The summer sound of leather on willow may not yet be ringing out across Ukraine. But this will change if a new initiative launched by expatriate enthusiasts, and supported by the British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, succeeds. The cricket fans are organizing Kyiv’s first-ever Village Green cricket tournament on June 18 and promising this is only the start of something much bigger.
“Ukraine lacks a summer sport,” said Bate Toms, lawyer and head of the British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. “Cricket would be perfect to fill the gap. We think there is huge potential for cricket across Eastern Europe, and we already see, for instance, in Romania that it has caught on there, with the sport now even taught in schools. And there is a lot of support from the International Cricket Council and the European Cricket Council for developing the game. We aim to train up Ukrainian cricket so that it is capable of doing the country proud internationally.”
Cricket “is the second most-watched sport in the world after football, with an estimated 2 billion followers worldwide. In India alone, there are six TV channels dedicated to the sport 24 hours per day.”
Currently, the heart of cricket in Ukraine is Kyiv Cricket Club, the brainchild of Indian businessman Thamarai Pandian. “Cricket is the fastest growing sport in Europe, and our aim is to promote and develop this new sport for Ukrainians,” Pandian said. “Ukrainians are sports-loving and are well-known sportspersons internationally. They love to learn, adapt and excel in any new field of sport. The best Ukrainian cricketer could be a combination of a volleyball and ice hockey player. And the summer weather here is perfect for the sport.”
While the sport is extremely popular in many nations, cricket has yet to move into the mainstream in Ukraine. But enthusiasts are hoping to convert sports lovers here. (Courtesy)
The embryonic cricket scene in Ukraine is currently dominated by expats from the Asian subcontinent, with eight teams from major cities meeting up for weekend tournaments. “There are about 300 of us altogether in Ukraine,” Pandian said. “But I am convinced there is a huge amount of local talent, considering how quickly people learn the game here.”
Toms said there is also a nucleus of a top-class talent in Kyiv. “Largely by coincidence, there are four ex-professional United Kingdom cricketers living in Kyiv at the moment, and we have coaching work being done by John Illingworth,” Toms said. Illingworth is the nephew of English cricketing legend and all-time great Ray Illingworth.
But the next big step forward for Ukrainian cricket is to get a decent field set up in Kyiv, instead of the current dirt pitch. “Negotiations are ongoing and we are optimistic,” Toms said.
As a provisional solution, the Kyiv Cricket Club will use a football ground for the launch of the Kyiv Post-sponsored village green tournament in June.
Another focus is to expand cricket training among young Ukrainians. Pioneering grassroots work is being performed in Kaharklyk, not far from Kyiv, by Australian missionary Wayne Zschech. He has used proceeds from a biofuel enterprise to set up an indoor cricket training center for youngsters. “It’s a great way to work with and influence kids,” Zschech said.
Toms emphasizes the transformative power of cricket. With cricket in English synonymous with playing by the rules, the game could help boost local values.
“Everyone is looking for the magic bullet, the factor that could change things completely in Ukraine, but it’s really a question of doing things step-by-step,” Toms said. “Cricket could have an extraordinary contribution to make here in terms of character-building and developing team spirit and fair play.”
Mohammad Zahoor, ISTIL Group chairman and Kyiv Post publisher, is a passionate cricket fan and a driving force behind the initiative.
“Cricket is the perfect sport for everyone who values passion, good show and excellent sport performance,” Zahoor said. “I believe Ukrainians will soon become great fans of this aristocratic and beautiful sport and will not only watch it, but will be eager to participate. Premium sport games also have great business potential. That is why we took the initiative with our partners from the British-Ukrainian Commercial Club and Kyiv Cricket Club to promote it in Ukraine.”
Kyiv Post staff writer Graham Stack can be reached at [email protected]
