Several members of Canada’s Under-17 squad were at Sunnybrook Park, Toronto on Friday (August 15, 2014) to continue preparations for next week’s ICC Americas Under-17 Championship in Bermuda. Under-17 coach Errol Barrow oversaw the practice session, that also drew the presence of new Canadian National Men’s team coach Mukesh Narula.
Players from beyond the Greater Toronto Area will gather with the Ontario contingent at Pearson International Airport for the flight to Bermuda early on Sunday morning.
Errol Barrow returned this week from the ICC Americas youth team’s participation in the West Indies Regional Under-19 One Day championship in Guyana. He had been one of the coaches assisting the ICC America’s team, which had a support coach from each of the three countries that supplied players (Bermuda, Canada and the USA). Friday’s WICB Under-19 One-day Final was washed out, so hosts Guyana won the championship as they topped the round-robin standings.
Canada Cricket Online wishes the Under-17 national team well in next week’s ICC Americas championship. It is an important stepping stone in Canada’s efforts to qualify for the next ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. It would be useful if the efforts of the players and coaches could attract and retain some solid sponsorships for junior, senior men’s and women’s cricket if Canada is to regain lost status at the top of the ICC Associates’ ladder.
But to regain some quality sponsors would need efforts in retaining, regaining and expanding publicity for Canadian cricket in all types of media: TV, radio, newsprint and internet sources. It involves saying thanks to the sponsors by pushing out news of when important events are to take place and sending out information during tournaments on the progress of matches and finals.
Displaying advertising boards around the grounds during tournaments and big games as well as attracting some spectators so there was more than a hint of public interest in cricket, including junior cricket, involves some stepping stones that some involved in administration of various Canadian cricket leagues and provincial bodies should attempt to climb.
A climb that might take Canadian cricket up a grassy bank or two, then up a hill or two on the way to climbing Mount Everest. Such a series of climbs would need the assistance of several people with differing skills on and off the cricket fields, and in all kinds of weather.
Eddie Norfolk