Encouraging signs of success for Indonesian cricket

Tony Munro

March 6, 1999

Cricket in Indonesia is gaining a toehold with an eight team competition contested this season in Jakarta and occasional matches played in centres such as Bali, Bandung, Medan in Sumatra, Surabaya in East Java, on the island of Sumbawa and Songatta in Kalimantan. Prior to the formation of the Jakarta Cricket Association in 1992, cricket in Jakarta consisted of "Ashes" matches between Australian and English expatriates.

The JCA annual Sixes competition attracts teams from Bali, Bandung, Kalimantan as well as Jakarta.

JCA matches are played at four venues, including the Ceylon Cricket Ground (artificial turf), the International Sports Club of Indonesia (matting), Country Woods Estate (turf) and Indorama (turf).

Jakarta cricket is yet to spread to the masses, with the only indigenous players being the sons of a New Zealand-born player and his Indonesian wife. This is despite cricket being played at the international schools, and an expatriate junior league contested annually.

Around 50% of Jakarta cricketers are Indian nationals, about 30% are Australians with the remainder consisting of Pakistanis, New Zealanders, Sri Lankans, Singaporeans and Malaysians.

The JCA annual presentation night usually attracts a former cricketing great, with Freddie Trueman, Ian Botham, Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Max Walker among the past guests.

While cricket in Bali is kept alive by Australian and British expatriates serving the local tourism industry, the indigenous population is involved, with an all-Indonesian team to contest the second annual Bali Sixes at Sidakawa, Sanur, on April 3 and 4. The Sixes will also feature an Australian side and two teams from Jakarta.

Bandung's West Java Wanderers C.C. mainly plays social matches, but being three hours drive away from Jakarta, is considered too distant to compete in the JCA.

Cricket in Songatta in Kalimantan is played within a huge mining complex.

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