From India to the Caribbean, even in the middle of a sheep pasture in the rural English countryside, the pitches and grounds are well-manicured and singular in purpose -- for cricket only.
That isn't quite the case here, with the area's best "ground" being squeezed between two soccer goals at Edgebrook Field in South Park. But that hasn't diminished the love of the game for about 200 members of the Pittsburgh Cricket Association.
"The passion is there," said association President Shailesh Bokil, 42 of McDonald via India.
Grown men and college students from the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne and West Virginia universities (last season's champion) battle it out Saturdays and Sundays in South Park and Franklin Park.
"They try to relive their childhood or relive their heroes," Bokil said of Pittsburgh league players, three-quarters of whom are from India. Other countries represented include Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England.
The names Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag of India and Brian Lara of Trinidad are revered in the world of cricket the way Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron are here in the first-cousin sport of baseball.
When Bokil and Paul Mackay, originally from Sydney, founded the association in 2004, they thought they had established the area's first organized cricket group. They soon learned they were 125 years too late for that honor.
The Pittsburgh Cricket Club was established in 1883, playing teams in Philadelphia, New York and Washington. The new organizers are still looking into the history of the old club.
Sokil and Mackay want to revive the old club for matches against other cities and for tournaments, such as the annual event they play in Philadelphia.
"We think that's the right thing to do," said Mackay, 38, of Green Tree. "We think there's a lot of history there, and a lot of prestige in bringing that back."
During Labor Day weekend, Mackay said the association plans to host the Canadian Police Association cricket team from Toronto for matches at South Park.
"That's really amazing for us," he said.
While the fields on which they play aren't ideal, they show how far the club has come in four years. Makeshift grounds on soccer fields with proper balls and equipment are a far cry from pick-up games on baseball fields with tennis balls.
In those first years, they often struggled to field even five teams. Today, there are 10 teams in the league with two more from Cleveland hoping to join next year.
While most Americans do not understand the rules, Bokil said plenty of people who stop to watch weekend matches know what is being played. Members are hopeful cricket will catch on with Americans playing, instead of just watching.
"I think it's going to become another sport with the other sports in the U.S.," said Puneet Khandelwal, 31, of Shadyside, who learned to play growing up in New Delhi, India.
Bokil talked about neighborhood children playing cricket in his backyard with his 10-year-old son.
"They don't know much about the rules, but they like to play the game," he said. "It's going to catch on here soon."
Larger text
Smaller text
Print this article
E-mail this article
