Singapore national cricket team

Infobox non test cricket team
country_name = Singapore

---

image_caption = Flag of Singapore
icc_member_year = 1974
icc_status = Associate Member
icc_region = Asia
current_captain = Chaminda Ruwan
WCL_division = TBC
regional_tournament = ACC Trophy
regional_tournament_division = Elite
first_match = 27 May 1927 v WAS Oldfield's XI at The Padang, Singapore
icc_trophy_apps = 6
icc_trophy_first = 1979
icc_trophy_best = Plate competition, 1990
asofdate = 18 July 2008

The Singapore national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Singapore in international cricket matches. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1974 [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/26.html Singapore] at CricketArchive] and have played in every edition of the ICC World Cup Qualifier (formerly the ICC Trophy) to date with the exception of the 1986 and 2005 tournaments. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Records/Singapore/Icct/Icct_List.html List of Singapore ICC Trophy matches] at CricketArchive] They have also ruled themselves out of qualification for the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier after finishing fifth in Division Five of the World Cricket League in 2008. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/169/169959.html Scorecard] of Botswana v Singapore, 31 May 2008 at CricketArchive] [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/TOURNAMENTS/GLOBAL/WCL/structure0609.pdf World Cricket League Structure 2006-2009] ]

They also have played in each edition of the ACC Trophy and its predecessor the South East Asian Tournament. They play annually against Malaysia in the Saudara Cup three-day match and the Stan Nagaiah Trophy one-day series and between 1991 and 2004 played Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand in the Tuanku Ja'afar Cup.Encyclopedia of World Cricket by Roy Morgan, SportsBooks Publishing, 2007]

History

Beginnings of cricket in Singapore

The first recorded mention of cricket in Singapore was in 1837 when a "Mr Z" complained, in a letter to the Singapore Free Press, of cricket being played near a church on a Sunday in violation of the Sabbath. This resulted in cricket being banned on Sundays, a prohibition that remained in place until the 1930s.

Cricket was an important recreational activity, with matches often played against the officers of visiting ships. The Singapore Cricket Club was formed in 1852 and played its first match amongst themselves the same year. The quality of cricket in these early years was quite poor, and it wasn't until 1865 before a team total of more than 100 was scored. Louis Glass became the first person in Singapore to record a century two years later. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/GENERAL/TIMELINES/singapore.shtml Timeline of Singapore Cricket] at CricketEurope]

The Singapore Cricket Club eventually began to play against teams from other parts of British Malaya such as Penang, Perak and Kuala Lumpur and this eventually led to an invitation from Hong Kong to send a team there, which saw the beginning of the long running series of "Interport Matches".

traits Settlements cricket team

The 1890 invitation from Hong Kong led to the formation of the Straits Settlements cricket team, and they played Hong Kong in two two-day matches, both of which were lost. The series was the beginning of the "Interport Matches", which continued until 1987. Hong Kong and Ceylon came to Singapore the following year, and the Straits Settlements won both matches, also drawing against a combined Ceylon/Hong Kong team.

The Straits Settlements team beat Ceylon in Colombo in 1893, [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/150/150153.html Scorecard] of Ceylon v Straits Settlements, 19 October 1893 at CricketArchive] and played a match in Jakarta in 1895. Matches against the Federated Malay States began in 1896, and against Shanghai in 1897.

They played Burma in 1906, and their involvement in the Interport Matches ceased in 1909, when they were replaced by an All Malaya team. The Straits Settlements visited Bangkok in 1910, though from them their only matches came annually against the Federated Malay States until 1940. These fixtures continue in the modern era as the Saudara Cup matches between Singapore and Malaysia.

ingapore team

First matches

The Singapore team did play twice during the Straits Settlements team era, playing twice against WAS Oldfield's XI in 1927, losing both matches by an innings. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/135/135734.html Scorecard] of Singapore v WAS Oldfield's XI, 27 May 1927 at CricketArchive] [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/135/135735.html Scorecard] of Singapore v WAS Oldfield's XI, 30 May 1927 at CricketArchive] They next played in 1957, drawing at home to Ceylon. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/137/137528.html Scorecard] of Singapore v Ceylon, 18 August 1957 at CricketArchive] Various teams visited Singapore in the 1960s, including Worcestershire.

