See also here: Embassy Brasília link

The traditional international cricket championship between Australia and the United Kingdom is an inspiration for the Game of Ambassadors, in Brasilia, held this Saturday (19th), at Clube Nipo Brasileiro. Once again Australia took the trophy, accumulating ten of the 16 disputed titles. This “competition”, of single game, is one of the actions developed by the Brasiliense and Cricket Association and by the Federation of this sport, to promote the “game of the English” in Brazil. The two teams, English and Australian, brought players from Minas Gerais and São Paulo to the Federal District.

After the competition, at the official residence of the Australian ambassador to Brazil, John Richardson, players and admirers attended a galam dinner. During the event, cricket balls were drawn for those present. The delivery was made by the Australian diplomat himself.

It was still 1800 when cricket games appeared in Brazil. That’s because at that time there were Britons, or descendants in the wonderful city, in Rio de Janeiro. Few were interested in sports and only six decades later were some clubs in operation. The most significant were the British CC, Rio British CC and the British and American Club. The spaces were improvised and the games were limited to the outdoors.

Today, the history of this European sport is already quite different. There are interstate and international club competitions throughout Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Bahia, Recife and other states and the Federal District (DF) promote championships. And this weekend there was, in the federal capital, the Ambassadors Game. “This competition is to promote the sport throughout Brazil. Today there are players from other states, such as Minas Gerais who have more than 1,200 cricket players in Poços de Caldas alone”, says the Australian and director at the Brasiliense Cricket Association, Vincent Bastick.