The Hon. Bal Gosal, Canada’s Federal Minister of State with responsibilities for Sports, is the chief guest and will deliver the keynote address at Friday’s (December 5, 2014) Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Sports Forum, according to the current issue of “The Weekly Voice” (November 28, 2014). The article states “Sports have deep roots in the Canadian society and a significant presence in both Canada and India”.
Mr. Gosal attended an opening ceremony for this summer’s Canadian Under-19 cricket championships at Etobicoke’s Centennial Park, and was also present in late August for the second day of the Mississauga Cricket Festival.
The Mississauga Cricket festival included two evening games played under temporary floodlights at the Courtney Park grounds used by Ontario Cricket Academy and Club, who hosted the event. The Academy’s Under-19’s played a game against a Peel Police XI on the Friday night, and a women’s cricket demonstration was also included.
“The Weekly Voice “article notes “Canada’s is known for its national sports game ice hockey” where there has been international success in IIHF World Championships and at the Olympics. India had a phase of dominance at the World level in what is called “field hockey” in North America, although there has been a period in the doldrums in recent years, possibly partly linked to the adoption and use of artificial surfaces rather than grass, but the Indian national team sparked to life in one 2014 tournament.
Interestingly, a new international field hockey pitch was opened in Brampton, at the Cassie Campbell sports complex, in recent years and will be used in next summer’s PanAm games in the Greater Toronto Area. The hockey field was used to host the 2013 Pan American Cup for men. Argentina beat Canada 4-0 in the final while Trinidad & Tobago took third place by beating the USA. One or two of the participating teams struggled against the top four, as well as against some of their fellow strugglers!
The two soccer fields at the Cassie Campbell sports complex were not in the greatest of condition when I ventured to the Pan American Cup. There is an artificial cricket wicket is located between the soccer pitches, so the outfield was looking a touch rough for cricket. But, the cricket ground exists and the south cricket field at Batsman Park has potential, in my opinion, for being turned into a quality cricket field. Something that would require some negotiations and agreement with city officials and the local soccer powers, as well as financing.
Mississauga also has two artificial field hockey pitches near to the Iceland ice hockey arenas area, and close to Mississauga Ramblers home field that has grass cricket wickets and is used for home games in the Elite Division of the Toronto and District Cricket Association F
ield Hockey Canada staged the 2009 Under16 National Championship for both boys and girls in Mississauga, an event for which the program listed the various squads. Some of the competing provinces had supplied team photos.
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