The two-day 2009 Cricket Festival, held at Centennial Park Toronto, on June 14, was attended by around 500 spectators and VIPs.

Jim Karygiannis MP and Councillor Suzan Hall were amongst the VIPs who attended the event. Superintendent Frank Fernandes, Toronto Auxiliary Police Service, represented the Toronto Police Chief. Honourable Navdeep Singh Bains, MP, and Ms Donna Cansfield MPP and Minister of Natural Resources, were not able to make it but sent their greetings.

Special guests included Mr Ken Foxcroft, President and Steven Johnson Executive Director of St George's Society of Toronto which, along with City of Toronto, is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.

This is the sixth year of the Mayor's Cup. The first one was held in 2004, in response to His Worship Mayor Miller’s mandate to promote cricket in the GTA. The Toronto City Cricket Club (previously known as Toronto City Hall Cricket Club) approached His Worship Mayor Miller and requested to be designated as his ambassadors to promote the game of cricket among Youth and Adults.  

Eight teams participated in the Festival: Toronto Police Cricket Club, St. George's Society of Toronto, Excel Funds Cricket Team, Asian Television Network (ATN) Cricket Team, Asian Cricket Club, Toronto City Cricket Club, KPMG Club and Blue Mountain Cricket Club.

The teams competed for the Mayor’s Cup, St. George’s Society Cup, Member of Parliament Cricket Cup, Mayor and Police Chief Trophy.

This year, for the first time, Women's exhibition game was included in the Cricket Festival. Jam Rocks played against The Sixers. 

The level in all aspects of the women’s game was very impressive – the batting, bowling, fielding, running between the wickets, team spirit.  It was an awesome demonstration.

 

Asian Cricket Cup played against ATN Cricket Team for the Mayor's Cup. ACC finished the tournament undefeated as they prevailed over ATN. 

 

Women's Team proudly showing their trophies

Councillor Adam Vaughan and Mr. Ken Foxcroft,  President St. Georgia's Society of Toronto

Toronto City Cricket Club and St. George's Society, the historical rivals clashed once again for the St. George’s ‘Tug of War’ Trophy. This match is an annual ongoing legacy of the late John Sidney Woods, former Auditor of the City of Toronto.

  

The City once again won by 39 runs the St. George's 'Tug of War' Trophy, a priceless heirloom. Councilor Adam Vaughan was the Captain of the Toronto City Cricket Club team.

 

For the Member of Parliament Cup Excel Funds Cricket Team won playing against Blue Mountain Cricket Club.

 

Toronto City Cricket Club played against the Police Cricket Club and won the Mayor and Police Chief Trophy. The City re-captured the Mayor and Police Chief Trophy, winning by 31 runs!

The tournament this year actually commenced back on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at Centennial Park early on a cold, sunny morning, subsequent weekly 20/20 practice games every Sunday morning among the five teams participating teams for the Mayor’s Cup and the Member of Parliament Cup, and the City. 

The Best Batsman Trophy was awarded to Codrington of Police. The Best Fielder Trophy was awarded to Amar of Police. The Best Bowler Trophy was awarded to Kadir of the City.

 

This year is the twenty-second anniversary of the adoption of a report by Mr. John Woods of the Annual Cricket match (in 1987) by City Council. Mr. John Woods, the then Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Tim Woods, Mr. Rashmi Nathwani, Commissioner of City Properties, Mr. Wazir Khullar, Mr. Sheik Kadir of City’s Finance Department and Mr. Dennis Perlin, City Solicitor founded the Club, in 1985.   

Hosted by the Toronto City Cricket Club, a non-profit organisation, the event was sponsored by, amongst others, Tim Hortons, Excel Funds Management Inc, Asian Television Network, Paradigm Images and Globalom Media.

Globalom Media, as Media Coordinator to handle media coverage of the Festival, provided coverage in its Trio of Internet productions: South Asian Outlook, Indo-Canada Outlook and South Asian Web TV, and connected with the ethnic and mainstream media to seek their cooperation to promote the game of cricket. 

[With report from Sheik Kadir]