France women's national cricket team

{{short description|Cricket team}}

{{EngvarB|date=August 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{For|the men's team|France national cricket team}}

{{Infobox cricket team

| name = France

| image = France_Cricket1.png

| caption =

| association = Association France Cricket

| captain = Emmanuelle Brélivet

| coach =

| icc_status = Associate member

| icc_member_year = 1998

| icc_status2 = Affiliate member

| icc_member_year2 = 1987

| icc_region = Europe

| wt20i_rank = 36th

| wt20i_rank_best = 30th (2 Oct 2020){{cite web|title=Australia Women remain No.1 in ODIs, T20Is after annual update |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1850260 |publisher=ICC|date=2 October 2020|access-date=2 October 2020}}

| first_wt20i = {{crw|JER}} at Parc du Grand Blottereau, Nantes; 31 July 2019

| most_recent_wt20i = {{crw|FIJ}} at N'Du Stadium, Nouméa; 14 March 2025

| num_wt20is = 39

| num_wt20is_this_year = 4

| wt20i_record = 16/22
(1 tie, 0 no results)

| wt20i_record_this_year = 0/3
(1 tie, 0 no results)

| asofdate = 14 March 2025

}}

The France women's national cricket team is the team that represents the country of France in international women's cricket matches. They became an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1998, having previously been an affiliate member since 1987.{{cite news|url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/51.html|title= Cricket France|access-date = 14 August 2016 }}

In April 2018, the ICC granted full Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between France women and another international side after 1 July 2018 were a full WT20I.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/672322 |title=All T20I matches to get international status |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=26 April 2018}}

In December 2020, the ICC announced the qualification pathway for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1932353 |title=Qualification for ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 announced |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=12 December 2020}} The France women's team made their debut at an ICC women's event when they played in the 2021 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier group.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/womenscricket/icc_announce_qualification_process_for_2023_women%27s_t20_world_cup.html |title=ICC announce qualification process for 2023 Women's T20 World Cup |work=The Cricketer |access-date=12 December 2020}}

History

In May 2011, "Coupe de France Féminine" was established as part of a continuing commitment to the women's game in France. The first ever representative France women's team, les "Dames de France" played against Jersey Ladies (2011, Saumur and 2013, Jersey).{{cite news | url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Events/20/Jersey_Women_in_France_2013.html | title=JERSEY WOMEN IN FRANCE 2013 | work=CricketArchive | access-date=1 December 2016}} Creation of an Indoor Women's National Championship is the newest development, involving four teams over four tournaments in 2013.

Older women too play in some clubs alongside their male counterparts, but efforts are now being specifically directed to involving women of all ages in the sport as part of the high priority being given to the development of women's cricket.{{cite news|url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/about/123/icc-members/associate-members/france|title= Women's Cricket in France|access-date = 14 August 2016 }}

=Fraud allegations and squad disbandment=

In November 2023, France 24 reported that the Association France Cricket had allegedly overexaggerated the popularity of women's cricket to access additional funding from the ICC, including by reporting results from "ghost matches" which did not actually take place. It was also reported that France may have failed the eligibility criteria for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, which required a minimum of eight domestic women's teams playing at least five hard-ball matches each year. An ICC spokesperson stated that "France's entry into the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers was determined by domestic activities that took place in 2021 and 2022 and pre-Covid", but that "members are also obliged to confirm to us that the information they provide to us is true and accurate".{{cite news|url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20231107-allegations-of-fake-matches-murky-finances-plague-cricket-in-france|title=Allegations of fake matches, murky finances plague cricket in France|publisher=France 24|access-date=7 November 2023|date=7 November 2023|first1=Peter|last1=O'Brien|first2=Gregor|last2=Thompson}} In response, the Nantes Cricket Club reportedly "sent a request to state prosecutors and police asking for an investigation into alleged fraudulent activity by the association".

Following the publication of the allegations by France 24, seventeen members of the French women's national squad signed an open letter calling for an official investigation into France Cricket's conduct. According to national team player Alix Brodin, some of the signatories to the letter received pressure from France Cricket not to proceed with publication. On 16 November 2023, France Cricket's sporting director Saravana Durairaj informed Tara Britton that she and her teammates would be suspended for breaching the organisation's code of conduct, which banned public criticism of the organisation. The French national team was subsequently withdrawn from the inaugural T10 Women's European Cricket Championship in December 2023. Players were asked to return their uniforms and were reportedly informed by France Cricket that they could only return to national selection if they apologised for the letter.{{Cite news|url=https://www.france24.com/en/sport/20240412-french-women-cricket-team-disbands-probe-fake-matches-france-icc|title=French women’s cricket team disbands after probe into fake matches|first=Peter|last=O'Brien|date=12 April 2024|access-date=13 April 2024|publisher=France 24}}

In April 2024, France 24 published further allegations of misconduct, documenting that three matches in division two of the women's national league supposedly held in April 2023 did not take place. It was additionally reported that, following the disbandment of the existing women's squad, that France had sought to incorporate members of the New Caledonia women's national cricket team into its national squad in order to meet eligibility requirements for the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup qualification process.

