It was a sight which Sreejith Sreekumar has been dreaming about for over six years.
Victoria Park was humming yesterday for the conclusion of the inaugural Sports Emporium Cricket Whanganui IPL Twenty20 Cup - an eight team T20 invitational tournament for New Zealand's Indian cricket clubs.
After Day 1 washeld at Springvale, the sides from Wellington, South Taranaki and Manawatu set up their marquees along the Victoria treeline for some unique style action play between fulltime Indian clubs and other sides who have not had formal coaching but bring great passion to the game.
This included the new Wicket Warriors Whanganui CC, captained by Sreekumar, who moved to Whanganui around eight years ago and has spent the last six trying to get the idea of an Indian cricket tournament off the ground.
With Cricket Wanganui coming on board, especially the tournament's director Dilan Raj, that vision was now a reality.
It was a steep learning curve for the Warriors, who had to rapidly adjust to formal structured tournament cricket, after many have just been playing pick-up games with old tennis balls in their own time.
"It is our experience and exposure," said Sreekumar.
"At least the boys are getting a opportunity...to learn some new things."
Sabari Rajgopal batting for Wicket Warriors Whanganui CC at Victoria Park.
Both Sreekumar and Raj said the response was very positive from the visiting sides, raising the prospect of expanding to a ten-team or more tournament next year, something that was considered this year but ultimately was retained at eight to easily fit the two days.
"We were stoked and already the feedback is they're all coming back and they'll bring two more friends [each]," said Raj.
The cricket was also quite exciting as there was a three-way tie in Pool A with the Wellington Sikh, New Plymouth Stars and Gujaret Lions deadlocked on two wins and one loss, with the Lions going ahead to the Cup final on run rate.
There the Lions would meet the Wellington Fateh, who were unbeaten with wins over Eastern Suburbs, Palmerston North Smashers and Hawera W Stars.
In a thrilling finish, the Lions would win by one wicket with two balls remaining as 13-year-old Rikesh Patel, who had come home from Auckland to play for his father's team, would survive until a wide was bowled to give them the win.
The Lions are from Patea, having been formed a few two seasons ago by around half a dozen members of the Patel family under patriarch Ashvin Patel.
Patea's Bhavik Patel bowling in the Sports Emporium Cricket Whanganui IPL Twenty20 Cup final between the Gujarat Lions and the Wellington Fateh CC yesterday.
Looking through the tournament results, there were some impressive individual performances.
