Brief History of France Women’s National Cricket Team
The France women’s national cricket team represents 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.
In April 2018, the ICC granted Women’s Twenty20 International (WT20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between France and other international sides after 1 July 2018 have had WT20I status. France debuted against Jersey at Parc du Grand Blottereau, Nantes, on 31 July 2019.
Historical highlights – France Women’s National Cricket Team
In May 2011, the inception of the “Coupe de France Féminine” marked a pivotal moment for women’s cricket in France, aiming to nurture its growth. “Les Dames de France,” the inaugural French women’s team, engaged in fixtures against Jersey ladies in both 2011 and 2013. The advent of the Indoor Women’s National Championship in 2013, featuring four teams across four tournaments, further highlighted the commitment to women’s cricket development. Extensive initiatives were implemented to ensure inclusivity, with older women incorporated into clubs alongside men, while significant resources were allocated to advance women’s cricket.
However, November 2023 brought forth allegations of misconduct against the Association France Cricket. Reports highlighting, accusing the organization of embellishing the popularity of women’s cricket to secure additional funding from the ICC, even altering results from non-existent “ghost matches.” Additionally, doubts arose regarding France’s eligibility for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, stating a minimum participation requirement for domestic women’s teams in hard-ball matches annually. While an ICC spokesperson clarified that France’s entry into the 2023 qualifiers was based on activities from 2021 and 2022, pre-pandemic, the necessity for accurate information was emphasized.
In response to these allegations, seventeen members of the French women’s national squad penned an open letter, urging an investigation into France Cricket’s practices. Some players faced pressure from France Cricket to refrain from publicizing the letter. Subsequently, on November 16, 2023, France Cricket’s sporting director, Saravana Durairaj, suspended Tara Britton and her teammates for violating the organization’s code of conduct, which expressly prohibited public criticism. Consequently, the French national team withdrew from the inaugural T10 Women’s European Cricket Championship in December 2023. Players were instructed to return their uniforms and were informed that reinstatement in national selection hinged upon issuing an apology for the letter.
April 2024 saw further allegations of impropriety, as reported by France 24, revealing that three matches in division two of the women’s national league purportedly scheduled for April 2023 never transpired. Additionally, it was uncovered that following the dissolution of the existing women’s squad, France sought to integrate members of the New Caledonia women’s national cricket team into its ranks to meet eligibility criteria for the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup qualification process.
Tournament Highlights – France Women’s National Cricket Team
ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Europe Qualifier:
In 2021, France played their first-ever qualifier tournament. They played four matches but could not secure a single victory, finishing fifth and failing to qualify further.
In 2023, the qualification pathway for the women’s event in Europe was expanded, including a second division for the first time. France, placed in the second division, won four out of five matches and topped the table with a better NRR, qualifying for division one to face Italy, the Netherlands, and Scotland. However, in their six matches, they could not secure a single victory and did not proceed to the global qualifier.
