Cricket history at the T20 World Cup in New York welcomed in by heavy police presence

The NYPD, Long Island Police, SWAT squad and more were all part of the security operation to ensure cricket’s moment in the city that never sleeps was one to remember, writes BEN HORNE.

Military-style security has welcomed World Cup cricket to New York for the very first time.

Police armed with heavy-duty assault weapons greeted Sri Lankan and South African fans – many of them New York locals – as they arrived at the $45 million pop up stadium at Eisenhower Park in Long Island.

A helicopter circled overhead and mounted police on horses patrolled the precinct as part of a security presence described by local reporters as the most visible they’ve seen for a sporting event in New York.

The NYPD, Long Island Police Department, SWAT squad and Combat Alert Task Force were all part of the security operation outside the ground.

The New York Post article previewing the historic arrival of World Cup cricket in the Big Apple in the paper on Monday led on the threat to Nassau County Cricket Stadium by Islamic extremists.

The presence made no impact on the vibe of the occasion, which felt like a milestone day for cricket’s genuine hope of carving a niche place in American sporting life.

Heinrich Klaasen (R) and Wanindu Hasaranga shake hands following the historic match. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The atmosphere was happy and colourful and the only hazard for 17,000 fans inside the ground was the 30 degree temperatures.

Although the facilities are outstanding for temporary grand stands, there is no shade for the 34,000 seats and there was a couple of fans who had to be stretchered out of the ground, affected by the heat.

For all the noise made about rugby league’s exciting foray into the US earlier this year, it is cricket that has a legitimate chance of setting up a foothold in America.

There is a population in excess of a million people in New York who hail from subcontinental backgrounds which means even if the World Cup isn’t exactly stopping the city that never sleeps, a significant percentage of the population are aware of what cricket is and give it a ready-made audience.

The crowd for South Africa and Sri Lanka was alive with thousands of supporters wearing their team’s colours and shirts and that support will only intensify when India and Pakistan take the field in the coming days.

Sri Lankan fans were ever present in the New York crowd. Picture: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

Eisenhower Park is an area bigger than Central Park with three golf courses, two which have been closed for the duration of this World Cup.

There was conjecture over the performance of the drop in pitch, with Sri Lanka rolled for just 77 batting first on a wicket they described as “bad” for T20 cricket.

South Africa also struggled to bat on the feisty surface but said a bowler-friendly pitch should be seen as a welcomed change for T20 cricket which has become a six-hitting fest.

The 34-minute train ride on the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station (underneath Madison Square Garden) makes the venue easily accessible for New Yorkers.

Steve Smith was able to take a car from his Manhattan apartment to commentate the match and you couldn’t help but feel this was the start of something big for cricket.