British Asians make their mark

Vikram Solanki is an inspiration to young British Asians

It may be overdue but, as Chris Green reports, English cricket has finally started to tap into one of its cricket-mad minority communities.

There are now 30 British-born Asian players in county cricket - and with a number of high-profile role models on the scene expect that number to rise rapidly in the next few years.

Not only is there England captain, Nasser Hussain, but overseas stars like Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and Saqulain Mushtaq, and home grown up-and-coming players like Worcestershire's Vikram Solanki and Leicestershire's Aftab Habib.

Half of the Asian Brit pack hail from the West Midlands, with Worcestershire having the largest share.

England's Nasser Hussain was born in India

Six of their 23 staff are of Asian descent, including Solanki, and England Under-19 cousins, Kabir and Kadeer Ali.

"We don't specifically look for Asian players, we're just looking for good cricketers", insists Worcestershire coach Damian D'Olivera.

"If that means we spot Asian guys, and they come through quicker, so be it."

Both Worcestershire and neighbours Warwickshire have built up links with the region's Asian community but the Bears have the more extensive network.

Opportunities

Although they only have three senior Asian players in their current squad, half of some of the county's youth development sides are Asian.

"These people are cricket mad", says Warwickshire's director of coaching Richard Cox.

"It is not unusual to see Asian children in some parts of this city playing cricket when there's snow on the ground."

While opportunities look good for talented British-born Asian cricketers in the West Midlands, elsewhere the picture is patchy.

We've now got to turn more of these young players in first class cricket into first class cricketers - and that's a big difference

  Richard Cox

Many counties, including Yorkshire, which has a number of substantial Asian communities, do not have any Asian players on their books.

In many urban areas there is a real problem with a lack of facilities.

In response, the England and Wales Cricket Board have launched four inner-city projects this summer - in Newcastle, Bristol, Nottingham and Essex.

"Although it isn't targeting ethnic communities directly this sort of scheme must inevitably help," says ECB coach Terry Bates.

The number of British Asians coming into the game has now eclipsed the Afro-Caribbeans.

"I cannot over emphasise the importance of role models," says Warwickshire's Cox.

"There are different role models for black kids - that isn't the case with the Asian youngsters."

Soccer is not a likely to be distraction. Despite its often underestimated popularity among the community, there is not a single British Asian player in league football.

We don't specifically look for Asian players, we're just looking for good cricketers

  Damian D'Olivera

"Statistically it's a nonsense," says sociologist Jaz Bains, author of Cornershops and Cornerposts.

Special

"This community has been in this country for more than 30 years and nobody can tell there hasn't been one player with the talent to make the grade. That's not the case with cricket."

So football's loss is cricket's gain.

"We've now got to turn more of these young players in first class cricket into first class cricketers - and that's a big difference," says Cox.

But there will be no positive discrimination at Worcestershire.

Coach D'Olivera insists the only special treatment the club's Asian players get is dietary.

"When we play away sometimes I have to make sure they know we've got maybe four or five vegetarians in our side - that's all."