The Arizona Republic reports on the upcoming season for the local expats, and gives an insight into cricket in America.

But on weekends from September to April, hundreds of devoted cricket players gather for competition, camaraderie and a recreational link to their native countries across the globe.

With 12 Valley teams, including the Scottsdale Cricket Club, and one in Tucson, the Arizona Cricket Association has close to 200 players representing more than a dozen cricket-playing nations. That includes Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

They also make comparisons with baseball

Batsmen try to keep the ball from striking wickets, or wooden posts, and attempt to hit the ball off the field. A batsman scores six runs for hitting the ball over the boundary on a fly and four for rolling one out.

Despite those differences, cricket and baseball, as played by weekend warriors, share common traits in the intensity of the play and the sore arms and other injuries that can keep players in pain for days afterward.

Kothari describes twisted ankles, cuts and strained hamstrings that punctuate the six-hour matches.

"I've broken my thumb before," he said. Only the wicketkeeper wears a glove.

More here.