While many people believe that the softball field is used exclusively for softball, every Thursday the field transforms into a cricket pitch. With more than 20 students attending the weekly lunch meetings, the club is set to catapult itself into the mainstream.

Cricket is predominantly played in the former British Empire, and some Americans wrongly assume it is “the British form of baseball.” In cricket, the bowler bounces a hard leather ball (in the club’s case, a tennis ball) towards the batsman, in an attempt to hit the wickets, which are wooden posts placed behind the batsman. The whole ordeal occurs at a much quicker pace than baseball, yet games can take many more hours and even days. Gunn’s cricket club tries to include every aspect of cricket in 25 minutes.

Each week the players take turns bringing wickets and bats, and walk-ins are welcome and appreciated. Once familiar with the equipment, the game is easy to pick up and play. The only problem remaining is playing time and space. Senior club president Anand Gupta has yet to find a solution to the lack of equipment or playing fields. “We decided to move to Friday so that we would not conflict with softball which has games on Thursdays,” Gupta said. “In order to maximize playing time during a limited amount of time, we’ve formed regular teams.” In addition, the club often has two games going simultaneously to keep things competitive.

Gupta received the inspiration to start the club while vacationing in India. “My brother [sophomore James Gupta] and I wanted to promote a sport we’d been exposed to in India and England and had a lot of fun playing there,” he said. “We created the club to get others involved and have people to play against in a relaxed environment.” Gupta also plans to start playing music during the games to make the experience more exciting.

Members of the club enjoy the sport’s uniqueness. “Since cricket is played almost everywhere but America, it’s surprising that there’s enough interest at Gunn,” senior member Apoorv Mathur said. “It’s probably because Gunn is so multicultural.” That fact explains why most of the members of the club have some relation to countries that play cricket. “It’s a way to have fun, and to come together over a common interest,” Mathur said.