Contributed/ETSU Cricket Club Instagram

The ETSU cricket club has been operational since 2023, when the first group of students decided they wanted to bring their favorite sport to this campus. The club strives to build a welcoming community of both veteran players and those who want to learn more about the game.

Their mission statement says, “We want to go beyond the boundaries of the cricket field, aiming to cultivate a vibrant community among ETSU students through athletic engagement and cultural exchange.” They have definitely met their cultural exchange aspect. Due to this being a globally recognized sport, the team currently has people from 8 different countries, including the US.

Cricket is a game usually consisting of two teams of 11. These teams try to score runs by using their batsman, or batter. They can do this by making a safe run to the opposite end of the field after hitting the ball for one point or hitting the ball to the edge of the field for four points.

The bowlers, however, will try to throw the ball to make it hard for the batsmen to score. Finally, the fielders’ job is to catch the ball before it hits the ground to secure an out or to make quick returns to reduce the risk of a quick single. 

While the past two years have been spent simply practicing or playing games amongst themselves, the Buccaneers are gearing up for the first official game against another school. They will be headed to Virginia Tech on Saturday, April 25 to prove their skills. If you are interested in learning more about the team or the game itself, others are encouraged to come to practice held every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. in the intramural fields behind the Basler Center for Physical Activity.

Author