蜜芽传媒

Cricket was once the most popular sport played in America.

To begin this story, Geoff Boycott and veteran New York cricketer Clarence Modeste recall an extraordinary attempt to revive cricket.

Yorkshire's county team set out to play at Staten Island Cricket Club in the midst of social unrest during 1964.

At that time, America was a turbulent place following President Kennedy's assassination. The Civil Rights movement was under attack and there was rioting in the streets.

As The Beatles took to the stage of the Paramount Theatre in New York for their US debut, across town the Brylcreem boys of Yorkshire were beginning their attempt to bring cricket back to the USA.

Gamesmanship, partying, and psychological warfare are recounted here by some of the survivors.

In the 1800s, before the American Civil War, cricket was the dominant sport in America.

Cricket fanatic David Prest visits the home of US cricket in Haverford, Philadelphia, to hear about the social history of the game and how it's surviving now - largely organised and played along ethnic team lines.

Award winning-author Joseph O鈥橬eill recounts the origins of his bestselling novel about cricket in the USA, Netherland, and describes how the police organise cricket facilities in New York for young Muslim players in poorer areas in an attempt to keep them from becoming isolated and succumbing to extremist ideology.

By contrast, we also visit the exclusive surroundings of Merrion Cricket Club in Haverford, Philadelphia, where millionaires take tea on the pavilion.

Finally, the programme asks if America could ever become a cricketing nation once again.

Producer: Peter Curran

A Foghorn production for 蜜芽传媒 Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2017.

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