Cricket (Game)

Cricket is a game played with a ball and solid wood bat by 2 sides of 11 players on a grassy field centering on 2 wickets, each defended in turn by a batsman. The name may come from the Saxon word cryce or the French word criquet, both meaning stick. It was probably the first of the major games played in Canada, being popular among the garrisons in the late 18th century. An early contest between the 68th Regiment and the Montreal Cricket Club was reported in 1829. The first regular club formed was probably the St John's Cricket Club (1828).

The first international match in cricket history took place between teams from Canada and the US in Toronto in 1844. Some 5000 spectators watched the Canadian team win. The match began a series that has continued, with interruptions, and is likely the oldest of its kind in the world. On the Canadian side was G.A. Barber, of Upper Canada College, sometimes called the "Father of Canadian Cricket." The game was nurtured in other private schools as well, and in 1847 UCC defeated a provincial team. In 1858 The Canadian Cricketer's Guide noted 81 matches played the previous season. The first visit by a team from another continent for sports competition came in 1859, when an English team played in Montréal and Hamilton. International matches continued with visits by English teams (which included the famous Dr W.G. Grace) in 1868 and 1872 and a West Indian side in 1886. A Canadian team toured England in 1887, obtaining the creditable record of 5 wins, 5 losses and 9 draws. Aided by the patronage of the governor general, Lord Lansdowne, by advertising, reporting and the spread of railways, the game was nationwide by the 1890s. The Canadian Cricket Association was formed in 1892 and is still the governing cricket body, with 8 member provincial associations.

By 1911-12, when the John Ross Robertson Trophy was first offered for the national championship, there were leagues and associations across Canada. Participation declined in the 1920s but was revived in 1932 by a tour of an Australian team, featuring the famous Don Bradman. In 1936 a strong Canadian team toured England and defeated Marylebone Cricket Club (the traditional name of the English national side) at Lords. The first interprovincial senior tournament took place in 1947.

The sport was well served by the untiring administrative efforts of Donald King during the 1960s and 1970s, when teams from several countries toured Canada. A highlight was the victory of eastern Canada over the Australians in 1975. Since 1979 the Canada senior team has been a strong contender in the quadrennial International Cricket Conference Associate Member's World Cup competition (the team reached the event final that year). Frequent senior and youth international and national events and training camps are now staged. Active youth development, coaching and umpiring programs have spurred a rapid growth in numbers of participants in most regions throughout Canada. The game has received wider publicity in Canada since 1997, when the Toronto Cricket Club began hosting the Sahara Cup, a competition between cricket powers India and Pakistan.

Author GERALD REDMOND

Suggested Reading
R. Bowen, Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development throughout the World (1970); Canadian Cricketer magazine; J. Hall and R. McCulloch, Sixty Years of Canadian Cricket (1895).

Links to Other Sites
Frederick James Heather's Lifelong Contribution to Cricket
Read a fascinating biography of Canadian cricket pioneer Frederick James Heather. From the Ontario Historical Society.

Frederick James Heather
A profile of Frederick James Heather, an English immigrant to Canada who became a leader of the fledgling Canadian cricket community in the early 20th century. From the website pier21.ca.

A History of Canadian Cricket: An Immigrant’s Game?
A brief synopsis of the book "A History of Canadian Cricket: An Immigrant’s Game?" written by Patrick Adams. From canadacricket.com.

Cricket Canada
The website for Cricket Canada, the national sports organization for Cricket in Canada. Check out the latest news about players, teams, coaching, and more.

Sheet Music From Canada's Past: Summer Sports
Scroll down the page to view a selection of finely illustrated covers of sheet music published in Canada prior to 1921 (click on the images for larger views). Check the menu on the left for links to audio clips and additional information about Library and Archives Canada's collection of sheet music.