The Austria national team made its international debut in 1990, at the European Cricketer Cup in Guernsey. It has since regularly competed in European Cricket Council tournaments, usually in the lower divisions, and also often plays bilateral series against other European sides.[5]
History
Having been played by English gardeners, tradesmen and the expat staff of banks working in Vienna at the end of the 19th century - at which time the Vienna Cricket and Football-Club was founded, cricket disappeared in Austria until after the Second World War, when it was played by British occupying troops on a recreational basis.[6]
The modern era as such began in May 1975, when the Australian Kerry Tattersall introduced the game to his pupils at the Vienna Handelsakademie (commercial academy) where he was teaching English, and formed the Vienna Cricket Club. Early opponents came from the United Nations (United Nations CC) and diplomatic services (Five Continents CC) and these founder clubs survive to this day.[6]
Cricket remains predominantly Viennese-based with eleven of the 18 member clubs being based in Vienna. CC Velden '91 is the oldest non-Viennese club, operating since 1991. The latest addition to the ACA is ASKÖ Steyr CC from Upper-Austria.
2018–present
In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Austria and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have the full T20I status.[7]
The Austria national team has participated in a considerable number of international tournaments, including hosting three tournaments since 2000:
2000 ECC (European Cricket Council) Representative Festival (5 teams – Norway, Slovenia, Croatia, Finland and Austria)
2001 ECC Trophy in Seebarn and Velden (10 teams – Sweden, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Austria, Croatia and Finland)
2002 ECC European Cricket Championships, B Division in Northern Ireland (6 teams – Austria, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Israel and Portugal)
2003 ECC Notts Sport Trophy in Seebarn and Markomannenstrasse (11 teams – Malta, Portugal, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Austria and Norway)
They have been placed in Division Five of the newly expanded European Championship from 2008.
Tournament history
European Cricket Championship
2002 (Division Two): 6th place
2009 (Division Four): 3rd place
ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier (Europe Regional Final)
There are three club competitions within Austria: the ACA (Austrian Cricket Association) League, and ACA Trophy (north & south).
The ACA League comprises (in 2006) 14 teams, 10 of which are based in Vienna.
The ACA Trophy sometimes includes teams from outside Austria, for example from Poland and the Czech Republic.