American College Cricket in Compton’s Jackie Robinson Stadium ! Cricket, Baseball & Kids Connect !
new American College Cricket member UCLA, with rodney Cutting, father of West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards)
It was truly a historic day, as American College Cricket came to Compton. UCLA and Claremont Colleges played the first ever cricket games in Compton on Sat Nov 22 in an effort by American College Cricket Hall of Famers David Sentance, Mustafa Khan, Coach Pickens (the latter 2 are lifetime Compton residents), Lloyd Jodah (ACC Founder & President) and the Presidents of the Cricket Clubs at UCLA,Yuvraj Talwar, and Claremont, Anjaneya Malpani.
For months Coach Pickens had cross trained his C-Bats players from Honorary American College Cricket team Centennial High School Baseball. Now the boys got to see lifetime cricket players in action, and mingle with the college students. “Our players are passionate & wonderful ambassadors of the game,” said Lloyd, “they welcomed this opportunity to bring the game to a different environment,and be role models, in a sporting & academic way.”
C-Bats played a 6 over game vs a Buena Park Cricket Academy team, and one of their players subbed as a fielder for UCLA – on one occasion hitting the stumps side on from the boundary, to the appreciative cheers of the cricket players, and spectators.
UCLA Captain Yuvraj said, “The match went brilliantly. Regardless of the result, it was played in the right spirit and both teams loved the fight.
What was particularly satisfying was actually away from the cricket. When we arrived we were introduced to the kids who were there on from the baseball team.It was astonishing to see the way these guys took to cricket. What was even more astonishing was to see the drive in them to achieve and inspire. Their drive was clearly not only limited to sport, you just got the feeling they wanted to create a better future for themselves. To know that you along with others have aided their thought process in this positive direction is something really remarkable and something all of American College Cricket should be most proud of.”
Seeing his unique vision of cricket & baseball cross training come to fruition was particularly gratifying to Coach Pickens who said,”The event wash historic and monumental the kids found a different sport to like and is looking forward to a lifetime of cricket and baseball and cannot wait till the next cricket match.” Of course, 125 years and more ago an American boy playing a sport was likely to play both cricket & baseball.
UCLA vs CLAREMONT Colleges : Both new teams, UCLA & Claremont were playing their first ‘hard ball’ game,and were loaned bats, pads etc.They did not have uniforms but were clothed in their love for the game.
Batting first UCLA opener Vikas took over the game, and just missed scoring the first century in Comption ! Vikas smashed 97* with 9 fours & 2 sixes,, batting through the innings. At one point a Claremont fielder, accustomed to baseball, took a brilliant catch, but it was well over the boundary & not out ! UCLA scored 188 for 3, then bowled out Claremont for 88.
Mustafa Khan made the road trip from Arizona, where he is assisting his son coach NBA hopeful Tanveer Bhullar, to be instrumental in getting the support of Compton City Council’s, with Mayor Asa Brown and Councilwoman Zuritas.
Cricket historian David Sentance (he wrote Cricket in America 1710 – 2000 and is currently working on his follow up) coordinated the logistics with Coach Pickens, Mustafa and number of key supporters :
Pradeep Patel brought his Buena Park Cricket Academy kids.
Mark Azeez loaned the equipment the teams used,
Carl Stevens and Derek Rowland assisted all around.
Rodney Cutting (father of West Indiesfast bowler Fidel Edwards) umpired & supervised laying of mat.
Delores Sheen – who supported inner city cricket since 1996 at Sheenaway School.
An Australian TV crew came and did a report on the event as American College Cricket once more stretch the boundary of what’s possible for cricket in the United States of America.
