World Baseball Classic Diary - Tues 14th March - GB v Mexico

Tuesday 14th March

GB 1 Mexico 2

The British baseball community will be on the edge of their seats later waiting for the result of the USA v Colombia game tonight.

A USA victory will mean GB will finish fourth and be guaranteed automatic qualification for the next World Baseball Classic in 2026.

Make no mistake, this is an incredible achievement in a really tough group.

The performances against USA, Colombia and Mexico underlined what GB Baseball has achieved over the last 10 years, building each year and at each major tournament to reach Phoenix in 2023.

The players have become household names and if anyone doubts their commitment to the team and the country, their faces at the end of the Mexico confirmed what this tournament has meant to them.

The coaching staff, led by Drew Spencer, has been fantastic and extra praise should be directed to the behind the scenes members of the delegation which has managed brilliantly by Gary Anderson.

What has also been incredible is the British baseball fans who made the trip here from the UK and across the world to witness this marvellous festival of baseball.

The parents and families of the GB players have been remarkable, mingling with fans and sharing baseball stories, all united in one common goal.

The fans of the other Pool C teams have been welcoming. At the start of the week the most common question from them was “Is baseball played in Great Britain?”

By the end the views had changed. The team had proved on the field that GB Baseball had to be taken seriously and the fans in the stands had proved we know our baseball.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic has to be seen as a watershed for British baseball. We need to make sure we build on the WBC legacy and develop the grassroots.

It is our future and we must grab it with both hands.

#LetsGoGB

Richard Evans