The Italian Cricket Federation (Italian: Federazione Cricket Italiana) is the governing body for the sport of cricket within Italy. It is responsible, with assistance from the ICC Europe (earlier the European Cricket Council), for the development and administration of the game within Italy, and the selection of the Italian national cricket team.
The Italian Cricket Federation also runs an academy for youth development located 180km north of Rome, at Grosseto Cricket Club.
History
The history of Italian cricket is largely unknown to the rest of the world. The sport was first introduced to Italy in the early 1800s by British expatriates who were living in the country. The game quickly caught on among the Italian elite[clarification needed], and soon there were cricket clubs popping up all over the country.
One of the earliest and most influential cricket clubs was the Rome Cricket Club, which was founded in 1820 by a group of wealthy English and Italian cricket enthusiasts. The club quickly became the hub of Italian cricket and attracted players from all over the country.
By the mid-1800s, Italian cricket had become so popular that the country was invited to participate in the first-ever international cricket tournament, which was held in London in 1851. Despite being relative newcomers to the sport, the Italian team managed to hold their own against more experienced teams from England, Australia, and India, and even won a few matches.
Throughout the rest of the 19th century, Italian cricket continued to thrive and grow, with new clubs and leagues popping up all over the country. The sport even gained some political influence, with prominent politicians and members of the royal family becoming avid cricket enthusiasts and patrons of the sport.
However, the early 20th century saw a decline in Italian cricket, as the country was swept up in World War I and World War II. Many cricket clubs were forced to disband, and the sport lost much of its popularity and support.
Today, Italian cricket is largely a forgotten relic of the past, with only a handful of cricket clubs still active in the country.
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