On a chilly, fall Saturday morning ETSU held its first International Cricket Match as part of the 2005 Homecoming festivities. Sponsored by the Educational Leadership Association (ELA), the event showcased the game of cricket for many students, faculty and community members that had heard about the game but never witnessed it being played.
A team of students from India squared off against an international team made up of players from all around the world, some of which had not played the game in several years. Members of the crowd were handed pamphlets that helped them learn about the game of cricket and its rules.
Dr. Wilsie Bishop, vice president for administration at ETSU, hoped that the cricket game would benefit those who attended. “An important part of a college education is to be made aware of and experience cultures and traditions different from one’s own,” she said.
The game of cricket has several similiarites to our game of baseball, but the rules and gameplay can be hard for the average American to follow. Dr. Dilawar Grewal, captain of the international team, explained that, “sometimes the bowler will intentionally bounce the ball at a batter’s head, but you don’t get to advance like in baseball, you just have to take it.”
Injuries in cricket are common due to the high speed the ball travels when bowled down the pitch, a 22-yard strip on the playing surface where the batsmen and bowler square off.
Often times a bowler will hurl the ball 90 mph during a game. The event held at ETSU was slightly toned down compared to professional matches that are held in places such as Australia, England and India.
Throughout the summer and fall the team of ETSU students from India practiced for the match, using a tennis ball in most cases to avoid any accidents.
Finding opponents is not easily done in the U.S. however. The closest opponent is a team from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and plans are being made for a future match between the two teams.
Karthik “Vijay” Araghavan, a player on the Indian squad, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play on the ETSU campus. “I am very thankful for the school giving us the opportunity to play today and use the facilities here,” he said.
In the end, the international team could not hold off the more experienced Indian team, losing 155-154. No matter the score, both teams displayed great sportsmanship while introducing a new sport to the spectators.
Freshmen Allison Wilson found the cricket match entertaining. “This is very interesting, I’ve learned a lot and it looks fun, it would be nice if they did this more often,” she said.
The ELA, with the help of a local restaurant, set up a tent for spectators and served food and refreshments for those in attendance.
With the positive turnout and overall public interest in the cricket game, players from both teams hope to form a local cricket club that will allow them to play the game they love more often.

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