown Agents who awarded the winning side with the Sir Norman Wisdom Trophy, named after English actor and comedian Wisdom who had a cult following during the Communist regime in Albania. [2]
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless character called Norman Pitkin. He was awarded the 1953 BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles following the release of Trouble in Store, his first film in a lead role.
The England men's cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club since 1903. England, as a founding nation, is a Full Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) with Test, One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) status. Until the 1990s, Scottish and Irish players also played for England as those countries were not yet ICC members in their own right. England are the current ICC Men's T20 World Cup champions.
Futboll Klub Partizani, or FK Partizani for short, is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's home ground is the newly built stadium at Partizani Complex. The club also uses Arena Kombëtare also known as Air Albania stadium for matches in European competitions and major domestic football derbies in Albania.
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents Great Britain in rugby league. Administered by the Rugby Football League (RFL), the team is nicknamed The Lions.
The England Lions cricket team is England and Wales' "second-tier" team, below the full England cricket team. It is largely intended as a way for promising young cricketers to gain experience of playing international cricket.
The Kategoria Superiore, officially known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 10 clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Kategoria e Parë. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 36 matches each.
Panajot Thoma Pano was an Albanian football player. He started his career as a goalkeeper in the 17 Nëntori Tirana youth academy, but later became the most prolific centre-forward of their arch-rivals, Partizani Tirana. During his eighteen-year career he played 24 matches as part of the Albania national team and was awarded the Albanian UEFA Jubilee Award.
Klubi I Futbollit Vllaznia Shkodër, commonly known as Vllaznia is an Albanian football club based in the city of Shkodër. It is the association football branch of the Vllaznia Sports Club, which was founded on 16 February 1919. It is also the oldest club in Albania which means it is the first club created in Albania. The club have competed in every edition of Kategoria Superiore since 1930, which is the top tier of football in Albania, besides in the 1956–57, 1961-62 and 2018-19 football seasons.
In 2001, the Australia national cricket team toured England and Ireland to play county matches and the 2001 Ashes series. The Ashes series was played from 5 July to 27 August.
Flamurtari FC is a professional football club based in Vlorë, Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria e Parë, which is the second tier of football in the country.
Noel Harvey "Crusher" Cleal is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. A destructive second-row for the Manly Sea Eagles, he also represented New South Wales in the State of Origin Series and the Australian national rugby league team.
Klubi Futbollistik Skënderbeu Korçë, is an Albanian professional football club based in Korçë, a city in southeastern Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria Superiore, which is the first tier of football in the country. The club was founded as Vllazëria Korçë in 1909. In 1925, it took on its current form following the merger of several local clubs, and the club's name was changed to Skënderbeu Korçë, after Albania's national hero Skanderbeg. The club's home ground has been the Skënderbeu Stadium since it was built in 1957, and it now has a capacity of 12,343, of which 5,724 are seated.
Elvis Sina is an Albanian former soccer-player. He has successfully played for Tirana in the Albanian Superliga, and for the Albania national team. He began his career as a midfielder, but as the years passed he was utilized in defence firstly as right-back and later as a center-back.
Blendi Nallbani is a retired Albanian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Nallbani was a member of the Albania national team prior to his international retirement in 2002.
Alban Bushi is an Albanian professional football coach and former player who is the current manager of Albania under-21 and under-20 team. He is nicknamed "Loku".
Andi Lila is a former Albanian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder for the Albania national team. He was a versatile player, having played primarily as a right back early in his career as well as left back, but in recent years he played predominately in a defensive midfield role, as well as a right midfielder.
Football is the most popular sport in Albania, both at a participatory and spectator level. The sport is governed by the Football Association of Albania (FSHF).
Refik Shaban Resmja was an Albanian professional footballer.
KB Tirana are an Albanian professional basketball team based in Tiranë, which is the basketball branch of SK Tirana. They compete in the Albanian Basketball League, Liga Unike and the Balkan International Basketball League. The club plays its home domestic games at the Farie Hoti Sports Palace, and they play their international games at the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace.
Tirana Rugby Club is a rugby team based in Tirana, Albania. Established in August 2013, it is the first and oldest rugby team in Albania.