Cricket in winter, on an ice rink? First you’d have to come up with the idea. But the idea – born, according to legend, over a beer at the bar – seemed convincing and in 1988 the St. Moritz winter season was enriched by another sporting highlight. Cricket is popular with many nations in the southern hemisphere where ice, cold and snow are known only by hearsay. And this is precisely what makes the idea of playing the sport in a completely different setting – snow-covered, three-thousand metre peaks, blue skies and ice-cold mountain air – so attractive, in addition to the fast-moving ball, spectacular jumps and acrobatics that characterize a good game of cricket. Since 1988, fans from all over the world have been cheering on the world-class players from India, Pakistan or England, who show their skills on the ice of a frozen winter lake.
The game demands endurance and stamina from its teams and is limited to about 2 hours playing time in St. Moritz. This is different from the traditional cricket countries where a game can stretch over many hours or even days.
Cricket on Ice is played in St. Moritz in February and thus joins the series of international events such as horse racing, polo and golf which take place on the frozen Lake St. Moritz.
By the way, every year in July the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz invites you to the summer Cresta Charity Cricket Match on the golf course.
When:
winter season
Where:
A 15-minute walk from the Crystal Hotel
