History of Britannia CC
The name “Britannia” has been part of Berlin sports since 1892, with the foundation of the Berliner Thor- und Fussball Club Britannia. Back then, the club played football, cricket and rugby, all popular British sports experiencing increasing popularity on the continent at the time. After World War I, the club merged with BFC Fortuna and dropped the Britannia name due to it
s association with the country’s wartime foe, becoming Berliner Sport Verein 1892. Up until World War II, cricket continued to gain in popularity and BSV 1892 was one of four Berlin teams in existence between 1930 and 1939. From 1946 onwards, German clubs (including BSV 1892) were forced to disband as part of denazification measures by the occupying Allied forces. From this point on, cricket in Berlin was played almost exclusively by and among the British Army and armed forces, with the BSV cricket team dormant during this time and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Mindful of the long-standing tradition of cricket here in Berlin, Britannia CC was relaunched in 2001 in the modest surroundings of a pub in Spandau by Mr Lennie West and several of the existing team squad, including the current club chairman Sunil Gowda. The traditional bonds with BSV 1892 were rekindled in the years thereafter and the cricket club rebooted, and this fruitful cooperation continues to this day. Britannia CC has seen consistent growth in recent years, winning its first trophy in almost a century in 2007 with the inaugural Berlin T20 championship. It won the Regionalliga title in 2014, and followed this up with the club’s first Bundesliga-Ost title in 2017, repeating the feat in 2019 and progressing to the German national final. In 2020, the club won the East German T20 championship (ODCV), ECS tournament in Dresden and first Dresden Indoor Championship. In 2022, the club was once again crowned ODCV champions. Britannia CC is affiliated to the ODCV (Ostdeutscher Cricket Verband) on a local level, and to the DCB (Deutscher Cricket Bund) on a national level. The club plays and trains on the Maifeld, an imposing and historic location between the Glockenturm and Olympiastadion. We are also fortunate to be able to train indoors through the winter in a sports hall in Schöneberg. Britannia CC has a very international perspective, with club members coming from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, England, Ireland, Germany, Bangladesh and others. The club is constantly on the lookout for new talent and is always keen to welcome new club players. We have had the privilege of several international players wearing Britannia colours, including current German Player of the Year (2020) Rohit Singh. We also offer training for women and children, with qualified ECB coaches and umpires on hand to assist. While we definitely play to win, we also pride ourselves on maintaining an easy-going, inclusive and enjoyable atmosphere. Britannia CC is open to all, regardless of skill level and experience. You are never too young or too old to play cricket, and Britannia CC consists of players of all ages – we all have one thing in common, a curiosity and a passion for cricket. Please visit our page for the latest news and information on playing and training at Britannia CC. We look forward to your visit.
