Published: Oct 11, 2015, 02:12 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 11, 2015, 02:12 PM (IST)
Michael Pushett, a former cricketer in Israel, who both loved to play, watch and analyse the game closely; died 11 years back owing to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. A cricket tournament was held by his close friends and fellow cricketers in his memory. It took place on October 1, 2015 i.e. 10 days back. Pushett was an inmate of Efrat which is an Israeli settlement situated around 12 kilometres south of Jerusalem. Apart from cricket he was also in juice business. Cricket is not a popular sport in the war-torn country of Israel. However some Israelis, Israelis of Indian descent and Australian Israelis do play the game in spare time and on a few occasions on a professional basis. READ: Indian-origin Israeli cricketers don army uniforms in armed conflict
Liz Pushett, Michael Pushett’s wife is happy that a memorial tournament was held in memory of her husband. She recalls Michael’s enthusiasm of the game. She was quoted by Hareetz saying, “Even when he was sick, he would ask me to read him out the cricket scores .I had no idea what they meant. Micheal had a sharp wit and an infectious smile. The cricketers who took part in the tournament are childhood friends of Michael from Melbourne Bnei Akiva and other new olim who became like our family… During the Ashes, he [Michael] would disappear for days at a time. I don’t think he ever took them [children] to the matches they played. They were too little at the time.” Cricket in Israel: A harbinger of peace and harmony in the troubled region
“So now our kids know what cricket is, my youngest waits for it all year and some years the boys take part. It’s been a great opportunity to get together with many of Michael’s and our friends around his yahrzeit, without being sad. He was a real hevraman, always networking, always trying to help. This tournament celebrates all those things about him that were fun and alive. I hope it continues for many years to come.”
