Hit Wicket to Bring Cricket to Inman in May

What is almost definitely Massachusetts' first and only cricket-themed sports bar is now aiming at opening next month, according to a CraigsList job posting. Hit Wicket is taking over the former Spice & Rice space in Inman Square. (Spice & Rice merged into its Porter Square sibling, Sugar & Spice.) What makes this 90-seat restaurant cricket-themed, exactly? Live games will be shown on TV, cricket memorabilia will decorate the walls, and the cuisine will come from countries where cricket is popular (so, not the United States): India, Sir Lanka, New Zealand, Britain, and the West Indies. According to the job posting, the focus will be on "street foods and homestyle cooking" from those countries.

Owner Shubha Ramesh Kumar is hoping to "take cricket to the Americans via a mainstream concept of a sportsbar," according to the Hit Wicket website, where she also explains that the name is "cricket terminology used to declare a batsman 'OUT' due to him accidently breaking the wickets behind him with the bat or a part of the body while attempting to strike the ball."

Diners will be able to learn all about the game with the help of the staff, who will actually be trained to teach novices about the sport, according to the Herald. Diners can even hold a bat and ball "to get a better handle on the game." For those more inclined to watch other sports, Hit Wicket will also broadcast Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots games. Kumar tells the Herald that her husband is a "crazy sports fan," so all the bases will be covered.

· Kitchen staff/ cooks, prep, dish [CL]
· Cricket-themed eatery next to bat [BH]
· Hit Wicket Bar [Official Site]
· All coverage of Hit Wicket on Eater [~EBOS~]