Timmins Tigers cricket team hosts Mayor's Cup Tournament
Cricket players will tell you, the sport is as important to them as a hockey is to northerners.
With more people from Asia moving to northern Ontario, it's become crucial for them to get the sport established in this part of the world.
Timmins Tigers hosted a cricket tournament. June 4/23 (Lydia Chubak/CTV Northern Ontario)
"We have almost 200, 250 people playing cricket in Thunder Bay and that’s something, especially for a place where cricket was nothing," said Stefin Cyriac, a member of the Thunder Bay Kombans cricket team.
"We’re getting more and more inquiries about are you coming for this tournament, that tournament, and that’s all around Canada."
This weekend, the Timmins Tigers hosted cricket teams from Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie in the first of several tournaments this summer.
The winning team will take home the Mayor's Cup, a new trophy that the Timmins Tigers hope will help grow the sport and add a new level of prestige to the 'gentleman's game' in the north.
"You have to think outside of the box, so I thought have we ever played a Mayor’s Cup here? They said 'no,'" said Deepak Datta, a member of the Timmins Tigers team.
"Mayor (Michelle Boileau) is supportive, so why not dedicate a cup towards the mayor’s office … and it’s going to spread awareness in the whole town."
Datta said because of strong local support, it means that after graduation some people have decided to stay in the north because cricket is offered.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"I had a sports background, so when I was in India, I used to represent my team over there. So when I moved here, I was planning something to get something related to that, so it was good to have cricket here," said Bhavya Jain, another member of the Tigers.
The Timmins cricket team is hosting another tournament in two weeks, with teams from North Bay and Sudbury participating, and there will also be one on Canada Day weekend with teams from Brampton and Orillia coming to play.
"It helps the local economy here too because they live in the hotels, they go enjoy in the restaurant, they go enjoy in the bars and all that," said Datta.
As the sport continues to grow in the north, some clubs like Thunder Bay's is also getting children and women involved.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Person engulfed in flames outside N.Y. courthouse where Trump trial underway, says CNN
A person was covered in flames outside the New York courthouse where former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial is underway, CNN reported on Friday.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.