Adam Price EDM

Newydd ddod o hyd i'r EDM yma gan Adam Price AS a wnaethpwyd nol yn 2002. Dim ond 11 Aelod Seneddol wnaeth ei arwyddo ar y pryd, ond llongyfarchiadau i Adam am godi'r mater. Sylwer na gefnogodd unrhyw AS Llafur o Gymru y Cynnig, na chwaeth unrhyw aelod Seneddol Ceidwadol!

I've just found this Early Day Motion by Adam Price MP made back in 2002. Only 11 MP's signed the motion at the time, but congratulations to Adam Price for raising the matter. Note that none of the Welsh Labour MP's voted for the motion, and no Conservative MP's whatsoever supported it.

WELSH CRICKET TEAM - EDM 1499, 24/06/2002

Price, Adam

That this House congratulates the Welsh Cricket Team on their historic eight wicket victory over England at Cardiff; recognises the contribution of Wales to the game of cricket; notes that Scotland and Ireland are recognised as official competing nations during the Cricket World Cup; and calls on Wales to be awarded the equivalent of full national status in the cricketing world

Price, Adam (Plaid Cymru - Cymru / Welsh Constituency)
Llwyd, Elfyn (Plaid Cymru - Cymru / Welsh Constituency)
Jones, Nigel (Lib Dems - Lloegr / English Constituency)
Ewing, Annabelle (SNP - Yr Alban / Scottish Constituency)
George, Andrew (Lib Dems - Lloegr / English Constituency)
Thomas, Simon (Plaid Cymru - Cymru / Welsh Constituency)
Robertson, Angus (SNP - Yr Alban / Scottish Constituency)
Salmond, Alex (SNP - Yr Alban / Scottish Constituency)
Pickthall, Colin (Labour - Lloegr / English Constituency)
McDonnell, John (Labour - Lloegr / English Constituency)
Williams, Roger (Lib Dems - Cymu / Welsh Constituency)

Ireland beat Pakistan at Cricket! Where's Wales?

Erthygl oddi ar blog 'British Nationalists in Wales Watch - 20/03/07

An article from the 'British Nationalists in Wales' Watch Blog - 20/03/07

Amongst all the celebrations after we beat England at rugby, it seems to have passed people's notice that Ireland beat Pakistan... at cricket!

Who the hell plays cricket in Ireland? In any case, it just begs the question - where's the Welsh team? Of course, we know the answer, deep in the bowels (or up the arse) of the Englanddontmentionthewalesbit 'national' cricket team.

What is this sad psychology that it's better to be ignored as part of an England team than to have a Welsh team? Heavens, aren't there some blazer wearers who'd like a trip to the West Indies as a committee member of a Welsh national cricket team? Heavens again, we even beat England at cricket a few years ago!

Who are these people? That Mrs Davies, Burry Port, syndrome sure does run deep. As I've said before, a lot of bravado (and musical hall Welshness) when it comes to the Welsh rugby team, but for many of the Brit Nat persuasion, that's as good as it gets. We are a beaten, peasant people pretending this inferiority complex is internationalist brotherhood.

It’s just not cricket

Llythr o'r Western Mail - 20/03/07

Letter from the Western Mail - 20/03/07

SIR – I am delighted that the Welsh Rugby team did us Welsh proud on Saturday by convincingly beating the old enemy, the English, at our new citadel of the Millennium Stadium. Suddenly the pride in my country, Wales, soared like an eagleThen, once again back down to earth.

The cricket authorities in Wales who sold us out to the English by joining the England and Wales Cricket Board, the ECB, succeeded in relegating Wales to being the silent “W” in this unholy alliance. As a result, on the very weekend that Welsh rugby was filling us Welsh with pride, the World Cup cricket tournament listed teams from Ireland, Scotland and England. In one stroke, these so-called Welsh cricketing authorities had relegated Wales to a nonentity with accompanying global humiliation!

Carmarthen East Plaid AM, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, has called for a Welsh team at future World Cup cricket tournaments.

If it is in their power to do so, I call on our Welsh Assembly Government to instigate the setting up of a Welsh national cricket team so that once again we, the Welsh nation, can hold our heads up with pride.

JACK HARRIS
Eaton Crescent, Uplands, Swansea

Plaid's Cricketing Election Pledge

Erthygl o'r South Wales Evening Post - 19/03/07

Article from the South Wales Evening Post - 19/03/07

A Carmarthen politician is hoping to knock opposition parties for six with a sporting election pledge.Plaid deputy leader Rhodri Glyn Thomas has called for a Welsh team at future World Cup cricket tournaments.

The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM pledged that if the pro-Welsh party got the nod at May's Assembly elections, he would lobby the International Cricket Council to include Wales in the 2011 world cup.

Welsh cricket legend Robert Croft backed the idea - but says some serious work would have to be done to get off the plan off the ground.

The Cricket World Cup, which started last week, consists of 16 teams, including Holland, Ireland and Scotland. Wales has an international side at present, but it does not feature in the tournament.

