Ice Cricket

Ice cricket is a variant of the English game cricket played in harsh, wintry conditions. The difference between Ice Cricket and other forms of cricket played in the winter is that Ice Cricket is played directly on the ice, with no mat is laid down. Greats of the game take part in unique event, the Ice Cricket Challenge in the Swiss Alps resort town of St Moritz. 

One of the most famous holiday destinations in the world, it is home to exceptional leisure and sporting facilities and hosts events on the world stage. An international tournament called Cricket On Ice has been played on Lake St. Moritz since 1988 and now in Estonia every year since 2004.

Cricket on Ice in St Moritz is a sensational experience, attracting cricket enthusiats (some international players, some high-flying business people) from all over the world. The event provides teams the opportunity to participate in the most prestigious annual event in the Swiss cricketing calendar in an atmosphere of fun and sporting brilliance.

The ball is the same as an indoor cricket ball, a composite plastic red ball which makes it relatively easy to find if it gets hit into a snowdrift. The Ice Cricket World Championship is held annually in the Estonian city of Tallinn. With winter temperatures of minus 10 to minus 25, the tournaments are played on Harku boating lake, which freezes over rapidly in early January.

The rules for Ice Cricket are similar to six-a-side rules : –

• Wides count as two extra runs with no extra ball, with leniency given to the bowler as he finds it tough standing up most of the time.
• Each team must bowl six overs which means everyone gets a go.
• The competition itself depends on the number of teams taking part but the usual format is a Round Robin tournament with top teams progressing to semis and finals.
• Teams can have a maximum of 10 players and a minimum of 6.
• Also, the boundaries are either snow-banks or are patrolled by officials on ice skates, if you strike a skater an extra 6 runs are added to your score.

It would be a pleasure to welcome you to St. Moritz, to offer you a chair in the sun from where you can watch a cricket match & enjoy delicious refreshments in the champagne climate of St Moritz.

Cricket on Ice 2022

(THURSDAY 17TH – SATURDAY 19TH FEBRUARY 2022)

The dates for the 2022 Cricket on Ice Trophy has been confirmed and will take place from Thursday 17th – Saturday 19th February 2022.

COMPETING TEAMS

In 2022 St Moritz Cricket Club, by strictly invitation only, play host to Old Cholmeleians from Highgate in London, Lyceum Alpinum from down the valley in Zuoz and Pengiuns Cricket Club originally formed at Hatfield College, Durham University.