Great Britain won GOLD MEDAL for cricket at Olympics 1900

by A.C. de Silva

Cricket at the Olympic Games well it did take place and it was in Paris, France and it was on Monday 20th August 1900.

Great Britain won the only Olympic Gold Medal for cricket when they beat France at the exhibition ground, Vincennes.

Each side fielded 12 players and Great Britain batted first and were all out for 117. Frederick Cuming of the MCC topped the scores with 38. Captain Charles Beachcroft was second with 23. For France W. Anderson took 4 wickets. In reply France were bowled sit for 78 with Frederick W. Christian taking 7 Gallic wickets.

In their second innings, the Britain side scored 145 for 5 wickets and closed their innings. France was then shot out for 26 with only 5 minutes to spare before the end of play.

Great Britain won by 158 runs. The highlight of the match was the bowling of Britain's Montagu Teller who had a remarkable bowling feat claiming 7 wickets for 9 runs.

The Devon County Wanderers Club represented Britain while France was represented by the French Athletic Club Union (which consisted almost entirely of Englishmen living in France and playing for the then champions of France the Albion Cricket Club or for the Standard Athletic Club).