Bats, balls, runs, and innings. No, it’s not baseball we’re talking about, it’s the sport of cricket and it’s coming to Naperville in the spring.

Several Naperville residents who came together to create the Naperville-based Greater Chicago Cricket Association (GCCA) in 2003, petitioned the City Council and Park Board of Commissioners in 2005 to build a cricket pitch in the community to fulfill the need of many cricket-playing residents. This effort was led by Naperville resident, Shirish Joshi who saw the increasing enthusiasm for the sport.

Their passion and enthusiasm paid off, because the Park District agreed to install a 10′x75′ cricket pitch at Commissioners Park located in south Naperville, which will be ready for play in the spring.

“We see the potential of this sport’s popularity and now hope to put Naperville on the cricket playing map very soon,” explained Joshi.

Perhaps the most important part of cricket is the way that it brings families together to enjoy some quality time playing this unique sport.

“This will be yet another opportunity for people in Naperville to make new friends and increase family time together,” explained Joshi. “Most importantly, thought, it will be another avenue for children and adults to channel their energies into a health-enhancing activity.”

The Naperville Park District plans to offer instructional cricket programs in the near future. Information regarding specific programs will be available in the quarterly Program Guide or on the District’s Web site at www.napervilleparks.org.