The game of cricket arrived in Italy in the late 1700s and was fairly well practiced until the 19th century. However, it was forgotten during the fascist regime in the 1920s. After the war, cricket flourished in Rome in the 1960s on a superb field overlooking the dome of St. Peter in Villa Doria Pamphili.
The British and Australian embassies, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Commonwealth War Graves Association, the Venerable English College, and the Beda College all had teams competing for the Rome Ashes within the Villa of the Princess Pamphili, and the man who later became our first Honorary President, Admiral Frank Pogdson. In 1972, following the expropriation by the City, the Villa became a public park..
The cricket made its comeback in Rome on other fields, primarily with the return to the "Palazzola" Field on the Alban Hills near Marino. It was then that four of the players who competed in the Rome Ashes officially formed the Doria Pamphili Cricket Club
the Italian-Sri Lankan Alfonso Jayarajah (later became the first captain of the Italian National team in 1983), the Italian-Indian Massimo Da Costa, the Australian Desmond O'Grady and the Syrian Sam Kahale. The club, after receiving permission from Prince Doria to use the name and logo, formed one of the strongest teams to ever play cricket in Italy
In 1983, the Capannelle Hippodrome in Rome provided a ground for the team, within the hippodrome itself, and thus the team took the name of the Capannelle Cricket Club. Under their guidance and encouragement of Jayarajah and Da Costa, who alternated as captains, the Club say the development of many local players, such as Peter Bonapace, Alberto Bet, Massimo Crisanti, Andrea Amati, and Riccardo Maggio.
In 1988, the club won all four competitions organized by the then Italian Cricket Association (now Italian Cricket Federation), and eight of its players were selected to play with the national team. Since its inception, the Club has won many trophies, such as the Italian Championship (5 times), the Italian Cup (8 times), and the Italian Trophy (5 out of 7).
