Recently-formed cricket club looks toward future

With an undefeated record, the IU Cricket Club has something to be proud of — even if they are just 1-0.\n“We played a Columbus cricket team earlier this semester,” club president Rajat Chadha said. “And we won by a lot.”\nChadha led a push to create a cricket club at IU near the end of 2006. He finally got his wish at the start of this school year when the club was officially formed. Chadha said the club consists of 15 regular members and five more players who recently started attending. \n“A regular game consists of 11 players on each team,” Chadha said. “Due to our size, though, we usually play with five or six on \na team.”\nWhile the team has only played one opponent so far, that doesn’t prevent the players from looking forward. Chadha said they anticipate playing rival Purdue \nnext semester.\n“We would love to have the chance to join a league in the future,” Club Treasurer Abhijit Mahabalsaid. “But that involves more travel and requires more money, which is out of the question right now.”\nThe club has played at a variety of locations on campus, but currently meets once a week in a field roughly the size of a basketball court at the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building.\n“It’s pretty small,” said club member Ben Gonzalez. “Sometimes it can really feel like arena cricket in here.”\nEven though they have to adjust from their typical playing conditions, members of the cricket club are just happy to be able to play a game they enjoy.\n“A regular-size field is about as big as a soccer field,” third-time club participant Sonny Shah said. “But it is just nice to have a chance to play.”\nMeetings start with players taking batting practice. One batter stays at the plate while the remaining players take turns bowling – the cricket equivalent of pitching. Once everyone has thrown, another player steps in front of the wickets. \nNext, the club divides up into two different teams of roughly equal size and skill and play two or three games. Throughout a contest, Chadha and other members show their exuberance for the game by applauding and shouting encouragement to their teammates.\nThe cricket club offers members the opportunity to interact with students from a variety of cultures, ages and ability levels. Chadha and the rest of the club would encourage anyone interested to attend a practice.\n“We would love to have more members,” Chadha said.\nThe club meets at 6 p.m. every Saturday at HPER, room 163, for two or three hours, but occasionally meets earlier if they have a chance to play outdoors. A $5 membership fee is required to join the club.