The Canadian board’s choice of Sunnybrook for the Intercontinental Cup tie against Bermuda risks turning the game into a farce
Martin Williamson05-Aug-2004
The pitch with ten days to go© Jon Harris, canadacricket.com
With barely a week to go before Canada’s Intercontinental Cup match against Bermuda in Toronto, the Canadian board (CCA) has finally selected a venue – but the choice has left many surprised and disappointed.With the cash-strapped CCA unwilling to pay to use one of the main venues, it was left with few alternatives and plumped to play the game at Sunnybrook. While the ground might sound idyllic, one local told me that aside from their being no pavilion to speak of, there is "no running water, no hydro, no covers, no sightscreens and a very poor schoolyard scoreboard."The venue is used regularly for cricket, but there has not been a turf wicket there since 2001, when they were specially laid for the ICC Trophy. Last season the artificial pitches, which are used for all games, were relaid, and the adjoining grass wickets were damaged during that work and never repaired.Reports suggest that the CCA has been carrying out some urgent work on the grass pitch, but the chances of getting a surface good enough to last three days, and good enough for a first-class match, in such a short time is almost impossible."A three-day wicket takes considerable preparation or it will deteriorate after the first day or so, and either become dusty and turn square or be so lively on the first day that a medium-pacer will be unplayable," a local curator explained. "I cannot believe that the umpires will allow it [the game] to proceed on this track."
Holes where there shouldn’t be holes!© Jon Harris, canadacricket.com
The CCA faces other problems. The venue is in a picturesque public park, and as such it cannot be fenced off and so there will be no opportunity to charge for admission. Without any cordoning off, there will also be problems in erecting any tents or marquees to sell alcohol. That, coupled with the fact that players will not have immediate access to washing facilities, means the entire venture is verging on a farce.This is Canada’s chance to show the world that it is ready to be taken as a serious player in world cricket. The Canadian board appears to be hell-bent on squandering that opportunity, and with ICC officials in town for the match, it could be a very public humiliation.Back in May, the CCA attempted to get the Intercontinental Cup tie against USA in Florida postponed, claiming that there had not been adequate time for preparation. Rightly, the ICC ruled the game had to go ahead. This time, the CCA has had seven months to prepare, and yet they only approached the three clubs with good grass wickets – Ajax CC, King City and the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club – in late July.For the good of Canadian cricket, it has to be hoped that, somehow, the whole thing comes together and works. If it doesn’t, then the CCA, already deeply unpopular in some quarters, will face increasing calls for change.Click here for www.canadacricket.com’s full report on Sunnybrook