2007 Cricket Festival a Great Success

City Team cheering the win of Mayor and Police Chief Trophy

Click to watch on South Asian Outlook on Web TV  

2007 Toronto City Hall Cricket Festival - Interview
2007 Toronto City Hall Cricket Festival -  Reception

On July 15 Sunnybrook Park Cricket ground presented a festive look with Excel Funds’ picnic tables, chairs and umbrellas next to Tim Hortons Coffee and Donut stand, trays of snacks and soft drinks for everybody around.

Amongst the group of people of all ages, there were cricket players – young and old – awaiting the call to go and play.

On the pitch there were two teams playing to win.

The event was 2007 Cricket Festival hosted by the Toronto City Hall Cricket Club (TCHCC) was held on July 14 -15 at Sunnybrook Park, Toronto, for the Mayor’s Cup, St. George’s Cup and Mayor and Police Chief Trophy.

This was the 3^rd year of the Festival. 2005 was the first year of the Festival, when in response to Mayor Miller’s mandate to promote cricket in the GTA, the TCHCC approached Mayor Miller and requested to be designated as his ambassadors to promote the game of cricket in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).  The Mayor’s Cup was born.

The Mayor’s Cup is actually a spin off of an annual match-up between the Toronto City Hall Cricket Club (TCHCC) and the St. George’s Society, which has been organised since 1987 by Toronto City Hall Cricket Club (TCHCC).   

Wazir Khullar Vice President TCHCC making a presentation to Hon. Navdeep Bains MP

It was also the 20th anniversary of Toronto City Hall’s adoption of a report in 1987 of the Annual match between TCHCC and St. George’s Society. This was 2 years after the founding of the Toronto City Hall Cricket Club by Mr. John Woods, the then Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Rashmi Nathwani, Commissioner of City Properties, Mr. Wazir Khullar, Mr. Sheik Kadir of City’s Finance Department and Mr. Dennis Perlin, City Solicitor in 1985.

Since then members of the TCHCC have been involved in organizing cricket events, playing and promoting cricket in the GTA.

This year eight (8) teams participated in the Festival: Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), Girls’ Team from Secondary Schools, Mississauga Ramblers Cricket Club, St. George’s Society of Toronto Cricket team, Toronto City Hall Cricket Club (TCHCC), Toronto Police Cricket Club, Under 12 Boys Team, Feds. Cricket Club.  

The players, from the GTA, comprised a wide range of multi-cultural residents from the various cricketing countries, namely:  Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and West Indies.

On July 14, in the first match ICCC played against Feds. Cricket Club at North ground of Sunnybrook Park.   ICCC was put to bat first and they were all out for 79 runs in 20 over.  Feds. Cricket Club very comfortably scored 80 runs to win the match.

At the same time TCHCC played their first match against Mississauga Ramblers Cricket Club at South ground. The Mississauga Ramblers started their inning and 70 runs were scored for 5 wickets down in 20 over. TCHCC started their inning and kept their run rate in line.  TCHCC lost only 5 wickets for 59 runs but Ramblers bowler surprised them and took five (5) wickets for only 7 runs. Ramblers were the winners.

The second match was between played between TCHCC and ICCC and Feds. Cricket Club against Ramblers. TCHCC and Ramblers batted for half-hour and then it poured. After waiting for one and one-half hour, the play was abandoned.

Mississauga Ramblers and Feds. Cricket Club were jointly awarded the Mayor’s Cup by Toronto Councillor Adam Vaughan.

On July 15, in the morning the Under 12 Boys Team and Girls’ Team from Secondary Schools played in 10-overs match. Both the teams were very excited to participate in the Festival. There was presentation of the Cup and trophies including to Boys and Girls’ Teams by Dr Gagan Bhalla, an Orthodontist in Mississauga who is the proud sponsor of Youth teams.  Dr Bhalla explained that when he was a young cricketer back in India, he could recall how proud he felt when he received the winning cup on behalf of his school team.  

(L to R) City Councillor Adam Vaughan,  Nick Javor (Tim Hortons), 
Hon. Navdeep Bains MP, Tim Woods (President) TCHCC),

After the Boys and Girls’ match St. George’s Society of Toronto and City (TCHCC) started 20-overs match. The opening batsmen and one down of St. George’s Society scored 85 runs in 8 overs.  TCHCC had to change their fielding and bowling strategy.  The spinner Sheik Kadir, Saiyed Rizvi and Wazir Khullar were brought inn.  Good fielding by Councillor Adam Vaughan and Dr. Gagan Bhalla surely made the difference.  The strategy worked and these bowlers had a break through and four more wickets were down for 55 runs. Finally St. George’s Society scored 146 runs with 7 players out in 20 overs. After a ten minutes break City was put to bat.  Very care full batting by Ganesh Badrie (88 runs) and Mohan Mahato (33 runs) brought the City to 131 runs for lose of one wicket.  Roy Pelay started batting when Mohan got out and required 147 runs were scored in 18 overs.

The distinguished guests were: Hon. Navdeep Bains MP, Councillor Adam Vaughan of City of Toronto, Mr. Nick Javor of Tim Hortons, Mr. Bhim Asdhir of Excel Funds, Mr. Keith Forde, Deputy Chief of Toronto Police and granddaughter of Col. C.K. Nayudu, the first Indian captain to lead a team to an international cricket test on June 25, 1932.

A young player Rohan Bhalla sang the national anthem. MC Leena Chabra gave a great presentation and was offered a bouquet of flowers by Sangeeta, granddaughter of Col. C.K. Nayudu, who led India's first team to international cricket test match in 1932.(Please read India completes 75 years of Tests. )

After the presentation and speeches by Mr Bains and Mr Vaughan, Mr Javor and Mr. Keith Forde the play continued.  

City Councillor Adam Vaughan (centre) with (L to R) Suresh Jaura (Globalom Media), 
Wazir Khullar (TCHCC), Nick Javor (Tim Hortons) and Tim Woods (President)

City (Combined from four teams) and Toronto Police Cricket Club started to play at 3 pm. Within 10 minutes the play had to be stopped for half hour due rain. It was decided to reduce the play to 12 overs instead of 20 overs. Solid batting by Kris and Mohan of ICCC-City combined team made 91 runs in 12 overs for 4 wickets down. Toronto Police Cricket Club started their inning.  A. Butt of Police made 22 runs in the first over (8 balls).  Again City combined team had to think the new strategies.  City combined team regained and had Police all out in 11.4 overs for 82 runs. City Combined team were winner of Mayor and Police chief trophy.

Tim Hortons, as the main sponsor since 2006, under Mr Nick Javour, Vice President, has been very supportive of the idea of promoting Cricket and is looking forward to participate in the future plans of Toronto City Hall Cricket Club.

Future plans include expansion of the tournament in coming years for longer periods say over a two-week period and to involve more leagues and teams throughout Ontario. There is also plan to formulate a united body to promote this game and establish cricket centres so as to re-establish cricket in Canada to its former glory and to realize Mayor Miller’s dreams to promote, spread and make cricket available to everyone.

The Festival was sponsored by amongst others, Tim Hortons, Excel Funds, Renaissance Images and Dr Gagan Bhalla, who is the proud sponsor of Youth teams. Asian Television Network (ATN) was the Exclusive Media Sponsor. GlobalomMedia was the Media Coordinator. 

At July 16, City Council meeting, Councillor Adam Vaughan congratulated the Toronto City Hall Cricket Club's members for their double win.  He also presented St. George's Cup and Mayor and Police chief trophy to Mayor David Miller.