Hungary: Fekete is just Hungary for cricket

Fekete Zsolt is arguably Central Europe's most dedicated cricketer.

During the Hungarian summer, Fekete will set out at 5am every Sunday from his home town of Miskolc to drive the 300km to Budapest for training sessions of the country's only cricket club, Magyar Testnelevesi Foiskola Cricket Club or if you prefer, Hungarian Sports University Cricket Club.

His typical 9am arrival at the football ground where the club trains usually makes him the first of about a dozen core members, a collection of diehard enthusiasts whose origins vary from Hungary, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Fekete is the keenest of five Hungarians who intermittently take part in the club's practice matches, played on a mat rolled where the grass has been cut on the football ground to substitute for a pitch.

The origins of his involvement with the club are slightly different to his other countrymen in that it did not come through expatriate friends or work colleagues. Fekete discovered the sport while in South Africa and fell in love with it, but his interest remained dormant until...

"My rugby trainer gave me an issue of Budapest Sun, in which he read Venki's ad regarding recruiting Hungarian members into the team. I wrote down the phone number, called Venki [club spokesman, Venkatesh Ramaswami] and I showed up at the next training," Fekete recalled.

It's an action he wouldn't have anticipated after his first impression of cricket.

"I saw the sport on television first and quite naturally I thought it was a stupid game since I did not understand it. As I picked up all the rules I found it an extremely interesting, amusing, complex and sophisticated game. It is a very big challenge to me, especially that I was 28 years old when I first held a bat in my hands..."

So how was the learning path in acquiring the subtleties of the game?

"Ever since my earliest childhood I was very good in throwing things so I naturally expected myself to be a very good bowler. My introduction was a disaster as I faced the problem of throwing vs. bowling. It was a huge consolation learning that I am not that bad at batting. I am willing to learn everything related to this game."

These practice sessions attended by Fekete and others remain the primary cricket activity of the club which has not wielded a bat competitively since 1998, a situation created by lack of numbers and a proper playing facility.

Since the club was formed in 1991, in its various incarnations it has received teams from England, Holland and Austria and has travelled to Germany and Austria. During that time it has been known by a few titles including Budapest CC and Magyar CC

Its busiest period was between 1996 and 1998 when it played eight matches. Now the players split themselves into two sides when more than 10 turn up.

Venkatesh attributes the club's struggle for numbers to lack of exposure and its complex nature.

"I suppose there isn't enough advertisement for the game here to attract the locals.

"Also cricket being a technical game unlike any other, it is difficult for grown ups to adapt.

"The possibility of introducing the game in schools may be worth looking at. Nigel Laughton has provided us with equipment but lack of a proper pitch has dissuaded a few people from playing as well teams from visiting us."

Those interested in playing cricket in Budapest can email Venkatesh at venki@remek.com