Mr Thomas said if nations with less of a cricketing tradition were allowed to compete, there was no reason why a Welsh team could not feature in the tournament.

He said: "I have no doubt that a Welsh team would hold its own.

"More importantly international status for Wales in terms of the world cup would be a massive boost for the sport of cricket in Wales."

Cricketer Robert Croft welcomed the move, calling the proposal "a lovely thought".

But he added: "There would have to be a lot of work done."

Tim Criced Cymreig

Erthygl o Blog Ted Jones - 13/03/07

Article from Ted Jones' Blog - 13/03/07

Fel cefnogwr criced brwd rwy’n croesawu galwad Plaid Cymru heddiw dros tim Cymreig ar gyfer cystadleuaeth Cwpan y Byd.

Fe fydd gan yr Alban, Iwerddon, Canada, Bermuda, a’r Iseldireoedd timoedd yn cystadlu yn y pencampwriaeth sy’n dechrau heddiw. O ystyried fod yna traddodiad llawer cryfach yng Nghymru, dw i methu deall pam nid oes tim gyda ni yn cystadlu.

Y ddadl yw bod yr ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) un un gorff, on dos bosib gyda bach o synwhyr cyffredin fe fydd yr ICC a’r ECB yn medru dod i gytundeb gyda galliogu tim Cymreig i gystadlu heb peryglu statws Morgannwg na gem y llidw yng Ngherddi Soffia.

Fe chwareodd tim o Gymru yng nghwpan yr ICC yn y 70au, felly does dim rheswm yn fy nhyb i pam na allai tim o Gymru bod yn chwarae yn y cwpan y byd yma. Mae yna cynsail hanesyddol hollol glir.

Oherwydd y sefyllfa presennol ni fydd un cymro yn chwarae yn y pencampwriaeth. Dychmygwch yr hwb byddai tim Cymreig yn cael ar dablygiad criced yng Nghymru – os bosib hynny ddylai bod ar flaen meddwl y sawl sy’n gweinyddu’r gem.

There should be a way... for Wales to be allowed opportunities such as this

Neges ebost gan Mike Fatkin, Prif-Weithredwr Criced Morgannwg - 13/03/07

Email response by Mike Fatkin, Chief Executive Glamorgan Cricket - 13/03/07

This question comes up every four years and there isn't a straightforward answer. We could opt out of the England and Wales Cricket Board set-up - we have that right - but we would lose getting on for £2M which is given to the county club and the county board to develop the game here. I have no knowledge of what monies are available from ICC.

Scotland and Ireland struggle financially. Yes, they have the carrot of World Cup cricket every four years - if they qualify, which they haven't always - but for the remaining times I know it's very difficult for them to get any kind of profile, to develop the sport and to play competitive matches. We know that it's a desperate struggle for them financially.

Scottish and Irish players can qualify for England. Ed Joyce is the most recent Irish example, with players like Dougie Brown and Gavin Hamilton Scots who have played for England. Joyce is now ineligible for Ireland; Hamilton is no longer a regular in county cricket and has waived his right to play for England in order to play for Scotland. The example of Joyce is most apposite. Having now played for England, he would forfeit his right to represent them again if he played for Ireland. He chose not to.

Wales played in the 1975 world cup. We have also played matches against England - indeed beat them in 2002. Ideally we would exploit this more but we have to face the fact that should we do so - and we will always have the right to - we will sacrifice financial support, all year round profile in Wales, the probability of losing players to English first class counties, the costs of establishing and maintaining our own professional structure of cricket, and the loss of any rights to stage major international cricket.

You say 'many many cricket supporters' find the present situation unacceptable. That is not our finding. The overwhelming majority of people we speak to would love to see Wales in a World Cup but fully recognize that for two weeks of high profile we would be putting the whole development of the game here at risk. They see Glamorgan as Wales's representatives at the professional level and take huge pride in seeing Welsh cricketers playing for England. Anomalous, I agree, but that's what we are told.

Speaking personally, I still maintain there should be a way to continue doing what we are doing and for Wales to be allowed opportunities such as this. It is something we continue to work for. At the moment, though, we would have to choose between one and the other.

Regards

Mike Fatkin

www.glamorgancricket.com

Why aren't we at the party?

Erthygl o'r South Wales Evening Post - 08/03/07

Article from the South Wales Evening Post - 08/03/07

Someone asked a pertinent question the other day about kamikaze pilots - why did they wear helmets? And here's another puzzler that will perplex many people.The Cricket World Cup - why doesn't Wales have a side preparing to play in the Caribbean when the likes of Scotland, Ireland, Holland and Bermuda are involved?

We are told that Wales are part of the England set-up . . . big deal.

Even on the England and Wales Cricket Board's own website, the acronym ECB is used, with the 'W' airbrushed out.

The team that takes the field is known to all and sundry as England.

