Get ready for some wicket fun.
Councilmember Ruben Wills introduced a bill to promote cricket in the city as the game continues to increase in popularity.
“We just were dealing with organizations and groups… and one of the things that kept coming up is the lack of cricket fields,” Wills said.
The bill seeks to create a nine-person task force that would gather information about the sport and plan strategies to advance the game. The group will talk to people and look at the benefits, including health, educational and economic improvements that the sport could bring. Wills hopes that the task force results in creating more cricket fields around the city and he believes that it’s even possible that a dedicated cricket stadium could be built.
“We want to understand everything cricket can bring,” Wills said. “I believe the stadium is possible and I don’t believe it will take light years.”
The task force will be made of three members selected by the new mayor, one appointed by the council speaker, and five by the borough presidents.
The bill is being considered by the City Council’s Parks Committee, and Wills said they are getting ready for a hearing in September and a vote in October.
As a reflection of the popularity of cricket in the borough, Queens high schools have won the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) cricket championship in five out of six years since the sport was included in the citywide league in 2008.
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