TORONTO, Canada — Former Guyana Sports Club opening batsman Brian Hale can be described as an individual who lives and breathes cricket.
Since leaving Guyana some 44 years ago, Hale’s interest in the sunshine game has never waned and his development of the sport, more so at the youth level, has been rightfully acknowledged and recognised in Canadian cricket circles.
In a wide-arranging interview with Chronicle Sport, Hale who started playing for the-then British Guiana Cricket Club (BGCC), before the Thomas Lands club was changed to Guyana Sports Club (GSC), detailed his journey from being an accomplished opening batsman, who missed playing for the Guyana senior team because of migration to being one of the most qualified and recognised coaches in the Greater Toronto area.
Prior to leaving Guyana in 1971, Hale represented Guyana Colts against the touring English cricketers and was also in contention for an English County contract.
He was selected based on his fine performances in the national trial matches, which included a century while sharing in a double-century stand with the late Guyana and West Indies opener Roy Fredericks.
According to Hale, among the other players involved in the trial matches were former Guyana and West Indies middle-order batsman Alvin Kallicharran, pugnacious opener Lal Munilal and fast bowler Philbert Blair. He had also turned out for Demerara in the Jones Cup Inter-county tournament.
While at GSC, Hale disclosed that his team had the unique distinction of carting off the Case Cup first division tournament in three consecutive years and also emerging winners of the Rothman’s Cup limited overs competition during the said period.
Hale pointed out that his GSC team members included former national wicket-keeper Joseph ‘Reds’ Murray, leg-spinner Lloyd Cornelius and off-spinner Leon Stewart.
Hale’s first stint in Canada saw him join Victoria Park Cricket Club where he immediately made his presence felt, topping his team’s batting averages in his first two years and was also the leading run-scorer in the league.
Hale disclosed that these feats, subsequently, saw him don the Canadian national colours, in games versus Leeward Islands, Australia and Ireland.
In an administrative capacity, Brian was a board member of both the Toronto and Ontario Associations and served as a Junior coordinator. He was also credited with starting the Junior League in Toronto which is ongoing.
During his term as the National Junior selector and coach, Hale was also at the helm of the Markham Cricket Association.
In 1992, Hale started the Toronto Cricket Academy (TCA), the first of its kind in Canada, and he has been credited with producing several notable national Canadian players including former Canadian captain and wicketkeeper Ashish Bagai and the youngest Canadian World Cup player Nitish Kumar who remains the second youngest-ever all-time.
To date, TCA has made 13 overseas tours, mostly to England and the Caribbean and has sent youngsters to Lord’s and Somerset to be tested.
Hale has been recognised by the Province of Ontario for ‘Distinguished Performance’, by Cricket Canada for his ‘Contribution to the Sport’ and the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the ‘Spirit of Cricket’.
The National Film Board of Canada also did an award-winning documentary featuring his academy which is also available on Youtube and is titled ‘Cricket and the meaning of Life’.
Hale pointed out that the TCA fields two Under-13 teams, one Under-16 and a Colts side. The academy practises out of the Toronto Cricket Club.
While Hale’s work within the TCA is well known, his services are also sought by other players outside of the body – a testimony of dedication to the game of cricket over the years.
In the just-concluded inaugural Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) youth tournaments, the TCA carted off the Under-16 title while finishing as runners-up at the Under-13 level.

By Frederick Halley