Tournament history

=ICC Women's World Twenty20 Europe Qualifier=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width=900px;"
colspan=9|ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier records
width=150 |Year

! width=150 |Round

! width=50 |Position

! width=50 |GP

! width=50 |W

! width=50 |L

! width=50 |T

! width=50 |NR

{{flagicon|ESP}} 2019colspan=8 rowspan=1|Did not participate
{{flagicon|ESP}} 2021Did not qualify5/540400
{{flagicon|ESP}} 2023Did not qualify4/460600
Total2/21001000

=ICC Women's World Twenty20 Europe Qualifier Division Two=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width=900px;"
colspan=9|ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier records
width=150 |Year

! width=150 |Round

! width=50 |Position

! width=50 |GP

! width=50 |W

! width=50 |L

! width=50 |T

! width=50 |NR

bgcolor=gold

|{{flagicon|Jersey}} 2023

Round robin1/654100
Total1/154100

Current squad

This lists all the players who were named in the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier squad.

class="wikitable"
Name

! Age

! Batting style

! Bowling style

! Notes

colspan="5" | Batters
Ines McKeon{{age|2007|4|19}}Right-handedRight-arm off break
Lydie Wykes-Templeman{{age|2004|10|27}}Right-handedRight-arm medium
Ganesh Pooja{{age|1987|5|18}}Right-handedRight-arm off break
colspan="5" | All-rounders
Marie Violleau{{age|1997|10|25}}Right-handedRight-arm leg breakCaptain
Amy Seddon{{age|2007|5|24}}Right-handedRight-arm medium
Poppy McGeown{{age|1991|10|28}}Right-handedRight-arm medium
colspan="5" | Wicket-keepers
Tara Britton{{age|1992|6|3}}Right-handed
Maëlle Cargouët{{age|1975|5|30}}Right-handed
colspan="5" | Spin Bowler
Prabhashi Mahawattage{{age|1995|8|3}}Right-handedRight-arm off break
colspan="5" | Pace Bowlers
Anika Bester{{age|1994|10|12}}Right-handedRight-arm medium
Emma Patel{{age|2007|7|17}}Right-handedRight-arm medium
Thea Graham{{age|1991|2|08}}Right-handedRight-arm medium
Blandine Verdon{{age|2000|2|09}}Left-handedRight-arm medium
Magali Marchello-Nizia{{age|1984|7|19}}Right-handedRight-arm medium

Updated on 12 Sep 2023.

Records and statistics

International Match Summary — France Women{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/results_summary.html?class=10;id=6634;type=team |title=Records / France Women / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}

Last updated 14 March 2025

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 500px;"
colspan=7 align="center" | Playing Record
FormatMWLTNRInaugural Match
align="left"| Twenty20 Internationals3916221031 July 2019

=Twenty20 International=

  • Highest team total: 169/4 v. Turkey on 1 June 2023 at FB Playing Fields, St Clement.{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/highest_innings_totals.html?class=10;id=6634;type=team |title=Records / France women / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=22 February 2019}}
  • Highest individual score: 94, Ines McKeon v. Sweden on 30 May 2023 at FB Playing Fields, St Clement.{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_innings.html?class=10;id=6634;type=team |title=Records / France women / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Top Scores |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=23 February 2019}}
  • Best individual bowling figures: 5/14, Emmanuelle Brelivet v. Austria on 1 August 2019 at Parc du Grand Blottereau, Nantes.{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/best_figures_innings.html?class=10;id=6634;type=team |title=Records / France women / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Best Bowling figures |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=22 February 2019}}

T20I record versus other nations

Records complete to WT20I #2206. Last updated 14 March 2025.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 600px;"
OpponentMWLTNRFirst matchFirst win
colspan="8" style="text-align: center;" | ICC Full members
align=left| {{crw|IRE}}

| 1

010029 August 2021
colspan="8" style="text-align: center;" | ICC Associate members
align=left| {{crw|AUT}}

| 8

80001 August 20191 August 2019
align=left| {{crw|FIJ}}

| 2

011013 March 2025
align=left| {{crw|GER}}

| 7

16008 July 20212 June 2023
align=left| {{crw|ITA}}

| 3

030029 May 2023
align=left| {{crw|JER}}

| 5

230031 July 201931 July 2019
align=left| {{crw|NED}}

| 3

030026 August 2021
align=left| {{crw|NOR}}

| 2

200031 July 201931 July 2019
align=left| {{crw|SAM}}

| 1

010012 March 2025
align=left| {{crw|SCO}}

| 3

030030 August 2021
align=left| {{crw|ESP}}

| 1

10008 May 20228 May 2022
align=left| {{crw|SWE}}

| 1

100030 May 202330 May 2023
align=left| {{crw|TUR}}

| 1

10001 June 20231 June 2023
align=left| {{crw|VAN}}

| 1

010011 March 2025

See also

References

{{reflist}}