Cricket’s status as an international game with an ability to unite people of many backgrounds has been illustrated by this season’s Horsham Saints B Grade team.

Despite playing in a regional setting, hours from the nearest international airport, the Saints have this year fielded a team comprising players born in four different countries.

B Grade captain Alan Dube said the Saints had players hailing from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan playing alongside lifelong Horsham locals, but that despite their disparate backgrounds, they were brought together by a love of the game.

“We’ve got a good mix of a few guys with a bit of diversity, and hopefully we’re going to be competitive and enjoy our cricket,” he said.

“The dynamics are really good. Even just the way we bat and bowl, having different backgrounds is really good and has added to it.”

Sarmad Saif was born in Pakistan and is now in his second season with the Saints.

He said he had never been to regional Australia before moving to Horsham, but had quickly learned to love it.

“I’ve been in Australia for almost four-and-a-half years, and this is my second season in Horsham,” he said.

“It’s very good to be here with the Horsham Saints. It’s a very good environment in the team. We have a very friendly captain and all the other team members as well.

“This is the first time I’ve been in the country, and I’ve had a great experience playing cricket here. It’s very good and I’m loving it.”

With the Saints sitting fourth on the Horsham Cricket Association B Grade ladder, a finals berth is the team’s goal.

But regardless of on-field results, Dube said the team was simply enjoying playing with each other.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the team and we’re loving it,” he said.

Injury scare

There were scary scenes in the team’s match against Horsham Tigers at Dimboola Road on Saturday, when two Saints inadvertently collided while attempting a catch.

Saints president Ben Sawyer said one player was knocked out on the field, while another required 11 stitches in his forehead.

Both players were taken to hospital but discharged later that day.

“They’re both doing alright now. We believe neither of them had a concussion, which is obviously a good thing,” he said.

“It’s something that was a bit scary for the people that were around, but it was okay in the end.”

Mr Sawyer said spectators at the ground attended to the players, whom he declined to name for privacy reasons, before an ambulance arrived.

“They did a really good job checking them over, and then the ambulance arrived and they did what they needed to do,” he said.

“It pretty much is the best possible outcome given what the situation was. It could have been a hell of a lot worse than what it was.”

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