Debutants Great Britain want to leave their mark on WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup

WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup debutants Great Britain have set two big targets ahead of the 2024 edition when it takes place in Shaoxing, China from 6-15 September. "Our goal is twofold," Great Britain U-23 Baseball National Team manager Jonathon Cramman told the WBSC. "One, I want everyone who sees us play to remember us as a hard-working, tough, fun group who make the game a joy to watch. Two, to become the U-23 World Champions."

World No. 18 Great Britain will compete in Group A of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 and face No. 1 Japan, No. 11 Australia, No. 12 Puerto Rico, No. 13 Colombia and No. 24 China.

Group B will include No. 4 Korea, No. 5 Chinese Taipei, No. 6 Venezuela, No. 7 Netherlands, No. 20 Nicaragua and No. 34 South Africa.

Cramman said it was hard work to select his 24-player roster, while pointing out Oliver Duthie, a left-handed pitcher from the University of British Columbia, as one of the players to watch.

"The selection process was a long and difficult one. None of our players played in Britain this spring or summer, so we leaned heavily on our scouts, video and advanced metrics. Our coaching staff and scouting department members also travelled across the US in the spring to see as many guys live as possible. I'm confident we've left no stone unturned."

Great Britain has never participated in the WBSC U-23 or the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups. Still, the British programme is one of the oldest in Europe. England won the 1938 John Moores Series against the United States. The series is considered the first edition of the Amateur World Series, later renamed the Baseball World Cup.

In 1937, England was among the founding members of the International Baseball Federation, along with the United States, France, Canada, Cuba, and Hawaii (not yet a US territory). In the 1930s, businessman and philanthropist John Moores supported a successful National Baseball Association and a competitive league in England.

"The top level of baseball in Great Britain is very slowly growing," Cramman added. "However, it is still nowhere near where we need to be to fulfil our development goals and aspirations. In the National Baseball League, they play a 30-game season with a single-elimination playoff format. I have long been a proponent of a smaller league with more games and a longer playoff schedule. Hopefully, we can get there soon."

Cramman, a 33-year-old born and raised Londoner, played at every level for the national team and has served as the senior team's hitting coach at the World Baseball Classic and bench coach at the 2023 European Championship. He is also a nine-time domestic national champion with the London Mets, seven as a player and two as a coach. In 2017, at just 26, he became the youngest-ever manager to win a British national championship.  

"I have loved the game since I discovered it at eight. I don't know why, but it has been an all-encompassing obsession since then. My mum worked very hard for me as a young child and man to have opportunities in the game; she passed away in 2021, so everything I do now I do for her." 

Great Britain impressed at the World Baseball Classic 2023 and finished second in the European Championship. London became the first European city to host Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season games. Is Great Britain going to be the next baseball dream story?

"I think in the last five years, we've been able to completely reverse the way the programme is viewed by European Baseball and World Baseball, which was our first goal. We will certainly strive to continue in that tradition; however, we know and respect how good our opponents are. We must continue to work extremely hard to keep our momentum up."