New Cricket Field In Howell Welcomes Statewide League

HOWELL, NJ — The New Jersey Soft Ball Cricket League has already played its first matches on a new field in the township, less than two months since the league first approached the town about creating a cricket field.

"Howell was very welcoming," said league trustee Amin Khatri of Marlboro.

He said the town was immediately responsive to the idea.

"I reached out to Deputy Mayor Pam Richmond, she thought it was a great initiative," he said.

In under two months, he said the township administration and Interim Administrator Joseph Clark worked on identifying a field in Deer Wood Park, Lakewood-Allenwood Road. The league paid for redesigning it for the rules of cricket.

"The ground was level, there was short grass, well-maintained," Khatri said of the park, which has other playing fields for other games too.

The league paid for clean stone and clay to create the pitch.

By Oct. 15, after drying out from a previous weekend of rain, the games were begun, Khatri said.

Township officials joined Khatri and the teams at the opening.

Khatri said the New Jersey Softball Cricket League is the largest in the country, with 160 teams. It started in 2002 with eight teams, he added.

Teams from around the state come to play in Howell now, Khatri said.

"It's great to allow all teams to play. They see Howell, they buy Gatorade and gas here. They see what a great place it is," Khatri said.

Cricket is a gentlemen's sport, Khatri noted, and sharing the space is integral to that philosophy.

The adult game league also passes on its love of the game to younger generations.

Khatri said that there is a play area near the field that their children can visit while the matches take place, making it a meaningful family tradition.

Cricket originated in England in the 16th century and was brought to India as part of British colonization. The game is still played in England, Australia, India and other countries with a connection to Great Britain and that spirit has transferred to New Jersey and the U.S. with Indian-American residents.

Khatri's own love for the game began as a child, growing up in what is now known as Mumbai, he said in a profile from 2014 in mycentraljersey.

Khatri urged those interested in the league's work to watch their matches on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/NJSBCL.

For more information about the New Jersey Softball Cricket League and this sport that enjoys tremendous popularity worldwide, go to the league's website.