- The Netherland by Joseph O’Neill
One of the most critically acclaimed novels on cricket in the Post-modern period, ‘’The Netherland’’ (2008) written by Joseph O’Neill deals with the happenings in the life of Hans van den Brock; a Dutch financial analyst who lives in New York. The book was written in the wake of the infamous 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York. Hans pursues cricket and starts playing for the Staten Island Cricket Club; courtesy a Trinidadian umpire called Chuck Ramkissoon who plays a decisive role in the novel. The novel begins with Hans returning to Manhattan for the funeral of Chuck and the remainder of the story is narrated through flashbacks. Majority of the members of the Staten Island Cricket Club are of South Asian and West Indian origin. Chuck who considers himself to be an idealist, operates multiple businesses and instigates Hans to work for the realization of the American dream. Excitement gathers when Chuck orders a pacer out of attack for allegedly delivering horrendous bouncers in a club game. Among a horde of people who protest vociferously against the umpire’s call, is seen a man who walks on to the field with a gun in his hand. Ramkissoon is forced to remain silent and he requests the intruder to leave the field. As the story approaches its conclusion, Hans is estranged with Chuck and the latter eventually dies a gangster’s death whose body is discovered several years later; lying disposed in the Gowanus Canal. The novel was conferred with both the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award in 2009..
