The influx of asylum seekers into Germany, especially from cricket-mad Pakistan and Afghanistan, "has created an unexpected boom for the sport in a country where football has long been king," according to the AFP.
Of the 476,649 people who applied for asylum in Germany last year, 31,902 came from Afghanistan alone, with a further 8,472 from Pakistan. German Cricket Federation (DCB) CEO Brian Mantle said that they have been "swamped by enquiries through their website (www.cricket.de) to set up new clubs across the country, supply equipment and point new arrivals to their local team."
Mantle, who is based in the western city of Essen, "runs the DCB with only an additional part-timer for assistance."
When the Englishman took over in '12, there were around 1,500 cricketers in Germany playing in 70 teams.
Now there are 4,000 registered cricketers playing in 205 teams and last week the DCB welcomed its 100th new club, from Bautzen near the Czech border. Thanks to donations from existing German clubs of bats, balls and cricket clothing, including 35 boxes sent by the Lord's Taverners, the U.K.'s leading youth cricket charity, the DCB "has recently sent out its 400th box of supplies to help new clubs."
But now there "is nothing more to donate." Mantle:
"That was the last box, we have run out. We're desperately looking for sponsorship or funding." Cricket's governing body, the ICC, has provided €15,000 ($17,100) of extra funding "to help the DCB meet the fresh demand" on top of the €177,000 ($201,800) in financing they receive annually (AFP, 5/5).
