Sidney Smashers host--and win--team's first ever home cricket match

If you're old enough to remember what it was like when the United States won the gold medal in ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, you'll have an idea what it was like in India when that nation won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

Although there was a strain of political satisfaction that ran through the American defeat of the old Soviet Union at Lake Placid - India's joy in victory over Sri Lanka two years ago was born more of a pure love of sport and country. And most especially for the love of cricket.

The passion India has for its favorite game found its way here last Saturday as the Sidney Smashers cricket team played their first ever home match. Despite overcast skies dampened by the occassional light drizzle, the Smashers honored Sidney by winning the match over Hit N Run of Erie, Colo. by four wickets and outscored them 66 runs to 65.

As cricket was brought to India by passionate British players during the colonial era, the sport was carried to Sidney in the hearts of many natives of India who moved here to work. The passion for their childhood game soon manifested itself into a team with 15 members, many of whom work in the Information Technology department at Cabela's.

"Actually, (field) hockey is the national sport of India, but cricket is the most popular sport," said a Smashers organizer Avinash Pal. "Many children in India start playing cricket when very young."

And as Indian children didn't always have large fields to play on, they would make do with whatever their imaginations could create. Additionally, while cricket is supposed to be played with 11 players on each side, they could make do with less - just as a group of touch football players could do with less.

"You don't need a buch of people or an open field. We played in the streets, on rooftops - anywhere we could," said Ashish Kshirsagar who's been playing since he was a child. "We didn't even need wickets. Sometimes we would just draw them on a wall."

That doesn't sound too different from American youths using a tree, a sewer grate or manhole cover to act as home plate in a pickup baseball or stickball game. In fact, the game of baseball likely evolved, at least in part, from cricket. While baseball emerged in American society during the 1800's, cricket dates back to the 16th century.

"Cricket in India is like the NFL here. People are crazy about it," said Sivanischal Mylam.

Said Kamlesh Nandagawali, "Kids start playing there from the time they're about three or four years old."

Nandagawali added with a laugh that he became a member of the Smashers by default. Since he loves the game, he was in.

Giving oneself a short tutorial on the rules of cricket helps to enjoy the game. While you can't expect to become an expert in one viewing, it just may be enough to get hooked.

Like baseball, cricket is played with a bat and ball. In the center of a round field is what is called a pitch - a 22-yard long area where most of the action takes place. On one side of the pitch is a bowler (not too unlike a baseball pitcher) and at both sides are opposing batsmen. At each side of the pitch is a wicket.

One of the batsman attempts to hit the ball (as thrown by the bowler) and score as many runs as he can. A run is scored with each trip to the other side of the pitch by the batsmen. Should the batsman hit the ball out of the field of play (like a home run) he is credited with six runs. Should the batsman slap it out on a bounce or roll (like a ground-rule double) he is awarded four runs.

A batter may also choose not to run at all. If he doesn't think he can make it to the other side before being dismissed (or in baseball terms, being called out) he can stay put. Two common ways one is dismissed is if his fly ball is caught by an opposing fielder (without a glove) or if a fielder hits the wicket with the ball before the batter reaches the other side.

It is not not important that a batter score with every strike of the ball, but at all costs he must protect the wicket from the bowler. Should the bowler hit the wicket the batter is dismissed. The batsman then must leave the field and be replaced by a new batsman.

A bowler can throw only six times (an over) before being replaced by another bowler. While one can bowl multiple overs, bowling two in succession is not allowed. The Smashers and Hit N Run teams played a game of 20 overs each (i.e. 120 throws each).

Cricket in Sidney began about three years ago with no more than five or six friends getting together for pickup games in places like Legion Field or the soccer complex. After the Smashers were formed last year the team began to play in tournaments in Colorado.

The game they played on Saturday was part of a round-robin tournament for the Colorado Cricket League. Up until Saturday the Smashers had won one match while dropping two in the nine-game affair.

"This is a very important match for us," Pal said before Saturday's contest began. "If we lose this match we will be forced to play much tougher competition the rest of the tournament."

But the Smashers didn't lose. In fact they won the first match on their home turf fairly handily to up their record to 2-2. That the smashers have a home turf now is through the generosity of the Sidney.

"We approached the city with a presentation having details about the pitch and the people who play cricket in town," said Pal. "The city identified the soccer grounds where the pitch could be built."

Earlier this summer the pitch was laid out and the Smashers now practice there three days a week. While Saturday's match will be the only home match this season, they hope to attract at least three matches here next year. For the balance of this season the Smashers will have to be content with playing on the road.

In Saturday's match, things went well for the Smashers right from the start. Sidney won the opening toss and chose to bat second. Pal, the captain, elected to bowl first because he believed the grounds might dry out some over time. It's an advantage, he said, to bat when conditions are driest. Hit N Run scored 65 runs in its innings (an innings in this contest was 20 overs).

Like the home team in baseball, the Smashers needed to score 66 runs to win. Once the magic number was reached the game was over--without a need to complete the 20 overs.

Srinivas Lingampalli was named player of the match. Lingampalli earned the honor by scoring 22 runs, including two four-run hits and two six-run hits. Harsha added 18 runs.

As for the Sidney bowlers, Mylam had a strong game as he yielded but eight runs while knocking three wickets in 3.3 overs. Pal hit three wickets in four overs while surrendering just 14 runs. Mohamed Moosa also hit two wickets in his four overs. He gave up just nine runs.

This Saturday, Aug. 10, the Smashers will visit Erie, Colo. to play a team called Renaissance at 12:00 p.m.