Italy up for global challenge

Joe Scuderi is now captain of the Italy cricket team

When Fabio Cannavaro lifted the football World Cup after Italy’s victory over France on penalties in Germany in 2006 it might seem strange that cricket played a small role in the Azzurri’s triumph.

Naples-born and raised Cannavaro could be forgiven for not knowing that cricket was played by Admiral Nelson's sailors in his home city in 1793.

But any Italian football fan worth their salt will know it was British cricket expatriates around the end of the 19th century who founded AC Milan - originally the Milan Cricket and Football Club - and the first Italian football team, Genoa Cricket and Football Club, which was originally the Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club.

Of course the purists will point to ‘Calcio Fiorentino’ as the roots of football in the country in the 16th century but the game only took off on an organised footing with the arrival of the cricketers.

Just over two years after Marcello Lippi’s side lifted the football World Cup at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Italy’s national cricket team continue their quest to reach the 2011 World Cup when they take part in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division Four tournament in Tanzania.

Captain Joe Scuderi dreams of following in Cannavaro’s footsteps but concedes that qualification for the World Cup alone would represent a huge achievement.

“We are not looking too far ahead - our aim at the moment is to win the tournament here or finish top two and take it from there,” Scuderi said.

“It would be nice to get into Division Three and make it to Argentina in January and give ourselves a chance to play in the World Cup qualifier next April but we’re going to have to play well for that to happen.

“This is a big tournament for us. We are playing in different conditions here in Tanzania and it is the team that adapts best to these conditions that will do well.

“We know a little bit about Fiji - who we have met once before and are good side - and Afghanistan have some good players, as do Jersey, and Tanzania as host will be strong.”

Scuderi’s twang is certainly more Queensland than Sicilian - his Italian parents emigrated Down Under before he was born - and his cricket skills were honed on the flat tracks of Adelaide rather than the artificial wickets of Rome.

Scuderi played 82 first-class matches for South Australia and Lancashire during his playing career

He played state cricket for South Australia and also represented Lancashire in a first-class career of 82 matches which brought him 179 wickets and 3,372 runs at an average just over 30.

Now 39, he plays for Ribblesdale Wanderers in Lancashire which allows him to captain and coach Italy.

Scuderi enthused about his experiences in international cricket for the Azzurri and seems keen to assist with the long-term development of the the game in the country.

“I never thought five or 10 years ago I would be travelling round the world playing in countries like Tanzania and you never know where it could take you next time,” Scuderi said.

“It is always a big challenge to play new opposition and it’s great to be able to travel the world and enjoy other people’s cultures and everything that goes with it.

“I am very fortunate - I’ve never played in Tanzania so it is great opportunity for me.

“The game is going global and there are new countries getting into it so there are lots of possibilities for the future as well.”

He continued: “We are always on the lookout for players of Italian heritage but it is not just a case of them coming over and playing.

“They need to be able to adapt and fulfil the eligibility criteria - it’s not as simple as having a passport and turning up to play.

“You have to do a period of work for the Italian Cricket Federation to be eligible so you know if someone is prepared to put that effort in they are committed for the long haul.

“Obviously it is important to develop the game in Italy as well as pulling guys from Australia, South Africa or England who are Italian.

“Producing players is one thing but getting players who are up to the standard is a different matter.”