Cricket World Cup: the local connection

Many of you will have watched fascinated, as the USA cricket team beat mighty Pakistan in a super over finish on Thursday. 

Perhaps not many are aware of the local connection in that American side.

Nitish Kumar is a Canadian national who switched to play for the United States. However, he went to school at Repton and played cricket for Ticknall, where he did very well, as well as for Chesterfield.

He also played for Loughborough MCCU where he scored good runs, including a century against Northamptonshire. So highly was he rated that the then Derbyshire coach, Karl Krikken, was interested in taking him onto the Derbyshire staff. 

Kumar was loathe to give up his overseas status, however, and so it came to naught.

Fast forward around 12 years and he is hitting a four over mid off from the final ball to take his side into a super over finish against Pakistan. 

Now 30, he has had a good international career since becoming the second youngest player, aged 15 and 237 days, to play one-day international cricket.

So if you are looking for another local connection to follow in this World Cup, Nitish (known as 'Tendulkar' by team mates) is perhaps your man.

He got one over Mohammad Amir's boys, anyway!