Against the backdrop of snowy days, icy squalls and losses of electric power to many homes, and the impact on transport systems in Canadian cricket\u2019s historic Greater Toronto area heartland and in other parts of Canada, the ICC is issuing a series of media releases that include the history of qualifying competitions for the ICC Cricket World Cup. Christmas Day\u2019s release included some memories from former Sri Lankan batsman Roy Dias about Sri Lanka\u2019s win against Canada in the final of the 1979 ICC Trophy.<\/p>\n
Dias made 44 of Sri Lanka\u2019s 324 for eight wickets from sixty overs against Canada in the Final at Worcestershire\u2019s County Ground at New Road, Worcester. Canada replied with 264 for five wickets in sixty overs to lose by 60 runs. For Sri Lanka, winning the ICC Trophy in 1979 showed the country it could succeed in a truly global event, and contributed to the country\u2019s eventual victory at the ICC CWC 1996.
\nFormer Sri Lanka batsman Roy Dias, the second-highest run-scorer at the ICC Trophy 1979, said: “In those days, and I believe still, the only thing that is better than winning the ICC Trophy is playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup itself. For all of us back then, beating Canada to lift the trophy was as good as lifting a World Cup in any sport.”
\n“Winning the ICC Trophy changed a lot for us amateurs and for cricket in Sri Lanka \u2013 for the first time, our regular jobs were made secure by our grateful companies, which in turn ensured we could devote a lot more time to practising and fine-tuning our skills. That then allowed us to add a whole new dimension altogether to our cricket, and put the country firmly on the world map as an emerging cricketing power.” [End of ICC Media Release extract]
\nAs stated, Sri Lanka went on to win the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996 while Canada next appeared in a ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003 after beating Scotland in the game to decide third-place in the 2001 ICC Trophy. A match played at the Toronto Cricket Club.
\nTwo qualifying places are up for grabs in the ICC World Cup qualifier that begins in about three weeks time in New Zealand. Canada, having missed the boat on the two qualifying spots available through the ICC World Cricket league that were captured by Ireland and Afghanistan, needs to rise like the Phoenix and repeat the historic Canadian achievement of 1979.
\nBest wishes to the Canadian players and to coach Andy Pick for the trip to New Zealand. Andy Pick discovered from a question at a public forum in Toronto before a tour to Trinidad and Tobago in May 2006 that at least one person in the audience had a vision of Canada winning the 2007 ICC World Cup in 2007.
\nA presentation on behalf of the Canadian Cricket Associated included a slide about “International Success and Challenges” that included the following question:
\n“Reality – What is the Current Value of a Canadian international match to a sponsor?”
\nSome might think the related “Action” comment on that same slide is still relevant today: “Increase visibility and exposure” of Canadian cricket.
\nPerhaps, If there had been an array of sponsor\u2019s advertising boards around the ground when Canada played the UAE in the ICC Intercontinental Cup game in August 2013 then the Canadian over rate might not have fallen behind the required rate. But in the absence of sponsors\u2019 advertising boards, and with relatively few spectators on hand, the ball made a few longer distance ventures along the ground than could have been the case. As a result the then Canadian captain Jimmy Hansra was reported for the slow over rate. Hansra has now been appointed “Captain Canada” following Ashish Bagai\u2019s retirement. So Hansra faces a possible suspension if Canada fails to meet the required over rate in a game where he is captain over the twelve months from mid-August 2013 onwards. Best of luck, skipper!
\nDuring the ICC Intercontinental Cup game against the Netherlands, a ball driven to the southern boundary of the South-west ground at Maple Leaf Cricket Club dribbled up hill though an open gate to the east of the sightscreen. It took a while for the ball to be retrieved after it disappeared into the undergrowth and ditch beyond the fence along 15th Sideroad. Even if the gate had not been open, the ball might have gone through the gap between the bottom of the gate and the ground in which case it might have taken longer to retrieve the ball.
