Eddie Norfolk
Persistent rain washed out the two scheduled T20 matches in Cricket Canada’s National Cricket League at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club, King City, Ontario on Thursday. Sadly, it seems the weather for Friday into Saturday sees further rain, which could include thunderstorms, so any thoughts that Thursday’s matches might be re-scheduled for Friday, when the last two round robin matches are due to be played, may not have too much of a chance.
No official word or indication had been posted on the Cricket Canada website regarding any change in schedule for Friday at the time of this update. Indeed, the timeliness and limited effort on the publicity and promotion front by some at Cricket Canada for this National Cricket League has underlined a material deficiency in not only public and media relations, but in the relations with key stakeholders, such as players, match officials, the small group of groundstaff assigned to work on the preparation and maintenance of wickets and outfield at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club for this tournament, and those nominated to serve as tournament officials for this event.
There are clearly weaknesses in some of those executives on the board who are content to have what is supposed to be a major Cricket Canada launching pad event for the future of Canadian cricket “supported” by a mediocre newswire for the first day’s play of the T20 phase of this tournament on the official website that read:
“The Prairie Fire moved to 2-0 with wins over the Central Shield and Western Stallions in [on?] the opening day of the NCL T20 on Tuesday.”
It is not the stuff to inspire confidence in those who opted to hold this event at short notice, but potentially highlights the major gap between those volunteers seeking to build cricket in Canada in tandem with appointed professional development officers at the national level together with those at the provincial level, who combine development and administrative roles, and the mission statement/concept creators in the policy defining positions on national, provincial and leagues. Some of whom carry multiple hats without being able to see common needs for infrastructure improvements to support player development that is mostly fuelled and supported by individual clubs, individual cricket schools and academies – further highlighted by a lack of knowledge by some in key elected positions of what really takes place in schools and youth cricket.
When it comes to infrastructure needs and – dare one use the word “planning” – but planning needs to be part of infrastructure maintenance and growth, there remains limited realization of the requirement for maintenance of any new grounds, or even supporting pavilions and structures (which might be developed with integrated indoor net facilities, for example, for more year-round usage).
Somewhere along the line, Cricket Canada had at least one camera with analytical software and training, originally provided by the ICC Development arm since some time around the middle of 2006. But not a single camera has been used by Cricket Canada to film and analyse play in the current national championship, which is also a major development event.
The Cayman Islands made use of two cameras during an ICC Associates World League Division Three competition staged in Argentina in early 2009. But sometimes there is a last minute scramble to hoist one camera at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club when the national men’s team begins play. For a couple of events, better effort has resulted in broader TV coverage, but not always with too much notice to the potential sports and cricket watching public.
Four pitches were used during the round-robin phases of the Scotiabank National T20 at Maple Leaf Cricket Club back in May 2008. But the then leadership did not manage to set up at least one camera to look down the wicket for potential analytical and player development purposes.
Some might wonder why the Toronto and District Cricket Association, to whom custody of the Maple Leaf grounds is assigned via a trust, has not woke up to the potential to make use of such cameras to assist both player development and promotion of internet streaming or internet highlights from matches in leading divisions, and playoffs.
Indeed, there must surely been rather hot, cold or wet days when teams in Toronto and District games might wish to shower between innings so batsmen, bowlers and fielders are refreshed for the task in hand.
Perhaps a review of some of the “going concern” aspects of cricket in Canada’s leading leagues and provinces need some thought, update and swift action. Some believe the age of the quill pen is long gone, others – too often some of the leading officials in these organizations combine reactionary thinking and hopes of magic solutions.
The “Charge of the Light Brigade” may have been a bit of a British military communications and human disaster, but it might have been worse with the “wrong leadership.” Due to the weather, putting out a few advertising and sponsorship signs around the Maple Leaf for the closing days of this National Cricket League may not compensate for their absence in this tournament to date. A fact surely not lost on the visiting MP for Oak Ridges-Markham and Parliamentary Secretary to the Canadian Culture Minister who turned up for the toss on the first day. The Ministry through which the existing Federal grant, not particularly large, is allocated.
So the rain put out the Prairie Fire’s bid to conclude the T20 round robin with wins in all four group games on Thursday. It remains to be seen what will transpire on the last two days, but the sound of thunder was heard a couple of minutes ago in this part of the City of Toronto, so it is probably still raining, as it was when I began this progress update.
Perhaps it will be drier in King City ? It sometimes is. Or perhaps the discussions on what is needed in Canadian cricket will continue today, as they were doing yesterday morning at the ground. It’s time for change and progress. Not grandstanding waffle.
Still, the crowd figures were almost similar on Thursday, and remained more than the no spectators shown in the logos of some fancy stadium for this National Cricket League. Some of the “Brand X” cricket can attract a few people, even without proper pre-tournament publicity. How much better could things be for Canadian cricket? Potentially a lot better, with a downside that things could collapse if those who don’t really provide much for the game but cling to do-nothing elected posts, or posts for which they are not qualified, do not step aside.
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
In traditional auditing, all issues can be simplified to (a) plan of organization, and (b) resources (human, financial, infrastructure, etc). There is a basic infrastructure in Canadian cricket, but what do various people really do or achieve at the national level and in some of the provinces? Sometimes more information is disclosed that should not be passed to non-insiders, while important guidance on up coming tournaments and big games remains a mystery.
What, if anything, does “sanctioned by Cricket Canada” really mean? Clearly in some of the lost time in recent years on dream stadiums and magic events that will provide a big financial boost (but seemingly did not), resources to help develop and promote events and cricket development in some of the smaller provinces and league have slipped by the wayside. Resources that are vitally needed in building and promoting Canadian cricket.
2. Summary of Results to date
Thursday – August 9th, 2012
11 am Eastern Fury v Prairie Fire -game not played due to rain (re-scheduled?)
Western Stallions v Central Shield – game not played due to rain (re-scheduled?)
August 8th, 2012
11am Central Shield 129 for 6 wkts (20 ov) beat Eastern Fury 100 for 8 wkts (20 ov) by 29 runs ( pitch – tba)
Western Stallions 153 for 6 wkts (20 ov) beat Pacific Edge 74 all out (15 ov) 79 runs (pitch – tba)
3pm Prairie Fire 130 for 5 wkts (20 ov) beat Pacific Edge 105 for 9 wkts (20 ov) by 25 runs
August 7th, 2012
11am Eastern Fury 124 for 6 wkts (20 ov) beat Pacific Edge 105 for 6 wkts (20 ov) by 19 runs
(South-west pitch)
Western Stallions 126 for 8 wkts (20 ov) lost to Prairie Fire 130 for 4 wkts (19.5 ov) by six wickets (North-east pitch)
3pm Prairie Fire 136 all out (19.5 ov) beat Central Shield 128 for 8 wkts (20 ov) by 8 runs.
(North-east pitch)
All matches played at Maple Leaf CC, King City. Specific pitch used for each game, where known, is noted in brackets after scoring summary.
Remaining Schedule
Friday – August 10th, 2012
11 am Pacific Edge v Central Shield
Eastern Fury v Western Stallions
Saturday – August 11th, 2012
11 am 1st in standings v 2nd in standings
3rd in standings v 4th in standings