Since then, cricket has become increasingly popular among native Brazilians, with the formation of a women's team and several junior competitions.
[5] Beginning in 1860, as part of a much-needed beautification programme for the city, Emperor Dom Pedro II created several new parks, including a large grassed area in front of his daughter Princess Isabel's house, on Rua Paysandu in the Laranjeiras district.
In 1897, the newly renamed Rio Cricket and Athletic Association purchased a large property in Niterói, on the other side of Guanabara Bay.
Teams and grounds were also created at the British-owned Morro Velho mine just outside Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais (1887), and at the Frigorífico Anglo plant in Barretos, São Paulo (1913), where cricket was played until the mid-1990s.
Cricket was also played at the Fazenda dos Ingleses in Caraguatatuba, on the coast of São Paulo, from 1927 until the Second World War.
In 1894, Charles Miller, the Brazilian-born son of British parents, returned from his studies in England with a football and some cricket equipment, which he immediately used to introduce these sports to the locals.
The BCA helped continue the series of matches that had been held between these clubs for many years, as well as interstate and international games.
Brazil competed in the inaugural ICC Americas Division 3 tournament in Suriname in 2006, as well as in Buenos Aires in 2008 and Santiago in 2009.
Brazil won its first ICC tournament at the Americas Division 3 championship in Santiago, Chile in October 2009.
In addition to this competition, Saquarembo CC is a Sao Paulo-based group of former Brazil players which plays just a few exhibition matches a year against Rest of the World (SP).
With Brazil's entry into the ICC came the creation of junior development programmes in Brasília, Sao Paulo and Curitiba.
In terms of junior development, there is a growing number of boys participating in regular training sessions and games, giving the core of a future U17s team.
This ongoing programme provided the platform for a very successful U13s tournament held in July 2009 in Curitiba, played between Argentina, the eventual winners, Chile and Brazil.
Development programmes are planned for these cities with a view towards increasing the number of teams in the domestic competition in the near future.
In Sao Paulo, where SAC8 was held, there have been a number of improvements at the full-size SPAC ground, including a new portable net.
While unable to win any matches at this championship, the team was very competitive and earned the praise of all who witnessed how much they the players have achieved in such a short time.