Egypt national cricket team

Egypt

Flag of Egypt (1922-1958)
Personnel
Captain	n/a
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Non-member (n/a)
ICC region	Africa
WCL	n/a
Tests
First international	11 March 1909 v MCC at Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo
As of 12 April 2008

The Egypt national cricket team was the team that represented the country of Egypt in international cricket matches. They were active from 1909 until World War II.

Cricket was first played in Egypt in the 19th century, and a cricket club was formed in Alexandria by British residents in 1851. Cricket was very much a recreational activity until the opening of the Suez Canal saw the British population increase (see History of Egypt under the Muhammad Ali dynasty).

More clubs were established by the military, who began to dominate the local game. In October 1884, a combined Army and Navy team played against A Shaw's XI who were on their way to Australia for an Ashes tour.

By 1909, cricket had become the main sporting and social activity of the British population, and standards were good enough for the Marylebone Cricket Club to send a team to tour in 1909. A national side was raised for the first time, and the MCC played three matches against them, winning two and losing the other. They also played matches against local clubs in addition to teams representing the military and civilian populations.

I Zingari toured in March 1914. They played three matches against the national side in addition to matches against Cairo and Alexandria Cricket Club. The matches against the national side saw two draws and one win for the tourists. A return visit of sorts took place later in the year with a combined Egypt/Sudan team playing the MCC at Lord's in a two-day match. The MCC won by ten wickets.

The Free Foresters were the third tourists in 1927, playing twice against the national team, losing the first match and drawing the second. One player in the Free Foresters team on the tour was Hubert Martineau, who was to provide regular opposition for Egypt in the forthcoming years.