ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
Migrant Cricket has flourished for the past 11 years in Auckland. This year is the 12th edition of the Migrant Community Cricket now known as ‘Friends of Cricket’ trophy. This year’s edition has 9 teams participating in this annual tournament which runs from January to March and has huge fan following.
This year the tournament consists of Probasee Bengalee, Kannada Koota, Tamil Christians, Tamil Punjabi Pythons, Muthamil Sangham, Dravidians, Deccans, Indianz 30+ and TUF XI, as they vie for the trophy.
Tamil Christians are the current holders of the trophy which they would like to retain. However, a professionally charged up runners up Muthamil Sangham is looking as the team to beat!
The tournament has a rich history and like the Ranji trophy, which has Mumbai’s name etched on it for the maximum number of times, the MCC trophy has Mumbai name the maximum number of times. The tournament’s earliest edition was started by the Telugu Assocation under the guidance of Harnath Somaraju the veteran of the tournament who is still having a go in their new outfit Indian 30+.
It is however, the Auckland Marathi Association which later became the Bombay Boyz which has notched up maximum number of wins in the tournament. Led by the ex-Ranji player Sameer Talpade and Shailendra Wagh this team has an enviable record of 5 victories and 2 runners up positions in the tournament and have reached the semi-finals in all the editions of the tournament. Probasee Bengalee, Telugu Association and Tamil Christians have won the tournament 2 times each.
Several associations have participated in the past like the Parsis (Zorastrians), Goans, Malyalee Samaj, Sri Lankans to name a few. The tournament is a kaleidoscope of players from the Indian subcontinent with representation from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is truly one game that unites all communities to come together on Sundays at Keith Hay Park and Ti Rakau park.
This year the tournament has started off with a bang and the early favourites have managed to retain their top posting in the tournament. With four rounds completed all the four teams on top are at the having the same points – 14. The table looks interesting with another 5 rounds to go and it is still wide open!
Migrant Cricket has flourished for the past 11 years in Auckland. This year is the 12th edition of the Migrant Community Cricket now known as ‘Friends of Cricket’ trophy. This year’s edition has 9 teams participating in this annual tournament which runs from January to March and has huge fan...
Migrant Cricket has flourished for the past 11 years in Auckland. This year is the 12th edition of the Migrant Community Cricket now known as ‘Friends of Cricket’ trophy. This year’s edition has 9 teams participating in this annual tournament which runs from January to March and has huge fan following.
This year the tournament consists of Probasee Bengalee, Kannada Koota, Tamil Christians, Tamil Punjabi Pythons, Muthamil Sangham, Dravidians, Deccans, Indianz 30+ and TUF XI, as they vie for the trophy.
Tamil Christians are the current holders of the trophy which they would like to retain. However, a professionally charged up runners up Muthamil Sangham is looking as the team to beat!
The tournament has a rich history and like the Ranji trophy, which has Mumbai’s name etched on it for the maximum number of times, the MCC trophy has Mumbai name the maximum number of times. The tournament’s earliest edition was started by the Telugu Assocation under the guidance of Harnath Somaraju the veteran of the tournament who is still having a go in their new outfit Indian 30+.
It is however, the Auckland Marathi Association which later became the Bombay Boyz which has notched up maximum number of wins in the tournament. Led by the ex-Ranji player Sameer Talpade and Shailendra Wagh this team has an enviable record of 5 victories and 2 runners up positions in the tournament and have reached the semi-finals in all the editions of the tournament. Probasee Bengalee, Telugu Association and Tamil Christians have won the tournament 2 times each.
Several associations have participated in the past like the Parsis (Zorastrians), Goans, Malyalee Samaj, Sri Lankans to name a few. The tournament is a kaleidoscope of players from the Indian subcontinent with representation from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is truly one game that unites all communities to come together on Sundays at Keith Hay Park and Ti Rakau park.
This year the tournament has started off with a bang and the early favourites have managed to retain their top posting in the tournament. With four rounds completed all the four teams on top are at the having the same points – 14. The table looks interesting with another 5 rounds to go and it is still wide open!
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