Captains Osinde and Gallian toss for innings

A run-out after the successful completion of one run produced a tie which delighted the Canadian Select XI fielders on Sunday at the Toronto Cricket Club. MCC’s Harry Smallwood was run-out at the non-striker’s end in a situation where the Canadian side’s captain, Henry Osinde set a mixed field. Some fielders were left on the boundary, others were geared to stopping any run through the point to extra cover area on the off-side. Certain captains might have put all the fielders in place to stop the single and force the batsman to hit over the top. Osinde, on his day, has both powered a match winning six for Canada, and taken some fine catches in the deep. He put himself at long-off and must have swept in to field the ball, throw it to the bowler, leg-spinner Runvindu Gunasekera who dived to dislodge the bails as Smallwood dived to seek the safety of the crease.

The umpire’s finger must have gone up. The Canadian players jumped for joy, Smallwood was run out and the match ended in a tie. The spirit of cricket won the day and, perhaps, it was the lambs of the future of Canadian cricket who roared like lions. The lion shall sit with the lamb.

Apparently, between the time I left home in the western part of Toronto and my arrival at the ground, the game’s governing body had sparked to life and mentioned this game was taking place. Not only that, but a list of the Canadian select players had appeared, as I discovered during the interval between innings. Actually, there was mention of an MCC game “today” when I left home, but that was about a game with the OPL select XI; the mystery game still showing late on Saturday night as the noon “to be announced” event before the OPL (Ontario Premier League T20) final scheduled for 4pm on Saturday.

We love our short format T20 in Canadian cricketing circles, even T20 games that last almost longer than the old 40-overs a side Sunday League back in England. The final ended around 7.45 pm, but it did seem to start a bit late, as, indeed, did the 10.30 am game on Sunday. The delay provided the chance during the late going to hear thunder from all directions, north, south, east and west around the ground, plus eventually a couple of flashes of lightening to the north-east (from my position at the southern end of the ground). However, just like the Saturday morning game in the recent Atlantic T20 Championship on Prince Edward Island, the thunder’s roar did not bring rain to the cricket ground.

So there were a couple of dramatic overs from Osinde, bowling at the Pavilion end who had Wright caught for 25, steering a ball to Gunasekera at backward point for 25, and the closing over where Gunasekera bowled Hanson for a duck from the second ball. This left the MCC needing five to win from four balls.

MCC opening batsman Webley (73 runs) and Harvey (54 runs) had seemingly set the club on course for victory with an opening stand of 122. But some good bowling from various spinners kept the scoring rate under control. It will also have been pretty hot, and a touch sticky, out in the middle for players who have seen a lot of rain in the UK in recent weeks. MCC captain Jason Gallion made 23 and Staunton ended on 11 not out.

Parth Desai bowled ten overs for just 21 runs and made the breakthrough to trap Harvey leg-before wicket and break the opening stand. His 18 not out from 13 balls at the end of the Select XI innings was also important.

Gunasekera struck a breezy 22 before being bowled by Sharma. Fellow opening bat Juverajan made 40. Rehman and D’Souza each made 36, Zaidi made 17, wicketkeeper Ali 24 and Osinde made 11, including one six.

So another game involving international visitors has been hosted, but not promoted – as probably was apparent to the Deloitte contingent who were, apparently, being given some cricket coaching as part of the payback for Cricket Canada’s independent review. There was at least one spectator making a first visit to the ground; a cousin of mine from Kingston-upon-Hull. Hull, as it tends to be known. He seemed concerned about how he would be able to track me down if he visited the ground. He arrived in time for the rumoured official start time of 10.30 am, but had no difficulty in finding me.

The players and game officials promoted the game to the assembled how ever many (or few). The absent friends might well have enjoyed the game. But, in the end the lions and the lambs roared together for the spirit of cricket. I am not too bothered about what the dinosaurs or the dead or decaying wood thought. But a bit of pruning and new life might be good for cricket. Then some of the missing 4,000 or so who saw the Canada-Scotland third-place decider at the 2001 ICC Trophy at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club might return to watch some future cricket game in the Greater Toronto Area.

Cricket Canada’s mission statement and buzzwords needs a few missionaries to make it happen. Mark well for whom the bell tolls (oops, it did not seem to ring on Sunday, but those responsible for the Laws of Cricket might have noticed). It tolls for thee!

Canada Selects tied with the MCC at Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club in the final match of the MCC tour of Canada.
Canada Select XI closed at 215 for nine wickets in 50 overs. A run out from the last ball of the match resulted in the game ending in a tie.
Canada XI v MCC XI scorecard