By Jim Wallace
After playing its “home” games on the road the past couple of seasons, the St. Catharines Cricket Club is coming home bigger than ever. The club, established in 1890s, was forced to move out of the city briefly when it couldn’t find a home in St. Catharines. After playing out of Mohawk Sports Park in Hamilton, the club will be back this summer at a yet-undisclosed location. Club captain Tan Qureshi said the location of the new site can’t yet be divulged because legal details are still being finalized.
But when the club takes to the field, it will have a team in the Premier and First divisions of the Hamilton and District Cricket League, where it won a title in 2007.
Qureshi expects upwards of 50 players to join the club in time for the summer season, which starts with warmup games in early May leading to the league start the third week of May.
Being based in St. Catharines should make it easier for the club to attract players, especially students from Brock University and Niagara College, Qureshi agreed.
“A lot of players who play with us are studying from other countries, so it’s tougher for them to join a team that plays away games away and home games away,” he said, referring to the “home” games in Hamilton. “To bring the team back to Niagara is huge.”
Qureshi said in Hamilton, cricket matches attracted upwards of 400 fans a game and the sport is growing world-wide.
“It’s the second-largest game in the world behind soccer,” he said. “The money paid to players to play professional cricket is increasing every year.
“Players are auctioned off and are paid in six figures to play just for the summer. It’s huge.”
He said interest is peaking even more with Canada participating in the world championships and that is being reflected in the play itself.
“It’s like cricket is on steroids. It’s amazing the speed you’re facing when you’re batting. The standard is fairly high and the way we’re playing now, we’re aiming for the playoffs.”
It’s not the first time the team has been in the playoffs in the 14-team Hamilton league, which was founded in 1921.
Cricket has a longer history in St. Catharines. According to the website www.cricketarchive.com, St. Catharines first played a cricket match with Niagara Falls Aug. 20, 1853 in St. Catharines. St. Catharines also field a team in the Toronto and District Cricket Council League in 1921 while the St. Catharines Cricket Club was founded in the 1860s. It amalgamated with the West St. Catharines Cricket Club in the late 1980s.
The club had Ridley College at its home grounds for more than 100 years before moving to Hamilton three years ago.
Qureshi said the team is presently working out at St. Catharines Tennis and Athletics on Melbourne St. Anyone interested in joining either team can call Qureshi at 905-329-8261 or get further information on the club’s website at stccricket.com.