'Cricket united us': sport's revival brews camaraderie in Newfoundland and Labrador

Cricket, a sport similar to baseball, was once popular in Newfoundland and Labrador but went nearly extinct several years ago.

Now it's getting revived thanks to a new generation of players.

Amit Sundly, secretary of Cricket Newfoundland and Labrador, came to St. John's from India. To his surprise, he was swinging a flat bat two days after his arrival.

"I had no clue that I would get cricket here," he said.

"But it was the second day when I saw a bunch of guys walking down the street with cricket bats.  And I can't even tell you what my feeling was at that time...just seeing the cricket bat was a big deal for me." 

Sundly said he was sitting on his couch when the men walked by and he ran out of his house to ask if he could join. When they said yes he jumped at the chance to play his favourite sport in his new home.

Gurman Khurana, vice captain for the provincial cricket team, grew up playing and watching the sport in India. He said in his home country cricket is as big as hockey is in Canada.

"We're crazed; it's a religion back home," he said. 

"Everybody gets excited. When there's an India/Pakistan match, everything shuts down….the shops, the grocery stores...the city comes to a standstill."

Sundly echoed the sport's importance.

"Well cricket is in our blood," he said. "And you know it is the second most famous game around the world."

Though it's incredibly popular elsewhere in the world, cricket in Newfoundland and Labrador had a slow revival.

"The first provincial tournament we went to New Brunswick [and] we picked up a few people who played baseball, and they didn't know how to hold the cricket bat," Khurana said.

When Cricket NL started in 2010, there were only four players. You need 11 to play the sport.

Six years later they have more than 100 players — enough for a four- team league.

The renewed interest in the province is largely thanks to an upswing in student immigration from the Indian subcontinent.

"Slowly and steadily it's grown over time," Khurana said.

"There are more students coming, there are more immigrants coming who are interested in the game from southeast Asia….all these people are coming here to study at Memorial or work...so our membership is growing," 

With a growing membership, Cricket NL was pleased to have a new place to sharpen their skills.

On July 14, cricket nets were officially opened at Wishingwell Park in St. John's to the delight of players. 

Khurana said members like to make the most of our short summers by getting outside to play, not only for exercise but for socializing as well.

"It's a bonding experience," he said.

Sundly said the sport brings together unlikely friends.

"When you're in India you just think bad about Pakistan, but when we came here cricket united us," he said.

"We actually sit together [and] have food together, which is a great experience, you know."