How is Canadian cricket supposed to grow when..?

Question

None of there players are actually from Canda!!!

Canada played West Indies yesterday, in the Candian starting line-up there were 9 players born in Asia and 2 players born in the Carribean playing for them.

Is picking up players who arent good enough to play for the country of there birth actually helping Canadian cricket?

What can be done, so that Canada starts producing home-grown players?

Answer 1

Oracle made some good points there first up! lol, but I see what you mean KooKee. Why bother getting it going if no Canadians are interested? But maybe those players you mentioned will actually teach the Canadians the finer points of cricket.  

Answer 2

Hmm its pretty tough bcoz there arent much cricketers in the non test playing nations, except for the immigrants from theother test playin nations. cricket isnt much played or highlighted in thses non test playing nations ie they play part time. Untlii and unless canada starts producing more home grown players the national team will be filled with players not born in canada .

and more over not many of them are interested in cricket coz its time consuming and people may find it boring bcoz of the long format of the game.

Answer 3

G.Jones - born Papua New Guinea, raised in Australia.

Pietersen - born South Africa

Nasser Hussain - born India

Hick - born Zimbabwe

Strauss - born South Africa

Panesar - Indian decent

Caddick born NZ

Robin Smith - born SA

Lamb - born SA

Hollioake brothers - Australia

Allan Lamb - born SA

Tony Greig born SA

Colin Cowdrey - born India

Owais Shah - born Pakistan

Vikram Solanki - born India

Basil D'Oliveria - born SA

Ed Joyce - born Republic of Ireland

K.S. Ranjitsinhji

to name just a few

Answer 4

Careful Kookee! It could be said that England pick up players who aren't good enought to play for the country of their birth: Kevin Pietersen, Darren Pattinson, Andrew Strauss, Owais Shah, Matt Prior, Tim Ambrose, Geraint Jones.

And on the county level, Micahel Vaughan wasn't good enough to play for Lancashire, so had to persuade his parents whilst he was still a nipper to move to Yorkshire!

Anyway, on a serious note ( and yes, the above two paragraphs are jokes, in case anyone doesn't get it!): Canada's cricketing structure is built around ex-pats, especially those from Pakistan and India.

Amongst Canadian born people, it isn't that popular. In the 90's India, Pakistan and the West Indies used to play matches in Canada to promote the game. These matches don't take place anymore, but I think more needs to be done to encourage the Canadian public to show an interest in cricket, and hopefully get enough of the native population to take up the game.

You have already answered my question about the use of neutral Test venues to promote the game. Canada would be a good proposition for this, as there is already a fan base. The argument that games would be played in empty stadiums may be a valid one, but many Tests are played in empty stadiums anyway.

But if high-profile Test nations were continuously visiting Canada, to play real matches, rather than Mickey Mouse tournaments, then eventually interest would grow.

The ICC needs to be doing more, but it needs the backing of the major Test nations. When the much-maligned Champions Trophy was brought in, it was originally envisaged that it would take place in the Associate Member countries, to spread the game there. Then commercialism took over, and the Test nations started to host the event.

Perhaps the current furore over the situation in Pakistan could have been avoided if the ICC had stuck to its original plan, and kept the CT in Associate Member countries. Whho knows, we could right now be talking about the excitement of Canada hosting its first ever major cricket tournament, instead of arguing the finer points of whether Australian cricketers are cissies for worrying about being blown up, or courageous in sticking to their principles and loyalty to their families.

In the long run, if Canada keeps picking up players from other countries to represent them, rather than Canadian born citizens, it won't help the game. In fact, it will die a death, and become a third or fourth rate sport in Canada.

Perhaps they need to introduce a "quota" system, if they want to be realistic about becoming a genuine force in the world of cricket. One where at least half the team has to have been born in Canada.

I don't think cricket will ever become one of the major sports in Canada. Ice hockey will always be the dominant game there. But it can be played to a decent level by Canada, if they really want to.

Answer 5

This is common among minnow teams where players born in India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies etc will go to play for the minnow team to search for cricket.

Answer 6

Probably a quota system or something. Cricket in Canada is actually at a worse state at grassroots level than it is even in continental Europe! I mean, in European schools, cricket is actually taught, albeit as a rather eccentric, boring English pastime. In Canada, I don't think many schools that don't have a large Indian base teach the game at all! However, if the ICC and Cricket Canada actually get off their behinds and do something about teaching ethnic "native" Canadians about the game, cricket could actually claim to be growing amongst the populace. It will never be as big as Ice Hockey, Gridiron, or Baseball, but it could be as big as soccer or tennis there one day ( the latter two sports are more immigrant-driven in Canada than one might think).

Answer 7

Well these players are living in Canada, just not Canadian through blood, so you can't really not let them in.

I think what Canada should do is get a good team up and running, then you'll see the home grown Canadians flocking in. People in Canada obviously don't take an interest in the game of cricket, but once the Canadian team make a big win, you'll see the fans standing up.

In Australia 2006, the socceroos got into the finals of the soccer world cup, the last time they did that was in 1974. The country went soccer crazy, it was like soccer just resurrected from the dead. Everyone was watching.

It only takes one good match/series to get the whole of Canada involved. They need some world recognition, then you'll see Canada up supporting their team. Canada need to bring in the best players they have. Build a strong team and get the whole of Canada involved, then you'll see the home-grown Canadians.

EDIT: Well i think that they should be able to play for Canada whether they were born in Canada or not. Canada need to form a strong team, which was my point, that'll get Canada watching, there's no point getting full-blood Canadians playing cricket if there not good enough, Canadian cricket is still developing as it is, you need the best you can get, once you form a foundation then you can call for home-grown Canadians to be in the team.

EDIT: It's the label that captures the imagination of Canadians everywhere. That cricket team is labelled as Canada, they stand in support of Canada. Just like Pieterson chose to stand as an Englishman and you stand behind him in support :)

EDIT: i see your point, but i also see mine, i guess we disagree then. hmm.. Would you rather see a full-blooded English team that loses, OR a team of men playing for England and winning?

Answer 8

If that is what they need to do to generate interest in the game in canada so be it. If for the time being they need to rely on overseas player who may well be sub standard that's fine but if it doesn't get canadian nationals out and playing and increase there development that it would be a waste of time. I hope they continue to improve as any new team to the game is welcome in my eyes.

Answer 9

I dont really care if it grows or not, It is a really boring sport, I will stick with Hockey and Football.