Eddie Norfolk
Cricket Canada’s new National Cricket League did not gain a mention in a review of various English language ethnic newspapers picked up on Saturday in Mississauga. Yet the inaugural 50-over championship final is being played today (August 5th) at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club, King City.
Former Indian star batsman Sunil Gavaskar is due to be at the Markham Cricket Ground today (Sunday August 5th, between 10 am and 1 pm) as part of promotional activities associated with the upcoming ICC T20 Championship, according to Asian News (August 1st edition). There have been adverts in recent weeks for this visit, including an advert in the current edition of The Weekly Voice.
The Weekly Voice (August 4th) carries news of the Second Ajax Mayor’s Cricket Festival that took place last weekend at the Ajax Cricket Club. Asapient Thunderbolts won the adult section of the festival, beating the challenges of Ajax CC and a CIBC team. Durham Cricket Academy Under-13’s also participated in this festival. The event supported various charities.
The Weekly Voice also reported on the Jhanvi XI winning the final of a cricket tournament at Huron Heights on July 29th that was played with a special tennis hardball.
India Journal (August 3rd) and Can India News (August 3rd) also reported on the Jhanvi XI’s success. In the Huron Heights final, the Mississauga Tigers scored 108 for nine wickets in 20 overs. A total which the Jhanvi XI beat in 15.5 overs for the loss of five wickets. A dozen teams from Mississauga, Burlington, Brampton and Etobicoke participated in this tournament, organized by Kanada Sports Team Inc.
Asian Connections newspaper (August 3rd) reported on Team India beating Team Sri Lanka in the final of the Canada Cup T20 tournament at Elson Grounds, Markham on July 21st. Team India complied a total of 162 for four wickets from 20 overs and won by 55 runs.
South Asian Midweek (July 31st) carries the current standings in the CPC (Canadian Professional Cricket) championship. This is the fifth season for the CPC. CWC Immigration top the standings with 4 wins from 4 games (8 points). Chandigarth Tigers and Markham Gladiators have each won two and lost one game (6 points each), leaving the Toronto Warriors and Malton Kings XI at the foot of the standings. The Warriors and Kings have both lost all three matches to date. There is also news of a Pakistan Eagles v India Lions T20 game to be played at Scarborough’s L’Amoreaux Park on Saturday August 25th. No starting time is specified for this game.
Somewhere I have a copy of the current issue of Caribbean Camera that includes standings in the Elite Division of the Toronto and District Cricket Association.
There is plenty of international cricket news in most of the newspapers already mentioned. The South Asian Voice section of Pakeeza (August 1st) includes the recent Netherlands v Bangaldesh ODIs and some summary scores as Pakistan’s Under-19’s prepare in Australia for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Current issues of newspapers reviewed but without any specific Canadian cricket content included: Share (August 2nd), Indo-Caribbean World (August 1st), The Weekly Times of India (August 3rd), India Abroad (August 3rd), Generation Next (August 2nd), South Asian Observer (August 3rd) and South Asian Focus (August 2nd). Canadian cricket content has certainly been included in the past in these newspapers, but there is a need to maintain ongoing relations with newspapers and media in order to gain coverage.
I also came across the Canadian Pakistan Times (August 2nd), which I think is the first copy I have seen of that particular newspaper. I will leave the review of Canadian cricket content in the various Hindi, Punjabi, Udru, Gujarati, Bengali and two or three other South Asian language newspapers picked up on Saturday’s review mission until a later date.
I didn’t seem to notice much coverage of the National Cricket League in Friday’s mainstream four newspapers in the Greater Toronto Area, but I might have missed something. Nobody has time to be perfect with all that needs to be done, but that is just my opinion. It certainly seemed hotter today when walking around, without a cricket match or two to enforce a certain amount of focus on two recent fairly hot days in King City.