Cricket in Germany

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Kriterion_BD
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Cricket in Germany

Post by Kriterion_BD »

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/co ... 20047.html

May be of interest to your resident German, foreignfield. Seems the recent influx of immigrants may be bringing cricket into a previously untapped market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjtuZBykSzM (Noreaga - Blood Money Part 3)

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grant
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Re: Cricket in Germany

Post by grant »

Interesting read!
Besides Mantle's concerns about lost cricket balls, another reoccurring feature of the day is the look of bewilderment whenever I ask cricketers from Afghanistan whether they are batsmen or bowlers. Always the reaction is the same: a look of mild surprise, followed by the emphatic words: "Both. I am an allrounder."

foreignfield
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Re: Cricket in Germany

Post by foreignfield »

Kriterion_BD wrote:http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/co ... 20047.html

May be of interest to your resident German, foreignfield. Seems the recent influx of immigrants may be bringing cricket into a previously untapped market.
Yep, I saw and read that with interest and I can confirm that the number of clubs etc. here are on the up. It has been going on for some years with ever increasing immigration from Pakistan, but the Afghan element is a new one. Where I live competitive league cricket is almost exclusively made up of Pakistanis, with a few guys from the other subcontinental countries here and there. The town where I grew up (30,000 inhabitants) now has two cricket clubs, one of which has won the German championships twice in the last three years, and the whole district is brimming with new clubs. The reason for this is simple, it's the district which attracts most of the immigrants from Pakistan.

As far as "untapped markets" are concerned, I just don't think it's going to catch on in a substantial way. But whereas fifteen years ago most Germans would confuse cricket with crocket and the rest would have no idea whatsoever, now a growing number of people in urban areas will have seen some Asian guys in whites doing their peculiar thing. Most new clubs try to affiliate themselves with existing multi-sports clubs to get access to facilities and grounds, and that is a good thing ... maybe the odd kid with other than subcontinental roots will pick up the sport ... but don't expect any miracles or "markets" to develop soon. Generally, if a kid here wants to play a sport with English-only terminology and complicated rules, they play baseball or American Football.

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