\nOne scene during extended play during the Canada-UAE Intercontinental Cup game brought visions of the good old days of cricket when, according to one opinion voiced in “Sixty Years of Canadian Cricket” all runs ought to be run. There should be no automatic allocation of boundary runs as this was not proper cricket. All runs should be run, which might be result in the occasional cry of “lost ball”. The book was published in 1895 or so.
\nWhoever was batting for the UAE in 2013 might have picked up seven, eight or more runs by the time a ball that went near a tree inside the western edges of the Maple Leaf ground was retrieved. The retrieval process speeded up by the square leg umpire indicating his view of where the ball may have come to rest. Now in the “good old days” the umpire would have kept silence and the running could have continued until one of the fielding side screamed out “lost ball”. But the cry of “lost ball” does not ensure the game continues in a hurry. The lost ball must either be found or a replacement produced.
\nAs this is, for some potential readers, the Christmas season of good will towards all people it might not be appropriate to point out that one of the rare boundaries in Canada\u2019s World Cricket League loss to the Netherlands at Maple Leaf CC went close to the collection of sponsors\u2019s signs that were sat doing nothing to the west of a sight screen.
\nThe notion that success breeds success does not always carry a direct relationship between playing success and bringing the goods home for one\u2019s sponsors in some of these games. Ruvindu Gunaskera scored the third-highest score by a Canadian batsman when making 150 in the first innings of the Intercontinental Cup game against the Netherlands.
\nRuvindu Gunasekera\u2019s match-winning six to end the game with an outright Canadian win during his second innigs had a backdrop of a couple of portable toilets in the photo I took. But, when he was run out against the UAE in a World Cricket League game at Toronto CSCC, Ruvindu was sufficiently wide of the stumps that the whole of a CIBC sponsorship sign was included in the photo of the dismissal. Not so good for Ruvindu, but much better visibility for the sponsors.
\nHowever, in the reality of whatever reports and photos are published about a particular game or day\u2019s play, various factors come into play; particularly where voluntary efforts are involved, or where, dare I say it, facilities might be limited at a ground. [I certainly better not mention the ability to easily reach a ground…better to say “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all!”]
\nEditorial decisions come into play, as can tiredness, so some worthwhile photo or report might not be submitted in time to meet a deadline. Time might also be lost when, as happened following the opening session of the Intercontinental Cup game against the Netherlands, someone had to explain how the first three batsman, as originally indicated in on-line scoring, had different names to the “real” batsmen. Possibly the occasional announcement of who is batting or bowling might be useful.
\nThe prelude to this Canada-Netherlands game included a person arriving at the ground just before play began who almost emulated the British history recollection of Mr. Stanley finding Dr. Livingstone.
\n“This is Canada v the Netherlands?” asked the visitor with a certain air of confidence that he was correct. He had travelled from Ipswich in Suffolk, England to see the game, with a particular interest in a youngster for the Dutch who has been playing second XI cricket for Sussex.
\nInstead of concluding with the starting theme of ODI games, why not mention the top three individual scores for Canada in the ICC Intercontinental Cup as it fits in with mention of Ruvindu Gunasekera\u2019s 150 against the Dutch this past summer. His 150 ranks third, at present. The two higher individual scores for Canada in the history of the Intercontinental Cup competition were John Davison\u2019s 165 against Bermuda at Maple Leaf CC in 2006 and Qasir Ali\u2019s 174 against the Netherlands in Sinoville, South Africa in December 2006.
\nSunil Dhaniram scored three centuries for Canada in the Intercontinental Cup, making 144 against the Netherlands, 141 not out against the UAE and 130 against Afghanistan. Other Canadian batsmen with centuries in the 130-140 run range are: Mohammad Iqbal with 140 v Namibia; Zubin Surkari with 139 against the UAE; and Geoff Barnett with 136 against Kenya.<\/p>\n
Of course, having hit 150 in a first-class game, it would be useful if Ruvindu Gunaskera goes out and hits a few centuries in New Zealand and a few of his colleagues also hit the odd ton or more in a few games. Reasonably economic bowling could then produce the kind of results – big wins – that Canadian cricket really needs for more than just one Happy New Year!
\n\u3000
\nEddie Norfolk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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