Cricket is not the hottest tourist attraction in the tiny land-locked Switzerland. But the expatriates living in the major cities have ensured that cricket thrives even in this country better known for their winter sports, like skiing and ice-hockey.
Cricket in Switzerland began in the early 60s, although there is proof that cricket was actually played in Geneva as early as in 1817! As one might guess, it is the British who were living in Switzerland at the time, who wanted to bring in something ”’from home” to add a little English flavour to their outdoor activities during the warm summer months.
From a handful of clubs in the 60s, cricket has now grown in Switzerland in keeping with the rest of Europe. Presently, there are more than 20 clubs spread out in most major cities, with Geneva, Zurich and Bern producing most of the clubs. With most countries in Europe taking to cricket with the influx of expatriates, cricket is becoming a well known sport in the European continent. As the expatriate communities have grown, so has the desire to turn the game into a more serious sport within the Swiss communities. Besides a fair number of players from Britain, most expatriates come from ex-British colonies -Australia, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the West Indies, South Africa -to name a few. Switzerland is also a member of the ICC.
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