Some of the country's top young cricketers will converge on the Tri-Valley starting this weekend as the area plays host to three divisions of the National Youth Cricket Tournament.
Pleasanton, Dublin and San Ramon will field 32 games in all from Sunday to Wednesday for the tournament featuring under-11, under-13 and under-15 age groups.
Other highlights of the tournament include a local all-girls team for the first time and the first youth tournament contested on synthetic turf in the U.S., according to organizers.
Cricket continues to grow in popularity across the East Bay, and Pleasanton-based nonprofit club Cricket for Cubs has taken the lead in helping the sport thrive among youth in the Tri-Valley.
The upcoming tournament is a partnership among Cricket for Cubs, the Dublin Cricket League and the San Ramon Cricket Association. Games, which are free to attend, will be played at the Patelco Sports Complex at Bernal Community Park in Pleasanton, Emerald Glen Park in Dublin and San Ramon's Windemere Ranch Middle School.
A variety of local elected officials and dignitaries are scheduled to take in the tournament, including appearances at the closing ceremony next Wednesday evening, organizers said. For full schedule and other tourney details, visit www.cricketforcubs.org.
Cricket for Cubs also announced that a 16-member Tri-Valley team will be going on its first international tour, traveling to India to play cricket for two weeks in December.
Comments
Country Fair
on Nov 15, 2017 at 12:07 pm
on Nov 15, 2017 at 12:07 pm
We need to build a cricket pitch on Pleasanton. We started a cricket team at Ellie Mae recently and the biggest problem is no place to play. With the changing demographics in Pleasanton it would be great to have a place to play. I am confident that it will happen based on my limited discussions with the City.
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Del Prado
on Nov 15, 2017 at 1:54 pm
Registered user
on Nov 15, 2017 at 1:54 pm
Why don't we build more baseball and soccer fields first before building a field for a fringe sport like cricket?
Foothill High School
on Nov 15, 2017 at 5:20 pm
on Nov 15, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Forget about Baseball, Football, basketball, Soccer... it is more fun to play cricket.
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Pleasanton Meadows
on Nov 15, 2017 at 7:12 pm
Registered user
on Nov 15, 2017 at 7:12 pm
I do think a cricket field makes sense given the changing pleasanton demographic. We don't have one and we can definitely justify creating a space for it.
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Pleasanton Meadows
on Nov 15, 2017 at 7:13 pm
Registered user
on Nov 15, 2017 at 7:13 pm
Jay - I definitely don't agree with you there.
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Del Prado
on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:19 am
Registered user
on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:19 am
If you want to play cricket, go to Dublin. They have plenty of fields there. Cricket is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Actually, watching paint dry is probably more exciting.
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Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:45 am
Registered user
on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:45 am
Cricket is better than football. Glad to see more people paying cricket and fewer playing football.
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Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:46 am
Registered user
on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:46 am
@Hansen,
We have baseball and soccer fields.
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Del Prado
on Nov 16, 2017 at 10:30 am
Registered user
on Nov 16, 2017 at 10:30 am
@BobB - Not enough. Before investing resources in a cricket field, how about building a Youth Center all our kids can utilize.
Foothill High School
on Nov 16, 2017 at 5:56 pm
on Nov 16, 2017 at 5:56 pm
It is very obvious from the comments that people who call themselves 'steve' or 'Bobb' are from Cricket playing countries and think that Cricket is the only interesting game while Baseball, Basketball, Football and Soccer are not because Cricket is all that they play outside of United States and their appreciation to other sports is limited (based on their responses).
While different sports are played and enjoyed by different people the best approach would be to build a ground/field that all sports can be played and enjoyed by everyone. Just investing in one sport is not a good use of resource. There are many other places to invest and spend the money and building a field just for cricket is not recommended. For the Cricket folks I say use what you have and is available.
Las Positas
on Nov 16, 2017 at 6:50 pm
on Nov 16, 2017 at 6:50 pm
Build the cricket pitch! Walking through my neighborhood recently I got a real kick out of seeing a bunch of kids of all ethnicities playing cricket. More sports = more fun. We’ve got dozens of baseball softball football soccer tennis even lacrosse fields. Let’s add some cricket pitches!
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Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 16, 2017 at 6:59 pm
Registered user
on Nov 16, 2017 at 6:59 pm
@Adam,
Wrong assumption. I love soccer and baseball and grew up playing both of them.
Pleasanton Meadows
on Nov 16, 2017 at 7:17 pm
on Nov 16, 2017 at 7:17 pm
BobB - cricket is not better than football.
But i agree cricket is a good addition - pleasanton is a community that encourages active outdoor activity. Cricket fits that profile. Build it. I love seeing people out and active in our community.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 17, 2017 at 10:25 am
on Nov 17, 2017 at 10:25 am
I would like to watch a cricket match. I was hoping to see a schedule for games in Pleasanton and Dublin, but haven't found one. I emailed the Dublin cricket club, but they didn't respond. Anyone know where I can find a schedule?
Del Prado
on Nov 17, 2017 at 8:57 pm
on Nov 17, 2017 at 8:57 pm
I agree with adam's comment above, it is not a good use to build something which is specific to one sport, How about building a ground which can be used for soccer and for cricket as well, I have seen similar multi use fields come up in fremont
as well
Birdland
on Nov 18, 2017 at 8:55 pm
on Nov 18, 2017 at 8:55 pm
oldtimer:
Looks like the games start at 9am at Patelco, other games are on in Dubin and San Ramon.
Try this link:
Web Link
Castlewood
on Nov 20, 2017 at 3:32 pm
on Nov 20, 2017 at 3:32 pm
Got a question. From kids play in the picture, Is cricket an Indian game or what?
Del Prado
on Nov 27, 2017 at 10:12 am
on Nov 27, 2017 at 10:12 am
There used to be a club of Brits or Aussies that would play cricket regularly at Berkeley's Tilden park back in the 1960's. As a kid I'd sometimes watch them play the games and it was an odd 'fringe'sport indeed but I remember they were all so passionate about the game.
I think it would be great to see youth cricket played live around the Tri-valley, the space and capacity seems to be here so it's just a matter of managing around soccer, PJFL Lacrosse, etc. But the hard cricket ball itself could be a hazard to others in the park? How hard is it to set up a cricket field of play? How big an area is needed? Is it just a matter of temporary chalk lines or would cricket need permanent fencing area like a baseball backstop?