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Pro-independence stickers have been placed on the post box
A post box celebrating England’s Cricket World Cup victory has caused a backlash in Cardiff.
Royal Mail painted a box on the city’s Queen Street white, with the words “congratulations England cricket team”.
Cardiff hosted games in last month’s men’s tournament – with England’s team also representing Wales on the pitch.
But the post box has been covered with pro-independence stickers with some twitter users saying it should say: “England and Wales Cricket Board.”
However, others said people from both countries should enjoy the victories together and those that placed the stickers should pay for it to be cleaned.
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England won the men’s tournament last month to add to the women’s title won in 2017.
Following this, Royal Mail announced it would transform 15 post boxes near host venues.
Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens hosted matches as well as stadiums such as Lords in London and Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Royal Mail’s Matt Parkes had said “cricket is truly coming home”, adding: “We are delighted to celebrate the historic achievement of England Cricket and celebrate both the England men’s and women’s winning teams in 2019 and in 2017.”
The ECB’s chief executive Tom Harrison also described it as an “historic achievement”.
While called England, the national cricket team is governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board and represents both countries.
Many players from Welsh county Glamorgan have put on the England shirt, including pace bowlers Simon Jones and Steve Watkin, spinner Robert Croft and batsmen Hugh Morris and Matthew Maynard.
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Post boxes were painted blue at the start of the tournament
The sporting union has not proved universally popular, with Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards speaking out after the England men’s team’s world cup win.
“The greatest honour in any sport is to play for your national team – Welsh cricket players are denied that opportunity,” he said.
“In fact, Welsh cricketers are the only people in the British Isles who are denied this opportunity.
“The Scottish and Irish national teams are well-established with full test status and yet, when it comes to Welsh cricket, it’s still a case of ‘for Wales, see England’.”
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Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens hosted games in the world cup which took place in June and July
Independence campaign group Yes Cymru Caerdydd led the way by opposing the post box, tweeting: “To think, they objected having a yellow post box for a historic win by @GeraintThomas86 in the #TourdeFrance, but are happy to have a white one celebrating a win by the England cricket team.”
Others said the post box should read “England and Wales Cricket Board” rather than just “England”.
But some defended the move, saying the people of England and Wales should celebrate the victories together.
