Thailand national cricket team

Infobox non test cricket team
country_name = Thailand

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image_caption = Flag of Thailand
icc_member_year = 1995
icc_status = Associate Member
icc_region = Asia
current_captain = Zeeshan Khan
WCL_division = n/a
regional_tournament = ACC Trophy
regional_tournament_division = Challenge
first_match = January 1909 v Straits Settlements in Singapore
asofdate = 25 August 2008

The Thailand national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Thailand in international cricket matches. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2005, having been an affiliate member between 1995 and 2005. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/85.html Thailand] at CricketArchive]

History

Beginnings

Cricket was introduced to Thailand by the children of elite Thai families who learnt the game during education in England. They founded the Bangkok City Cricket Club in 1890, and the side played its first game in November of that year. An invitation to come to the city was sent to the Singapore Cricket Club, but it was turned down due to the fear of a cholera epidemic.Encyclopedia of World Cricket by Roy Morgan, Sportsbooks Publishing, 2007]

Cricket amongst the Thai community failed to develop however, and by the early 1900s the game was confined almost entirely to expatriate residents. The Royal Bangkok Sports Club began to play cricket in 1905 and they were instrumental in arranging the first international in January 1909, when Siam beat the Straits Settlements by an innings in Singapore. Siam won the return match in Bangkok the following year, and the Straits Settlements won the third and final match in December 1911.

Cricket remained a recreational activity, with the national side not surfacing again until 1990. Various sides came to play the Royal Bangkok Sports Club in the 1960s and 1970s, including Worcestershire in 1965 and the MCC in 1970. This encouraged the development of more cricket facilities.

Modern era

One player based in Thailand in the late 1980s/early 1990s was Ronald Endley, who worked for Volvo and persuaded the company to offer a trophy for a match against Hong Kong. This match was played in January 1990 and took the form of a two-day match, which was drawn. It became a one-day match in 1991, and 1992 saw Malaysia join in for a tri-series. The tournament was superseded by the Tuanku Ja'afar Cup, which involved all three teams along with Singapore.

The early 1990s were one of the most successful periods for Thai cricket, but tight ICC player eligibility rules came into force when they became an ICC affiliate member in 1995, which led to them being forced to field weaker teams. This coincided with financial problems, causing Thailand to pull out of tournaments. In contrast, the early part of the 21st century has seen youth cricket take priority in addition to much more being done to promote the game beyond the expatriate population.

Tournament History

ACC Trophy

*1996: First round [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1996/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 1996 ACC Trophy] at CricketEurope]
*1998: 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]
*2000: Did not participate [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2000/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 2000 ACC Trophy] at CricketEurope]
*2002: First round [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/SPORE/2002_SPORE_Asian_Cricket_Council_Trophy_2002.html 2002 ACC Trophy] at CricketArchive]
*2004: First round [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/MAL/2004_MAL_Asian_Cricket_Council_Trophy_2004.html 2004 ACC Trophy] at CricketArchive]
*2006: First round [ [http://www.asiancricket.org/acctrophy06/index.htm 2006 ACC Trophy Official website] ]

The future

In January 2009, Thailand will host the ACC Trophy Challenge division tournament, where they will compete against Bhutan, Brunei, China, Iran, the Maldives, Myanmar and Oman. [ [http://www.asiancricket.org/cnt_09_tc.cfm 2009 ACC Trophy Challenge] at Asian Cricket Council website]

Records

*Highest team total: 247 v Malaysia, 5 February 1992 at Polo Grounds, Bangkok [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/THAI/1991-92_THAI_Volvo_Cup_1991-92.html 1992 Volvo Cup] at CricketArchive]
*Highest individual score: 132 by Luke Thongyai v Malaysia at Ceylon Sports Club, Singapore, 29 June 1996 [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/169/169602.html Scorecard] of Malaysia v Thailand, 29 June 1996 at CricketArchive]
*Best innings bowling: 9/26 by N Sutton v Straits Settlements, January 1909

ee also

*Thailand national women's cricket team

References