How Great Britain claimed Olympic cricket glory in Paris 124 years ago

The 12-man Great Britain team – also known as the Devon & Somerset Wanderers – that won Olympic Gold in 1900. Local gendarmerie were on hand to control a virtually non-existent crowd during the visitors’ 158-run success over two days. Photograph: Topham Picturepoint/PA Images

These are lean times for England’s male white-ball cricketers. Bundled out of last year’s ODI World Cup in humiliating style, thrashed by India in the T20 World Cup after scraping into the semi-finals: the team now led by Jos Buttler has suffered a dramatic decline since the glories of 2019 and 2022.

There remains more than a glimmer of hope to cling to, however. Another prestigious international title remains in English – more accurately British – hands and will remain so until at least 2028.