The Interport Matches resumed in 1968 with Singapore drawing against Hong Kong. These matches were played occasionally until 1987. In 1970, the Saudara Cup match against Malaysia was played for the first time, this continues annually to the present day. Also that year, Singapore played an MCC side captain by Tony Lewis and featuring Geoff Boycott. The match was won by the MCC.

ICC membership

Singapore became an associate member of the ICC in 1974 and three years later won the Saudara Cup for the first time. In 1978, Singapore played India at home, the match ending in a draw. Singapore took part in the first ICC Trophy in England in 1979 but could only finish fourth in their first round group after only beating Argentina. [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT79/ 1979 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo] They finished fourth out of eight teams in their first round group in the 1982 tournament and withdrew from the 1986 tournament when several of their players couldn't get leave from work.

Singapore played in the South East Asian Tournament for the first time in 1984, playing in the event again in 1988 and 1992 (when they hosted), though they never reached the final as Bangladesh and Hong Kong finished first and second on each occasion. The final Interport Match took place in Singapore in 1987, with Hong Kong beating the home side. They returned to the ICC Trophy for the 1990 tournament in the Netherlands, beating Malaysia and Israel during the event, and failing to progress past the first round. [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/ICCT90/ 1990 ICC Trophy] at Cricinfo]

Singapore began playing in the Tuanku Ja'afar Cup in 1991, an annual tournament against Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand. They won the event just once, in 1994, a year in which they finished 19th out of 20 teams in the ICC Trophy. The Stan Nagaiah Trophy, an annual three match series of one-day matches against Malaysia, began the following year. Singapore played in the first ACC Trophy in 1996, beating the Maldives and Thailand but failing to go past the first round. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1996/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 1996 ACC Trophy] at CricketEurope] They finished 14th in the 1997 ICC Trophy and could only beat Papua New Guinea in the 1998 ACC Trophy, again failing to go past the first round. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/NEP/1998-99_NEP_Pepsi_Asian_Cricket_Council_Trophy_1998-99.html 1998 ACC Trophy] at CricketArchive]

21st century

The first two major tournaments of the 21st century for Singapore got them off to a bad start as they lost all their first round matches in both the 2000 ACC Trophy in the UAE and the 2001 ICC Trophy in Ontario, their final ICC Trophy to date. They hosted the ACC Trophy in 2002, beating the Maldives and Thailand (by 325 runs) but again failing to progress beyond the first round, a performance they repeated in 2004. The finished fourth in the ACC Fast Track Nations Tournament in 2004 and 2005.

Singapore began to show an improvement in their form in 2006. That year they finished third in the ACC Premier League and finally passed the first round stage in the ACC Trophy, finishing fifth to qualify for Division Five of the World Cricket League in 2008. They didn't progress beyond the first round of the 2007 ACC Twenty20 Cup, beating only Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, but captain Chaminda Ruwan did make the highest score of the tournament. In the World Cricket League Division Five tournament in Jersey, Singapore finished fifth after beating Botswana in a play-off, though they did beat Afghanistan during the first round, [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/169/169942.html Scorecard] of Afghanistan v Singapore, 27 May 2008 at CricketArchive] who went on to win the tournament. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/169/169957.html Scorecard] of Jersey v Afghanistan, 31 May 2008 at CricketArchive]

Tournament history

World Cricket League

*2008: 5th place

ICC World Cup Qualifier

*1979: First round
*1982: First round
*1986: Withdrew
*1990: First round
*1994: 19th place
*1997: 14th place
*2001: First round
*2005: Did not qualify [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/ICCT2005/home.shtml 2005 ICC Trophy Official Website] ]
*2009: Did not qualify

