In recent years, the Wellingborough Indians Cricket Club, located in Northampton County, has made some major strides. Their membership has exploded from a mere 30 to almost 100! Divesh Patel became chair in 2020, and under his leadership, the club has more than doubled its active players. In doing so, it has fostered an inclusive culture for young athletes.
When Divesh Patel took over the club was really struggling with low membership. But his commitment and compelling vision have propelled a comeback by any measure. Today, the club has two senior teams and is thriving with a youth program that continues to attract younger players. This shift is part of a bigger movement of growing love for the game of cricket—on and off the field, locally and nationwide.
Tennis fans Divesh Patel and Kunal Desai believe that the increase is a result of renewed excitement around the sport.
“We have seen a surge in the popularity of the sport in general and have had a lot of interest from around the local community, it has been great,” – Divesh Patel.
Public reaction to the engagement from the local community has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly among young people who’ve found inspiration in the England Test side’s exploits this summer. The club’s roster is growing by leaps and bounds. Thousands of new players are ready to step onto the pitch, evidence of the growing demand for the beautiful game.
Dilip Patel, Wellingborough Indians Cricket Club’s third key figure, described the club’s inclusive nature and its ability to bring people from all backgrounds together.
“We didn’t always have these type of facilities. Now we have a lot of players coming from all sorts of backgrounds,” – Dilip Patel.
He made it clear that anyone who wants to play cricket should feel comfortable coming to the club. This deepens their robust dedication to both accessibility and community engagement. The social side of the club is essential to recruiting prospective new learn-to-riders. It builds rapport between athletes and establishes an inviting culture.
Anjni, part of the under-13s team, talked about all the good things she learned while being cared for and protected by the club.
“It was fun to bond with the team and have fun while playing as well as being competitive,” – Anjni.
Her sentiments are indicative of the club’s overall goal of making sports an enjoyable experience for youth athletes while instilling the competitive nature.
Om, another exciting young talent at the club, told reporters he was excited to be part of this great era.
“I like playing cricket and it’s always fun to meet all my friends.” – Om.
As Wellingborough Indians Cricket Club expands its reach and impact, Divesh Patel looks forward to what’s still to come.
“We continuously get a lot of interest in joining the club and hopefully [we will] continue to grow as kids are taking a lot of interest in the sport,” – Divesh Patel.
The stunning facade of Wellingborough Indians Cricket Club provides a powerful case study in community cricket’s potential to connect different cultures. Mixed with its focus on inclusivity, social bonding and competitive play, the club seems set to go from strength to strength.
