… added incentives for participating players

By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada – Despite the somewhat unseasonal weather and what is expected to be soggy outfields, occasioned by last weekend’s consistent showers, the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) 2017 season is set to get underway here on Saturday with matches in the premier, first and second divisions.
The Elite League, which was introduced in 2016, commences on Sunday while the women go into action on Sunday, June 4.
Still battling with the loss of one of its premier venue, Ellesemere, which according to SCA president Shiv Persaud affected the T20 competition and the regular season playoffs last year, the SCA is aiming for a September ending instead of what took place in 2016 when it was forced to extend the season to October.
The introduction of the eight-team Elite League in 2016 which followed a six-year dominance by Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) in the Premiere League, also saw a changing of the guard with Victoria Park Cricket Club (VPCC) enjoying a fruitful season and emerging as the undisputed champions.
VPCC, which included former Guyana Under-19 all-rounder and captain Eugene LaFleur made light work of Scarborough Cricket Club (SCC) in a lopsided final, played at the Ashtonbee ground, after earlier disposing of HACC in the previous weekend’s semi-final encounter, which was played at the same venue.
It was also a second consecutive final defeat for SCC following their loss to HACC in the 2015 Premiere League final.
While Victoria Park were celebrating in grand style, Toronto Cricketers were also marking their entry into the Elite League with a hard-fought 29-run win over archrivals Islanders in the Premiere League final, played on the adjoining ground.
VPCC are expected once more to feature the bowlers who were responsible for the destruction of both SCC and HACC – left-arm spinner Parth Desai and leg-spinner Shailesh Patel, who spun webs around their opponents. Their batting hinges on LaFleur, Krunal Patel, Shailesh Patel, Anand Erramilli and Aashin Patwari.
HACC, who are aiming to bounce back into the reckoning this year, will see a new player at the helm, with former Guyana wicketkeeper/batsman Azib Ali Hanif taking over the reins from long-standing skipper Hemnarine Chattergoon who announced his retirement at the end of last season.
However, while one Chattergoon is leaving, another in the form of his brother, former Guyana Under-19 opener Harrinarine Chattergoon is returning after a one-year hiatus.
It will be recalled that Chattergoon holds the record for the highest individual score in the Premiere League, a record-breaking 268 against Durham in the 2015 which saw HACC rack up a whopping 618 for six in their allotted 50 overs. He is also a useful off-spinner.
Among the other batsmen, who are expected to feature prominently are former Guyana and West Indies B team player Krishna Arjune, Hanif, Azhad Amidon, Reyaz Prahalad, who missed most of last year because of injury, Damodar Daesrath, Zaheer Allard, Farook Hussain and Looknauth Ramsuchit. Former Guyana and West Indies One-day player Royston Crandon is also expected to be available for some matches.
Among the bowlers expected to feature are left-arm spinner Imran Khan, who claimed the most wickets last year, Allard, Daesrath, Bim Bodhoo and Chattergoon.
Not to be outdone, the other clubs, Ambassadors, Maple, Superstars/Islanders, Highland Creek and Toronto Cricketers are all raring to go in what should be a highly contested Elite League.
It also promises to be keen rivalry between defending champions Kaisoca and Superstars for supremacy among the four women’s teams, with the latter vowing to dethrone their opponents and regain championship honours following defeat in last year’s final.
An added incentive for clubs this year is the SCA’s stated intention of approaching Cricket Canada, the governing body for cricket here with a view of exploring the way forward regarding players’ eligibility to represent Canada.
The SCA’s decision was sparked after its women cricketers were shunned by Cricket Canada when their scheduled game against the touring MCC women’s team was called off a few days before it was scheduled to be played last September, prompting president Persaud to declare that although his members were disappointed and heartbroken, they became more united.
Reflecting on the 2016 season, Persaud disclosed that there were many areas “that we have started planning and exploring to build on our successes in 2017, for example, structuring our junior division for Under-13, Under-16 and Under-19; contesting regular season finals at different times during the season and allowing our women cricketers to play at different venues and possibly games under lights.”