The Tigers Seek New Life after Poor Start to the Season

The cracking sound of the bat connecting with a seemingly perfect-bowl echoes throughout the stadium, sending the ball flying through the air and over the heads of the onlooking bowler. As it plummets like an arrow toward the palm of an anticipating fielder, the team is filled with relief on what should be a simple catch. Except, it’s far from it, as the ball fumbles its way out of the fielder’s protruding hand and onto the grass. Another run for Thomas Edison as they increase their 138-point lead over Stuyvesant and send the Manhattan side to their fifth loss of the season.

Currently at the rock-bottom of their division and humbled by frustrating forfeits, triple-digit defeats at the hands of Thomas Edison, and thrashings by Dewitt Clinton, Maspeth High School, Lehman Campus, and Bronx Science, the Tigers, Stuyvesant’s coed varsity cricket team, miss out on playoffs and finish at the bottom of the standings for a third consecutive season.

After finishing last season on a high by beating HS for Construction in the final game of the campaign, the Tigers were brimming with confidence as this new season approached; with revamped and extended training programs during the pre-season and the growing experience of younger players, it only seemed like a matter of time before the team contested the playoffs. However, the team’s performances have not lived up to expectations, with only one win in seven games. This leads to questions as to why the team has stagnated.

Explaining these struggles, sophomore co-captain Parthiv Lodh blames the poor logistical management of the team, saying: “The field we practiced at banned the sport, at least batting. Turns out our batting has been the biggest let down this season.” These limited batting sessions have weakened the teams’ batsmen, as they have cracked 100 runs just once this season in a 130-103 loss to Bronx Science. Along with the batsmen, the fielders have struggled to contain aggressive offenses, facing triple-digit defeats, such as the 246-88 humbling against Thomas Edison. In fact, the team has conceded more than 100 runs in all but four out of seven of their opening games; 122 for Lehman Campus, 130 for Bronx Science, 111 for Maspeth High School, and 246 for Thomas Edison.

Poor management also stems from the inactivity of their coach, Mohammad Khan, whose decision to not attend the team’s practices forces veteran players to expend their practice time to coach younger additions, as well as making it impossible for the team to attain permits. Without permits for training fields, the team has been forced to scavenge for facilities, only practicing at Asphalt Green during non-permit days. Otherwise, members are forced to travel to Kissena and Baisley Park in Queens or Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, which is a major inconvenience.

Technically, the team does have two wins under their belt. However, miscommunication has led the division to rule their second win a forfeit. A misunderstanding with Physical Education teacher Peter Bologna, who is responsible for registering active players, led to a new player not being made active in time for a game against York Early College Academy. Believing that the player had already been made active, the Tigers played him in a resounding victory against York Early College Academy. However, the opposition and the division were quick to point out the inactive player, and the win was invalidated.

However, the Tigers continue to have faith in their roster, with senior and vice-captain Ahamed Rashid explaining that “New members have shown a lot of effort, and I'm confident that more of them will begin starting games on a regular basis.” Lack of experience has led to inconsistencies, especially against opponents who have played the sport for years. However, the team has been quick to give new additions—many of whom have never played the sport—chances to play games. Lodh sticks with this trend, explaining how veteran players such as Afm Khan and Sayan Shil (with 36 runs, the latter was the top-scorer for Stuyvesant in the defeat against Thomas Edison) have begun to consistently start.

Playoffs are a realistically unattainable goal for the team this season, with expectations low in preparation for their upcoming games. However, Rashid sums it up by explaining that the team “looks forward to playing each game with more energy than we have before and with the same concentration. We have nothing to lose and all to gain. We're looking forward to beating as many teams as possible over the next remaining games.” The team's resilience is unparalleled, and they will look to learn from their mistakes this season and finish on a high.