ACC Premier League

*2004: 4th place
*2005: 4th place
*2006: 3rd place

ACC Trophy

*1996: First round
*1998: First round
*2000: First round
*2002: First round
*2004: First round
*2006: 5th place

ACC Twenty20 Cup

*2007: First round

The future

In July/August 2008, Singapore will play in the ACC Trophy Elite Division tournament in Malaysia, where they are drawn in the same first round group as Hong Kong, Kuwait, Nepal and Qatar. [ [http://asiancricket.org/cnt_08_trophyelite.cfm 2008 ACC Trophy] , official website, Asian Cricket Council] The World Cricket League has been expanded to eight divisions from 2009, with the teams for Divisions Six through Eight to be decided according to results from the 2008 Division Five tournament and the most recent regional tournaments. With Singapore being the highest placed team from the 2008 Division Five tournament not already in a division, they are likely to be placed in Division Six. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES2/articles/000034/003452.shtml World Cricket League to continue and expand] by Andrew Nixon, 25 May 2008 at CricketEurope]

Records

ICC Trophy

*Highest team total: 231/6 v Gibraltar, 25 February 1994 at Ruaraka Sports Club Ground, Nairobi [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Records/Singapore/Icct/Highest_Team_Totals_Singapore.html Singapore totals of 200 and more in an innings in the ICC Trophy] at CricketArchive]
*Highest individual score: 77 by Joshua Dearing v Canada, 28 June 2001 at Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Records/Singapore/Icct/Highest_Player_Scores_Singapore.html Individual scored of 75 and more in an innings for Singapore in the ICC Trophy] at CricketArchive]
*Best innings bowling: 5/39 by M. Rajalingam v Fiji, 5 July 1982 at Solihull Cricket Club Ground [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Records/Singapore/Icct/Best_Innings_Bowling_Singapore.html Five or more wickets in an innings for Singapore in the ICC Trophy] at CricketArchive]

Overall

*Highest team total: 440/2 v Thailand, 16 July 2002 at Kallang Ground, Singapore [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/101/101522.html Scorecard] of Singapore v Thailand, 16 July 2002 at CricketArchive]
*Highest individual score: 191 by K Mendis v Thailand, 16 July 2002 at Kallang Ground, Singapore
*Best innings bowling: 8/8 by Mahesh Mehta v Malaysia, 14 September 1979 at The Padang, Malaysia [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/122/122571.html Scorecard] of Malaysia v Singapore, 14 September 1979 at CricketArchive]

Players

Current squad

The following players have been named in Singapore's squad for the 2008 ACC Trophy Elite Division: [ [http://asiancricket.org/cnt_08_trophyelite_singapore.cfm Singapore squad for 2008 ACC Trophy Elite] ]

*Chaminda Ruwan
*Glenn Meyer
*Muhammad Ali
*Narender Reddy
*Chetan Suryawanshi
*Sagar Kulkarni
*Vivek Vedagiri
*Shoib Razak
*Rizwan Madakia
*Christopher Janik
*Buddhika Mendis
*Mulewa Dharmichand
*Monish Arora
*Pramodh Raja

Other players

In addition to those linked above, the following Singapore players have played first-class or List A cricket:

*Robert Braddell - played for Oxford University and the MCC between 1908 and 1911 [ [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/28/28078/28078.html Robert Braddell] at CricketArchive]
*Basil Brooke - played twice for the Royal Navy Cricket Club. [ [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/28/28163/28163.html Basil Brooke] at CricketArchive]
*Charles Congdon - played for the Royal Navy between 1921 and 1929. [ [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/28/28674/28674.html Charles Congdon] at CricketArchive]
*Michael Scrutton - played for Suffolk in 1966. [ [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/34/34834/34834.html Michael Scrutton] at CricketArchive]

ee also

*Singapore national women's cricket team
*Straits Settlements cricket team
*Malaya cricket team

External links

* [http://www.cricket.org.sg/ Singapore Cricket Association official website]

References