The Timmins Tigers cricket club is hosting the first-ever Mayor’s Cup this weekend.
“This tournament is actually dedicated to our mayor,” said Deepak Datta, the director of Timmins Tigers Cricket Club. “She has been very helpful in promoting and supporting all the sports, especially cricket, so this is Timmins' first Mayor’s Cup.”
The tournament includes teams from Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.
Matches will take place at the pitch in Fernand Tremblay Park at 215 Royale St.
Mayor Michelle Boileau has confirmed with the club that she will be attending the awards ceremony on Sunday, said Datta.
With the addition of a batting cage at the Archie Dillon Sportsplex this winter, Datta said the players are ready for the tournament and feeling great.
“It has made such a difference,” said Datta. “Now the players are ready for the tournament.”
He said the team won all their matches in Sudbury last weekend.
“They are in the best shape, their morale is high, and they’re feeling really good,” he said.
The addition of the training space for the winter months assists with community retention, especially for those coming from countries with a strong cricket community.
“In Asia, and especially in India, cricket is as big as hockey is here,” said Datta
Having the team and the space to train and play during the winter has convinced some of the players to put down roots in Timmins.
“Some of the players who were planning to move to southern Ontario decided to stay in Timmins because now we have sports,” he said. “They’re staying in the community.”
He said that the work going into the club and building the local cricket community is ongoing.
“We have to reinvent cricket in Timmins so that we can involve community members here,” said Datta. “We are organizing more tournaments in Timmins and inviting teams from all over Ontario.”
The next event — Timmins Cricket Tournament — takes place on June 17 and 18.
During the Canada Day long weekend, the first Northern College Cricket Cup will also take place.
The tournament information has been posted to the team’s Facebook page, as well as displayed on billboards near the cricket pitch on Riverside Drive.
“We’re creating buzz that Timmins can invite these teams, and Timmins is capable of organizing games,” said Datta. “So there will be more tournaments, more entertainment for the people.”
“We are putting Timmins on the map,” he said. “We want to be the Rock of cricket!”
