Cricket is the ultimate summer sport for everyone. The cricket season runs from May to September, with a break for youth during the summer holidays. In the winter, there is a lot of indoor training and playing. There is an annual indoor competition for youth in February, March, and April. There are also activities during every holiday, such as holiday cricket days or a cricket camp.
There are short and long game formats, for advanced and beginners, with a hard or soft ball, in the morning, afternoon, or even evening when it stays light for a long time. Twenty-20 and Tapeball cricket are the short game formats, often featuring spectacular action. Girls and boys can play mixed, because in cricket you don't bump into each other like in football or hockey. All points are tracked during the game: those of your team and your own.
The Game
For the game, you need a large round field with a strip in the middle (the pitch) and a boundary around it that is often marked with a rope (the boundary). At the end of that strip, on both sides, stands a fence with posts topped with blocks (the wicket). The batting team must defend the wickets with 2 batters and score as many points (runs) as possible. To do this, the batters hit the ball that the fielding team's bowler aims at the wicket, and then run back and forth between the wickets as fast as possible. The fielders must try to catch or stop the ball. If they catch the ball, or knock down the wicket with a good throw before a batter gets back in time, that batter is out and it is the next player's turn. The batter is also out if the bowler knocks down the wicket with the ball.
When all batters are out, the other team comes to bat. The team that has scored the most runs wins the match. Watch how the game works in the YouTube video What is Cricket.
In the Netherlands, cricketers from all kinds of countries come together at the club. There, you will meet Dutch, Surinamese, English, Indian, Pakistani, Afghan, South African, Australian, New Zealand, and Sri Lankan players, among others. To ensure mutual understanding, both Dutch and English are spoken. As a result, children naturally learn English from a very young age. The players' backgrounds are reflected in the clubs' kitchens: alongside the usual toasted sandwiches, bitterballen (meatballs), and barbecues, the menu also features Surinamese roti, African braais, Indian curries, and halal dishes.
Cricket is a very social sport. Of course, you want to win the match, but you also want to enjoy playing together. After the match, everyone is once again part of the same cricket community with a great passion for the sport.
In cricket, mutual respect is very important. The umpire is always right—even if he or she isn't. There is also respect for the opponent. The crowd applauds impressive performances by both teams and does not boo each other, because… That’s not cricket!
After the match or during halftime, the players always eat together. Families from both teams sit together along the field. The atmosphere around a cricket pitch is very relaxed, and everyone is welcome.
