At one time, the British community in Argentina was the largest outside the Commonwealth and it is therefore not surprising that the quintessential english game should come to flourish. A British army major, taken prisoner during the British capture of Buenos Aires in 1806 wrote at the time: ‘a repose of some days allowed us, full pockets and vacant time, to revive the national diversions of horse racing and cricket, for which we always carried the material’. But though the first cricket club was founded in 1831, the Argentine Cricket Association was not formed until 1913. A golden era came to an end with the outbreak of World War 2, with many players at the time reputed to be of English county standard.

Gradually there has been a renaissance, latterly in the form of a development programme initiated in 1996 and now firmly established. Domestic cricket is almost entirely confined to the capital Buenos Aires, where there are 12 grounds, of which four are turf. Highlight of the domestic season is the annual North v. South match first contested in 1891 and played over 3 days in March. A two divisional league is played between November and April and the 2005 / 6 season saw the launch of a 6 team 20 / 20 competition. All fixtures are to a certain extent flexible, particularly bearing in mind the dates and requirements of touring teams. At junior level, cricket is taught in over 20 schools as an extra curricular activity mainly in Buenos Aires and to a lesser extent Rosario, north along the Parana river. Coaching manuals and videos are produced locally, but a lack of any television coverage of the game makes it difficult to compete in a country where football predominates. A one week long tournament, the under 16 Pampero, is held annually and now well established, hosting teams from across the cricketing world, including England, South Africa, Australia, the USA, Canada and United Arab Emirates. Similarly, the over-40’s Carcamanes Cricket Festival started in 2004 goes from strength to strength, attracting veteran cricketers worldwide.

Touring teams

Since the devaluation of the Argentine Peso, the country is more affordable than ever and there can rarely have been a better time to visit a country where hospitality is a byword. Over many years, a host of strong teams have visited Argentina, including MCC sides, the first of these captained by Lord Hawke, who brought out a team containing many county players in 1912. Subsequently, Hubert Doggart, A.C. Smith and Paul Parker have led powerful sides. In early 2006, Sir Tim Rice was Tour Manager on MCC’s most recent visit - one evening at the Hurlingham Club was enlivened by a cabaret that enabled the author of the lyrics ‘Don’t cry for me Argentina’ to hear the song in the country that had inspired its creation for the first time. Shortly afterwards, the Hampshire Hogs played 7 games. Club President Bill Hughes commenting: ‘We thoroughly enjoyed our cricket. It was most important that we were matched against teams of similar ability as that made for some tense and competitive games. The game is really taking off in Argentina and there are some talented players out there. We were also made to feel incredibly welcome’. Other touring teams in recent times include a British Airways X1, I Zingari and South African Country Districts. All tours are tailor-made to suit specific requirements with particular care taken to ensure well balanced games.

“I would have no hesitation in recommending club cricket tours to Argentina. The cricket infrastructure is sound, well-run and interestingly the main nucleus of cricketers are locals rather than the ex-pat community. The Hurlingham Club has a wonderful ground, complete with grass tennis courts and excellent golf course, one of many thoughout Buenos Aires..... and then there's the restaurants, invarably excellent red wine and the best steaks in the world.”

Sample Cricket Tour Itinerary to Argentina

Prices available on request