The NC State cricket club is back after a hiatus. With its official status renewed in February, the club looks forward to beginning yet another trek to emulate its glorious past. NC State has held the No. 1 rank among university cricket teams in the past and it has been a top-division team for more than a decade.
Started as a hobby club by student enthusiasts, the NC State cricket club has grown to be a top sporting group on the east coast. Moreover, given the status cricket enjoys in the Indian subcontinent region, the club has carved its own niche in the university circles by giving many students a homey environment. Their performances in the Raleigh area in regional leagues such as Triangle Cricket League, the Southeast Regional Cricket Tournament and American College Cricket’s Mid Atlantic Championship have earned the university its own name in American cricket.
However, the club members are primarily graduate students and this has caused frequent breaks in the team’s composition, affecting its performance. In an attempt to be more inclusive, the club seeks to popularize the sport among the undergraduate students so that NC State can develop a steady cricketing culture and expand its sporting horizon to actively include cricket.
A recent recruitment drive at RecFest this month brought a slew of enthusiasts for trials, after which nearly 30 members were selected. The club currently has a blend of graduate students, doctoral and post-doctoral scholars.
In the past, members often spent money from their own pockets to keep the club active and organize matches regularly. The fact that the club members have made time to recruit, train players and contest matches in tandem with the hectic schedule of the students’ graduate programs shows their passion for cricket and commitment to encouraging cricket culture in the Triangle area.
Raleigh has access to good cricketing opportunities given that the Triangle Cricket League, a 20-team tournament, regularly involves teams from Triangle-area universities and independent corporate entities. This annual league contests One-Day and T20 tournaments, from which top teams progress to play in the Southeast Regional Tournament.
The presence of an International Cricket Council approved stadium in Morrisville, North Carolina can be capitalized by the club to practice and contest matches. The expansive sports facilities on campus could be extended to include cricket and give a vista of sporting achievements to NC State students. The presence of a continued cricket culture will not only boost the talent and quality of cricket in the university, but will also provide the Wolfpack its own standing in the region — and the ideal way to go ahead would be to encourage a vigorous cricket culture among the undergraduate community.
Currently undergoing a reorganization, the NC State Cricket Club looks to be an active participant in university sports in the days to follow.
You can contact the NC State Cricket Club at [email protected]. The club meets and practices in Kensington Park (timings vary).
