Some two-dozen central Iowans who love the traditional European sport of cricket have formed a team and built a playing field, called a pitch. One founder of the Knights Cricket Club is Gau Sura of West Des Moines. He says matches are no short affair as one style of cricket takes five -days- to play. There’s also a one-day version of two innings. The innings typically last about four hours each. The game resembles a cross between baseball and bowling and is played on a long narrow strip within a large oval. Sura, a native of India, says most of the people on the team are originally from somewhere outside the U.S. and developed a love for the sport early in their lives. They’re all from places ranging from South Africa, England, Australia, and the West Indies, most of the former colonies of Britain. Sura says cricket is the second-most popular sport in the world, behind only soccer. Before joining the West Des Moines-based team, he says prospective members pledge loyalty to the team and to ignore nationalities and prejudices because of the different cultures. He says it’s important to be united in the love of the game. The Knights are competing against teams in Ames, Omaha and Kansas City. Sura hopes more Iowans will visit Holiday Park in West Des Moines on Saturdays to see cricket, get hooked and join up or start their own team. For more information, surf to “www.knightscricket.org”.
