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Harmony Cricket

By Jake Corcoran 

 MELBOURNE - Cricket Victoria has given a whole new meaning to multiculturalism this summer with its Harmony Shield competition.

 
Some 22 teams, comprised of players from all over the globe, are battling to win the trophy on cricket grounds around Melbourne - as far apart as Lalor and Frankston.
 
One such team is the West Lalor Warriors whose players hail from 10 different nations including Cambodia, Fiji, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Albania, Macedonia and Italy -- as well as those born in Australia.
 
Club President Matt dal Pozzo is a strong supporter of the Harmony program, which began in 2006, and its focus on inclusiveness.
 
“I think it's a great initiative by Cricket Victoria,” dal Pozzo said. “You do go to some places and you still get a bit of racial vilification out there, so I think this is a good awareness program…”
 
He noted that Lalor was a very diverse area and added that “it's a pretty good multicultural group with everyone pretty respectful of each others culture”.
 
 
Warriors’ team member Nishad Mazahir agreed, while talking of his experiences since joining the club last year.
 
“I fit in straight away,” he said. “It wasn't awkward, it wasn't like I was being left out of anything,.. you didn't feel any of that.”
 
It was different to when Mazahir first arrived in Australia from Columbo in Sri Lanka four years (ago?) when some of his early experiences were “distressing.”
 
He recalled that “at first, the impression an outsider gets is that you feel inferior;  you feel less appreciated and you get picked on , probably by a couple of young kids because they don't know the concept of it,  and it gets to you.”
 
His time playing for West Lalor has been much more positive.
 
“The club is like a second home for most of us,” said Mazahir, “It's nice just to be around. When you are at the club you feel your presence is welcome and people appreciate you being around and that’s awesome. It's also fun.”
 
Club members regularly help each other out, finding work and accommodation, or just providing a vegetarian option at club dinners.
 
“We try to really look after people as much as possible,” added dal Pozzo.
 
He believes the Harmony Shield initiative will continue to grow, with support from other clubs and the Melbourne community while he remains determined the West Lalor Club will “support it for as long as possible.”
 
The West Lalor Warriors train at Huskisson Reserve in Lalor, and dal Pozzo said “Anyone who was interested in playing at the club is more than welcome to come down, regardless of their nationality.”
 
Teams partner up in the Harmony Shield  to compete for a perpetual trophy, that will be on the line each time the teams meet, according to Cricket Victoria spokesman Andrew Lee.
 
“We want to make cricket clubs inclusive,” says Lee, “the Harmony Shield rewards clubs for being inclusive”.