• April 27, 2024

UK Malayalee Cricket League season starts today in London: Record 21 teams in fray to lift trophy

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON April 27: The UK Malayalee Cricket League (UKMCL), London’s oldest and most esteemed Malayalee cricket league, is set to commence its 21st season today, April 27th, and will continue to entertain cricket enthusiasts until September 1st, 2024.

UKMCL, established in 2004, prides itself as the largest Malayalee cricket league in Europe, fostering not only top-quality cricket but also camaraderie and unity among its members. Apart from promoting good quality cricket, the League hopes the game will bind each one closer as a community and help them assert their distinct identity, which upholds humanity above race, creed, and language.

This year UKMCL will host two adult men’s leagues on Saturdays and Sundays at various grounds in London and home counties. Over the next 19 weekends, 21 teams will compete for a total cash prize of £2,000 for League champions plus individual and team accolades in three formats, including League, League Cup and T20.

As many as 250 Malayali cricketers from East London and Croydon regions participate in the league, representing a diverse array of teams that showcase their passion for the sport. With roots tracing back to the East Ham Cricket Club, UKMCL has since transformed into a major community-driven initiative, staying true to its core values and commitment to serving the Malayali community in the UK.

2023 League champions were:
3 Caps CC, Essex – UKMCL 2023 Saturday League Champions


United Kent CC, Kent – 2023 Sunday League Champions (Below)

History of UK Malayalee Cricket League

UK Malayalee Cricket League (UKMCL) inherited the legacy of Malayalee cricket from the late seventies. The true love and passion for playing and promoting quality cricket in the community led to UKMCL in 2004. It was the collective effort of the Eastham, Croydon and Kent-based Cricket clubs and various community groups in the UK, especially MAUK, KCWA and KCA.

The legacy of Malayalee as a cricket-loving community dates back to the second half of the twentieth century. The period of 1980-84 witnessed a giant leap in the cricketing activities of the UK Malayalees as the youngsters from Eastham engaged NHS Newham General Hospital in several friendly matches. Wandle Park in Croydon also had its share of hectic cricket seasons led by Malayalees.

The formation of the first Malayalee cricket club in the United Kingdom in 1985 was the real beginning of an era. The first established Malayalee cricket team, Eastham Malayalee Cricket Club (EMCC), inspired many Malayalee cricket enthusiasts in other parts of the UK to float their outfits. The Croydon Malayalee youth wing came up with their club in 1987. Though there were a lot of friendly matches in the latter half of the 80s, competitive cricket among them was still a far cry.

The MAUK Cricket competition held in the summer of 1987 at East Ham Central Park was the first competitive cricket match of Malayalees in the UK. The EMCC A Team and the EMCC B Team played the historical match.

UKMCL Management Committee 2024
1 Badusha Karim Chairman
2 Mishal Francis General Secretary
3 Manoj Muralidharan Treasurer
4 Jayaprakash Krishnan Development Manager
5 Manilal Raman Executive Member
6 Raji Gangadharan Executive Member
7 Pravas Prabakar Executive Member
8 Manilal Viswambaran Executive Member
9 Venugopal Pillai Executive Member

 

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UKMCL sponsors this year is Global Study Link London. Media partner is www.ukmalayalee.com.

If you are interested to join the league send an email to secretary@ukmcl.com or visit http://www.ukmcl.com or https://ukmcl.play-cricket.com/home