In June 2024, New Jersey cricket fans got to indulge in their love of sport when the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup was held in the United States for the first time, with eight matches at the no-longer-existing Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island.
They made the trek to that venue to see some of the world’s top teams play for a spot in the final that happened on June 29 in Barbados, where India bested South Africa.
Now, a year later, where can fans of the second-most watched sport in the world in the Garden State go to get their cricket fix?
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They can watch their favorite sport on TV in the summer, with various matches in men’s and women’s cricket broadcasting from the U.S., such as Major League Cricket, and worldwide, like India vs. England, or see local teams in person playing on fields across New Jersey.
The cricket-curious and diehard fans alike can watch televised play via cricket channel Willow TV and its website, www.willow.tv.
Some of the matches that will be broadcast will be played in the three recognized cricket formats (structure of play) — Test cricket, where an unlimited number of overs are played by both sides until ten men or either team are bowled out, one-day international with 50 overs, (ODI), and twenty overs cricket (T20).
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Cricket is played in periods of play during a match called an over when the ball is bowled six times to a player standing in an area known as a crease.
New Jersey residents who have never watched a cricket match in person can check out the New Jersey Premier Cricket League or the Cricket League of New Jersey.
The New Jersey Premier Cricket League, based in Edison, is made up of 20 teams who play in two divisions. Their matches are in the T20 format.
Most are in Central Jersey, where they also play matches. Team names include Mumbai Gymkhana and Smashers XI.
A team in the league with a North Jersey connection to check out is Conquerors CC, which plays its matches at the Laurel Hill County Park Cricket Ground on Laurel Hill Road in Secaucus. The team has 47 players and is captained by Hirens Patel. Their next match is June 7 against Princeton Cricket Club at 11:30 a.m. at the Research Way Cricket Ground, 2 Research Way in Princeton. Their upcoming matches at the Laurel Hill ground, which all start at 8 a.m., are June 14 (vs. EBCC), June 28 (Renegades), and July 26 (Jersey Super Kings).
The Cricket League of New Jersey, based in Hillsborough Township, boasts 51 teams in three divisions playing in a F40 format where a match is 40 overs, and 19 teams playing in the T20 format. The teams are from across the state.
Among the ones making their home in North Jersey are the South Hudson Civic Association Cricket Club, New Jersey City Cricket Club, SGCC Blues, and Youth Power Cricket Club, who all play their 40-over matches in Laurel Hill Park or Lincoln Park, 1 County Road in Jersey City. The Wanderers Sports Club plays their 40-over matches in Eastside Park, 400 Broadway, in Paterson.
These teams will play their next match on June 8 at various fields at various times. Check the match schedule at cricclubs.com/CLNJ for more information.
Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
Twitter/X: @ricardokaul
A cricket summer for NJ fans: matches in the US, on TV and locally to enjoy – Bergen Record
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