Emery Collegiate Institute (CI) won the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) North/West Region Outdoor Boys Cricket championship on Thursday May 23, 2019 at G. Ross Lord Park. Four of seven schools advanced from a group qualification series played on Tuesday and Wednesday to the semi-finals. Emery CI topped the standings with 4 wins from 4 games, Northview Heights Secondary School (SS) won 3 and lost 1 and were placed second. AY Jackson SS also won 3 and lost 1 but ended in third place while John Polanyi came fourth with 2 wins and 2 losses.

Emery CI batted first in the semi-final against John Polanyi CI and scored 115 for 4 wickets from 15 overs on the east ground. Light rain was in the forecast for the early part of the morning but it came down slightly heavier than forecast so the teams remained off the field, making use of shelter provided by the changing rooms.

Across on the west ground Northview Heights batted first against AY Jackson SS and scored 94 for 5 wickets from 15 overs. The teams were poised to begin the second innings when light rain intensified so the teams left the field and watched the rain.

Play resumed in both games when the rain had stopped but I left soon after play resumed, partly due to concern that a greater torrent may descend. Somewhere in the next two weeks there should be the TDSB High School Boys City playoffs when four schools should gather somewhere for the Boys Varsity championships. Somewhere there should be the Girls City playoffs. Somewhere soon there will also be games under the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Mayor’s Cricket banner.

Northview Heights SS went on to win the semi-final against AY Jackson SS, although no details of the AY Jackson innings are currently available. Emery CI’s semi-final score was determined to be 110 for 4 from 10 overs but the powerful Emery team bowled out John Polanyi CI for 38 after 8 overs for a comfortable victory.

Emery CI followed by bowling out Northview Heights SS for just 22 runs after 8 overs in the North/West Region final, then Emery’s opening bats fired a winning 23 for no wicket from 2 overs to win the North/West Region championship.

The tragic fire that hit York Memorial School will also have had an impact well beyond the cricket field as alternative accommodation for York Memorial students at other schools had to be made. The fire came before the originally scheduled games for the West Region boys and girls championships. Wet weather continued and the original West Region schedules were pushed back. Sometime soon, we hope to follow-up on any progress that may have been made this week in the West Region and in other TDSB Regions. The expectation is that four schools will emerge for the Boys outdoor cricket playoffs and that there will be some Girls outdoor cricket playoffs.

It was sad to hear, read and see news about the fire that badly damaged York Memorial Collegiate Institute. Thoughts I have shared behind the scenes with Mr. Mahendra Ram who has been involved in cricket at York Memorial and in helping cricket at the TDSB level for a number of years.

It might be interesting to hear what is reported about schools cricket in the Greater Toronto Area or across the Province of Ontario at Cricket Canada’s Annual General Meeting in Montreal this weekend. But it looks like I will be seeing rain in Toronto on Saturday, possibly rather early on Saturday at a lakeshore gathering to celebrate the gift of water. Those who want to play cricket in Toronto this weekend are unlikely to appreciate the forecast of a wet weekend.