History of cricket

Cricket in Luxembourg started in 1976 with the formation of Optimists Cricket Club. It has played in the Belgian League since 1991. The Luxembourg Cricket Federation (LCF) was formed in 1994 with three clubs and became an Affiliate Member of the ICC in 1998. It is affiliated to COSL, the national sports and Olympic committee, and has regular contacts with the Ministerial Department of Sport within the Luxembourg government.

International cricket and developing the game

An LCF league has been running since 1999. This consisted of 10 teams in 2012 is based on various formats, T20, fixed 35-over or timed declaration format depending on the particular team's level. An indoor cricket league has been running since 2004 during the winter period and a six-a-side competition weekend is a regular feature of the more social side of competitive cricket.

Under the supervision of our Development Officer, there is a programme for the national, squad and more generally training and coaching for senior players is carried out on a regular basis. Most clubs also have their own regular training night. Four of the present juniors (under 18) played for the National team in Corfu as well as one graduate of the junior programme.

Training for juniors (aged 5 to 18) is also undertaken throughout the entire year with numbers now averaging nearly 60 in the winter programme and for a number of years a Summer Academy has been run over a dedicated week in July, involving some 50 young players.

Women's cricket has always been fully integrated into the national structure, indeed the Optimists Maidens CC was one of the founder clubs of the LCF. Though essentially playing friendly matches with other clubs and ad-hoc teams, they also play as Maidens and Knights in the LCF league.