Founded in 1990 by Rudy Clark (Barbados and US Navy) and Errol Watson (Jamaica and US Navy) when they were stationed at Point Mugu Missile Range, Victoria CC was Ventura County’s last cricket club before migrating to DelAmo Park, Carson, in Los Angeles. Named for the local English pub (Victoria) and street off the 101, in seventeen years Victoria has been a loyal member of the Southern California Cricket Association, winning the Presidential and City award for service to the community as well as the SCCA executive-committee.


In its first year as a member of the Southern California Cricket Association the predominantly English and West Indian team were promoted to the Second Division after losing just one game. Victoria CC stayed in the Second Division for five years before the players aged or moved out of the area. A new team was grafted onto the old from 1994 with several players joining from Corinthians Cricket Club-the second oldest active cricket club in Southern California. The team continued to do well. In 1995 the Los Angeles Krickets joined Victoria to get league experience.


The LA Krickets had the distinction of being the world’s first Homeless Cricket Team. In England the LA Krickets, captained by Victoria CC captain, David Sentance compiled a winning record. Their success was covered on Channel 5 and garnered a Disney movie contract. The LA Krickets also played the Sri Lanka World Cup Champions in 1995-they lost the six over game. Joe Jacobs scored 50 in his first innings for Victoria CC and r opening bowler, Theo Hayes-brother of 2004 gold medal in 100metre hurdles winner Jennifer Hayes-took many wickets and brilliant catches in the deep.


Once the homeless players found homes, Pakistan International college Captain Dr Wasim Mirza (succeeding the world cricket re-nowned Imran Khan) joined the side and re-built Victoria. With Wasim’s inspired leadership, Victoria CC developed a much younger aggressive team comprised primarily of computer programmers from Bangalore and Hydrebad. Shekar ‘Chandra’ Akiti , Sunil Ramineni and Azaro (Australia) have shown great leadership skills and have positioned Victoria CC for solid performance in the years to come.


Individual cricketers flourished in Victoria CC’s supportive sporting environment. Martin Friedlander played for the Southern California Cricket Association against Jamaica (1999), Adam Pirrie became First Division captain of University CC (2000) and Bashi Kezar was selected the first Under XIII United States captain (1999).


Two Victoria CC members pioneered cricket in the Los Angeles Unified School District from 1996. Read www.Americancricketer.com for Sentance’s column on Junior Cricket in the US. The schools program that was opened at Ivanhoe School by New Zealand legend Sir Richard Hadlee in 1996 is currently organizing the first US women’s cricket club to tour Uganda in November 2007.


With the best web-masters in the business, Victoria recruits worldwide through its vcclub.org website. Victoria CC is a team that goes beyond the boundary to achieve greatness both on and off the field.