Social Cricket
Cricket in America is played for more social purposes than anything else. It is a way for the people to relax and have some fun outside of their daily hectic routine.
Teams like Germantown Cricket Club (GCC), Philadelphia Cricket Club (PCC), Merion Cricket Club (MCC), and British Officers’ Cricket Club (BOCC) epitomize social cricket in Phialdelphia. These teams mostly play social games among each other as their team roster is mostly older players.
The players that take on the field come from all walks of life and represent a wide range of ages. A social game can have players as young as 10-12 years old to players as old as 75-80 years old.
The objective is to play the game for its beauty. Winner or loser does not really matter as long as a good game of cricket was played and everyone had fun. The idea is to socialize, make connections and enjoy with friends and family. Most games are followed by food and drinks and a friendly dose of the inescapable banter.
There is nothing really on the line for these players expect for their precious Sunday morning sleep. If you were to ask any one of these players, they would happily give up on their sleep to play a game of cricket.
Although cricket is more recreational that does not mean that there is no seriousness or discipline attached to it. The local leagues are a representation of a more serious fashion of cricket. The 20 teams that play across four major local leagues try to put their best foot forward and practice regularly before and during the season.
Most teams have been around for so long and have played against each other so many times that there is a sort of rivalry among them. It is a matter of pride for these teams to perform well. Not just teams, but even players take immense pride in their performances because who does not like to perform well. As much as cricket is a hobby for these players, it is also a way for them to remain competitive and active both on and off the field, let alone enjoy other benefits like fostering relationships and gaining life-essential skills.
The teams take each other on every weekend playing on different fields in and around Philadelphia. Most teams have a home ground in the region they are situated in or they represent.
I play cricket for the Prior Cricket Club. So, I thought it would be interesting to interview Terence, the club’s President, who has been playing cricket in Phialdelphia for nearly 30 years, to find out about his experiences of playing cricket in the city and how he has seen the cricket scene evolve over the three decades.
