Moscow International Cricket League has been formed in Summer 2000 to bring together the groups of social cricketers that had been previously making informal games each Summer.

This included the British Embassy, a group of Australians and New Zealanders coordinated out of the Australian Embassy Social & Sports Club, Indians and Pakistani cricketers and a host of other interested players and spectators.

After a few false starts in convincing authorities of the virtues of the game and the need for appropriate facilities Moscow International Cricket League was formed with its home as Dynamo Sports Stadium on the North West edge of Moscow.

First social match was held on 25th June with a friendly amongst all teams and to finalize the program of matches and tournament programs.

The League was set up with teams of Australia/New Zealand, Great Britain, India and World XI. The league format adopted a program of two main rounds where each team would play the other twice in a limited overs (25) match with adjusted rules to allow for local conditions of ground size.

After the first round of 3 matches the Indian side leads the ladder with 3 wins and no losses, WORLD XI follows with 2 wins (although a controversial decision causing their loss to India is still the talk of all after match post-mortems), Australia with one win and Great Britain yet to make a stand on the winners rostrum is holding the bottom position on the table.

The matches require teams of 11 as is usual, 25 overs per innings, each batsman reaching 25 runs must retire and no bowlers may bowl more than five overs in an innings.

Each team will play the other in the remaining minor rounds to be played before the finals in early September. First will play second to decide the ultimate winner of the Trophy for Summer 2000. The season will be wrapped up with a "Cricket Ball" for all players and their families with award presentations.

Coca Cola Export Corporation has sponsored the tournament with the provision of their products for refreshments at all of the matches and has provided the major trophies for the Coca Cola Moscow International Cricket League Shield (Winners and Runners Up) as well as other trophies for Players of the Series, Bowling and Batting and team performances.

It is hoped that the league will develop to 6 teams in 2001 and a longer season. Involvement of more younger players and Russian nationals in the game is also anticipated in future seasons although the league has managed to have a few participants from the Russian community.

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