Sports
Thetford’s Great Festival:
The Annual Anglo-Sikh Cricket Match
NEWS REPORT
Thetford, Norfolk, England
Following last year’s valiant attempt to play cricket in a monsoon, the Thetford Invitational XI and The Young Lions will be hoping for more clement weather this year in a match to win The Prince Frederick Duleep Singh Cup.
Despite the rain, The Young Lions won last year!
The match commemorates and celebrates Thetford’s Anglo-Sikh links and the love of cricket shown by Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, founder of the town’s Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life.
His father, Maharajah Duleep Singh, the exiled last Emperor of the Punjab and the first Sikh known to make Britain home, first learnt to play the game as a boy living in Mussoorie under the tutelage of his appointed 'guardians', Lord and Lady Login.
Duleep Singh eventually settled at Elveden Hall – thus beginning Thetford’s connection with the Sikh community which continues to this day.
This year’s match is kindly hosted by Thetford Town Cricket Club. Play starts at 12 noon on Monday, August 31, 2015. It’s a '40-over per side' contest with a break between the innings. Weather permitting, the game should finish between 5 pm and 6 pm.
Spectators are very welcome. Please bring your own chair and picnic.
Entertainment will be provided by ‘Eternal Taal‘, one of Britain’s leading Bhangra dance groups.
Speaking about the event, Karen-Emma White from The Ancient House said: “We are delighted to welcome the Young Lions back to Thetford. The standard of cricket is excellent and after last year's defeat, the pride of Thetford is all to fight for! Prince Frederick would have thoroughly approved of our two communities coming together in the name of cricket.”
Organisers of this year’s match are grateful for the support of Shadwell Stud, The Pearson Family, Thetford Cricket Club and Thetford’s Great Festival.
Location: The Thetford Cricket Club, Mundford Road, Thetford IP24 1NB, Norfolk, England.
August 28, 2015
Conversation about this article
1: Karen-Emma White (Thetford, United Kingdom), August 30, 2015, 6:29 PM.
CANCELLATION: Due to the heavy rain forecast all day tomorrow this event has had to be cancelled. We are looking forward to welcoming the Young Lions and Eternal Taal to Thetford in 2016.