Over the past decade, the primarily Eastern sport of cricket has found its place in a country that is saturated with other popular sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer and American football.
The surprising popularity of cricket in America stems from the ethnic diversity that American educational institutions foster and encourage.
The Wooster Cricket Club (WCC) was first inaugurated in the early 1990s as a result of growing interest in cricket among the collegeís international student body.
Since then, the WCC has arranged matches against colleges in the Mid-West and the East Coast regions.
The club primarily consists of international students from South-Asian countries where cricket is an extremely popular sport.Recently, local American students have showed a staggering interest in the sport and make up a large portion of the club.
The WCC membership represents students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Jamaica, United Kingdom, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Jamaica and America.
In the past, the WCCís cricketers have experienced both the delight of decisive victories and the disappointment of unprecedented defeats. In the spring semester of 2009, the WCC lost two consecutive matches to Ohio Wesleyan University and Carnegie Mellon University. However, a phenomenal comeback was made when the team defeated Carnegie Mellon University towards the end of the semester.
This year, the WCCís prospects seem to be brighter than ever as cricketers look forward to traveling to Florida to participate in a national level cricket tournament during Spring Break.
The administration of the WCC intends to take the Wooster Cricket Team on a college-sponsored cricket tour in Florida from March 17-21. The team has been practicing for the American Colleges Spring Break Cricket Championship 2010 that is being arranged and funded by renowned West Indian cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Last year, the tournament was covered by mainstream media such as The New York Times, ESPN, NBC and NY Daily News.
This year, international media organizations from Pakistan and India have shown interest in providing coverage to the tournament. Twenty-four colleges from across the country are expected to participate in the tournament.
The Wooster cricket team is determined to return to campus after Spring Break with a shining cricket trophy.
Wooster is amongst the pioneers of promoting cricket teams at American colleges.The appreciation of unique Eastern sports in the Wooster community is truly commendable, as it speaks volumes about the recognition that foreign cultures and traditions receive at Wooster.
ìPresident Cornwellís support for cricket activities on campus has been most encouraging for the clubís administration and membership,” WCC President Maaz Khan í11 said.
For more information about joining the Cricket team, contact Mazz Khan ë11 at MKhan11@wooster.edu.