The East Brunswick Department of Recreation may add a cricket ground to its roster. EAST BRUNSWICK — In keeping with the changing demographics in the township, the Department of Recreation is considering adding cricket to its roster of sports.
“We have seen a rising interest in the community in regard to field space and organized games,” said Director of Recreation, Parks & Community Services Michael Reissner.
Officials expect a decision on including cricket as part of the recreation program by the fall.
Currently, the township does not have a cricket-specific field, but officials are looking for possible locations if they decide to move forward.
Other towns in the county have adopted their own cricket clubs, specifically in areas with a large South Asian population.
“If you look at the state, you have far more South Asians coming to live here,” said Atul Huckoo, president of the Edison Cricket Club, speaking about Middlesex County.
Cricket, according to Huckoo, has been on the rise in Middlesex County due to the large number of South Asians who have settled in the area.
One reason for the influx, he said, is the large number of Blue Ribbon schools in the county.
Since 2000, it is estimated that the Asian population in East Brunswick increased by 70 percent, with South Asians accounting for a large percentage of the total.
This trend, which has been seen statewide, correlates with the expansion of the sport, which is very popular in South Asian countries.
“Cricket is a religion in the South Asian community,” said Huckoo.
In the 1960s and ’70s, according to Huckoo, there was a large influx of South Asians into the U.S. As part of their culture, they brought the sport with them.
Through televised international sports broadcasts and cricket-specific channels, South Asians have been able to keep their passion for the game alive as well as pass it on to their children.
“Parents get their kids into the sport because it is a sport that distinguishes the community,” said Huckoo.
There are multiple cricket-specific fields throughout the county, including two at Johnson Park in Piscataway and one at John A. Phillips Park in Old Bridge.
Much like baseball in the United States, cricket consists of a batting team and a team in the field. The teams take turns batting, trying to hit the ball away from outfield players so they could run to the other side of the field and score a run.
Cricket was invented in the United Kingdom in the 16th century and since then spread to the corners of the British Empire. Today, cricket is the most popular sport in such countries as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. As such, cricket is the second largest sport in the world, behind only soccer in popularity.