Cricket- More than a Sport

Golimowska, Karolina. “Cricket as a Cure: Post-9/11 Urban Trauma and Displacement in Joseph O’Neill’s Novel Netherland.” Journal of American Culture. Vol. 36. N.p.: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. 230-39. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

The author writes a review on Joseph O’Neill’s Novel Netherland which is the story of an immigrant, Hans Van den Broek, from the Netherlands after the terrible tragedy of September 11th in New York. The book uses cricket as an example of the need for people to feel a belonging in this world and it ultimately is a cure for Hans and many other immigrants after 9/11. O’Neill focuses on the immigrant populations in New York and how they were affected by the tragedy. Although he focuses on a man from the Netherlands, the story is applicable for all immigrants and explains what cricket means to people in New York. The review by Karolina Golimowska on the book delves into the concepts of cricket as a transnational game and as a sport than can become someone’s identity. She explains that cricket was a community shaping factor before the British colonies became nations. Cricket is more than a game, but it is a family and community activity that connects immigrants with each other and with their new homes. In the book and in the review, cricket is more than a game. It is an art. This review will be used in my article to show how cricket is more than just a sport in New York, it is used to define one’s nationality and identity and can make people feel at home in a foreign country.

 

“How to Play Cricket.” YouTube. YouTube, 15 July 2011. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

The video clearly describes how to play cricket. Included is all the necessary equipment to play and how to set it all up. Then it explains how to bat, score runs and when someone is out. This video will be directly inserted into the website to explain how cricket is played. This is necessary before explaining the significance of the game.

 

Sankar, Celia. “Heroes of the Caribbean Pitch.” Americas 47.5 (1995): 18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

This article discusses the importance of cricket in the West Indies. The author describes how you can find cricket anywhere you go on the islands and how the West Indian national cricket team is one of the best in the world, winning many World Championship Cups. Cricket in the West Indies has been around for a while, starting in the early 1950s and continuing today. There were many star players in the past and still are many very talented players. In addition to explaining the popularity of cricket in the West indies, the article discusses the uniqueness of cricket; how the athletes are extraordinary and how the game requires grit and strength. Most importantly stated in this article is that cricket is the only sport in which all of the Caribbean has one united team. Cricket is connected to the region’s political identity and represents what could happen if the Caribbean politically unites. This will be used to show the importance of the cricket in the West Indies, how it unites the different countries and how it has lasted so many years.

 

Springer, Bevan. “Cricket Cup, Health Fair This Weekend in Brooklyn.” New York Amsterdam News 94.35 (2003): 14. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

This article in the New York Newspaper shows the connection of people in New York to the Caribbean. It discusses the forthcoming Cricket Cup in Brooklyn. Many West Indian players will be playing which shows the connection to the Caribbean. Also at the event will be community leaders and health care promoters. This shows that cricket is not only a game to be played but also is a way for the immigrant community together in New York. The main sponsor, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, is trying to open up to the Caribbean community in New York and they do that through cricket. This article will be used to show the importance of cricket as a community wide event to bring Caribbean people together and to further the Caribbean community in New York.

 

Vadukul, Alex. “Bats and Balls for All-Rounders.” The New York Times, 21 June 2015: 3(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

The article talks about Ricky Singh, an immigrant to New York from Guyana, who owns a cricket store in New York. The author explains how cricket is not an American sport, which means that most of Mr. Singh’s customers are not American, but rather are from the West Indies, England and New Zealand mainly. Mr. Singh discusses his transition to New York from Guyana and how cricket helped him adjust to the new environment. People from all over come to Singh’s Sporting Goods to pick out their favorite cricket equipment. Cricket bats are very specific to each’s person’s preferences and Mr. Singh carries it all. This article shows how cricket is so important to new immigrants and how it lasts for a while after they have moved.

 

Vadukul, Alex. “Exile on the Cricket Pitch.” The New York Times, 21 Sept. 2014. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

This article is about the career of one of the best bowlers in the world, Jermaine Lawson. Lawson originally from Jamaica, moved to New York in 2009. The author describes how cricket in New York is comprised of foreigners playing on teams mainly with people from their home countries. Lawson plays on a team made up mostly of West Indians in all different professional fields. When he was 20, Lawson was picked to play on the elite West Indies team, made up of athletes from multiple islands in the Caribbean. He had many memorable and historical moments playing on the world stage. Recently, Lawson has been the target of many suspicious people thinking that he bowled illegally, bending his arm and essentially throwing the ball instead of bowling it. This has created much controversy over his greatness and has brought his stature down greater. Even through the accusations, Lawson continues to play cricket in the Americas, in front of many cricket immigrant communities, but he has stopped playing on the international stage. This article shows a real-life example of a West Indian’s journey to New York and how cricket played a critical role in his move.