And if you want to buy headwear for the upcoming World Cup, the official on-line shop of the England and Wales Cricket Board is where such business is conducted, with their offer of an ''eye-catching hat'' with ''unique design elements''.

The site enthuses: ''The attractive two-tone finish of this navy and sky blue headgear is complemented by some superb raised embroidery.

''The word 'England' runs smartly across the peak . . . and the ECB three lions crest and official Cricket World Cup logo are sewn into the front.''

What about Wales? You may well ask.

While surfing the internet, I visited the Wikipedia site, where the following interpretation is put on the idea of a Wales cricket team.

''The Welsh cricket team has appeared on a number of occasions. Generally, however, Welsh players are represented in international play by England.''

You don't have to be a flag-waving, card-carrying nationalist to feel that isn't how it should be.

The sticking point for Wales entering a side in a World Cup, apparently, is that it wouldn't square with Glamorgan getting around £1.3 million a year from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

A declaration of independence at national level would supposedly cost the county their cash and deal a blow to the game in Wales.

It would be worth checking out if that is the case.

Yes, Glamorgan play in the county championship, but in recent years Scotland, who get a grant of £600,000 or so, have competed in two of the three main competitions in British cricket.

And, anyway, is an extra £700,000 or so adequate compensation for Wales not being able to feature in the World Cup?

As Robert Croft argued at the time of the last global cricket bash, ''I'm not saying we should get Test status, but that link (with England) should not be used to stop us competing in the one-day arena and in World Cups, especially if the tournament is expanded.''

But despite Wales having a shedload of key figures on the EWCB, nothing will happen.

It won't because people are prepared to accept the status quo, however unsatisfactory it may be.

It is like the Football Association of Wales presiding over a situation where the three strongest Welsh clubs, Cardiff City, Swansea City and Wrexham, are not allowed to enter European competition because they play in a foreign set-up.

No-one should be happy about that, either, yet no-one has the will, brains or vision to do anything about it.

A Wales cricket team at the World Cup might not rip up any trees, but it is unlikely that Scotland, Ireland and Holland have great expectations for the tournament that starts next week.

Not to put too fine a point on it, some of the sides who have taken part in previous World Cups have been rubbish. Canada, for instance, were skittled out for 35 by Sri Lanka in the 2003 event.

How bad is that? There are probably teams in division nine of the Pembroke Pensioners League who'd fancy their chances of knocking up 35.

A few years ago, a Wales XI were good enough to beat England in a one-day game; who is to say some way down the line that would not be repeated?

But you get the impression certain people are happy to take the annual handouts and just be grateful to be part of the English set-up. So what if the team is known as England? Doff the cap and say how wonderful it is to be on board.

There will be one Welshman at the World Cup, namely Glamorgan's David Hemp - featuring for Bermuda.

No doubt he will have a great time and good luck to him, but he should be playing for Wales.

Some of us have advocated exactly what you say

Ebost gan Dr. R. B. Kemp Esq, cyn-Gadeirydd y Welsh Cricket Association, 2006

Email response by Dr. R. B. Kemp Esq, Immediate Past Chairman, Welsh Cricket Association, 2006

In essence, the problem is Glamorgan who have won a dispensation to play in an English County League. Some of us have advocated exactly what you say (Welsh players representing Wales at the World Cup) but the Glamorgan players would not like being deprived of the chance to play test cricket and high quality county cricket - for the latter they would move to an English county.

We have discussed it many times (a split from the ECB to create the WCB and a Welsh national side) but the other disadvantage is that we would lose access to all the money coming from Lords that sustains the development of cricket at junior level.

Richard Kemp

I quite agree with you

Ebost gan Brian Crockett Esq, Trefnydd y Cwpan Criced Cymreig, 2006

Email by Brian Crockett Esq, Hon. Assistant Secretary, Welsh Cricket Cup Organiser and Child Welfare Officer WCA/CBW, 2006

I quite agree with you (that Wales should have a side at the World Cup), and am willing to discuss the issue further.

Brian Crockett Esq

if cricketers in Wales decided to move away from the EWCB we would be supportive of this decision

Ebost gan Manon Rees Roberts, Cyngor Chwaraeon Cymru, 2006

Email response by Manon Rees Roberts, Sports Council for Wales, 2006

I understand that there were some discussions a few years ago regarding the Welsh Cricket Board moving away from the EWCB, however, this was rejected for three main reasons, namely, to ensure that:

a. Glamorgan County Cricket Club continued to play in the County Championship and other one day cups and leagues;
b. the Wales Minor Counties team could continue playing in the MCC Championships;
c. Wales continued to receive revenue from the EWCB to support the game in Wales.

Therefore, the reasons for remaining part of the EWCB were financial as well as competitive.

However, if cricketers in Wales felt that it would be in their best interests to move away from the EWCB and establish a Welsh Cricket Board, the Sports Council for Wales would be supportive of this decision if there was strong and widespread support for this.

Manon Rees Roberts