Pursuit is a sports feature series highlighting athletes, coaches, and staff and significant sporting events from North Bay and the surrounding area.
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When Sai Venkata Ashwin Adiraju moved to North Bay, he worried about what it would mean for his cricketing career.
Having played professional cricket in both India and Australia, the sport had been a central part of his life since he was 13 years old. "I represented reputed clubs and institutions in India. My cricketing journey commenced in India and later moved to Australia, where I played competitive club cricket for three years, advancing from Grade C to Grade A levels," Adiraju recalls. "The experience honed my skills and deepened my love for the game. However, when I decided to move to Canada, I was apprehensive about the impact it would have on my cricketing career, fearing I would miss the sport dearly."
To his pleasant surprise, Adiraju found a thriving cricket community in North Bay through the North Bay Cricket Club. Since joining the club in 2022, he has become an integral part of the team, sharing his experience and passion with a group of dedicated cricketers. "Despite initial concerns, I found a passionate group of cricketers dedicated to keeping the spirit of the game alive," Adiraju says.
See: As cricket grows locally, North Bay Panthers look for a home
However, the club faces significant challenges, particularly the lack of a permanent cricket pitch. "We have been collaborating with the City of North Bay to secure a dedicated cricket ground, but progress has been slow," Adiraju explains. "The absence of proper facilities and equipment severely hampers our ability to practice effectively. This is especially disheartening when compared to other northern Ontario teams, which enjoy well-maintained cricket grounds for practice and tournaments."
Adiraju believes that a permanent cricket pitch is crucial not just for the current players but for the future of the sport in North Bay.
"A permanent cricket pitch is not just a matter of convenience; it is essential for nurturing talent, fostering community spirit, and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. Cricket is more than a game for us; it is a source of joy, camaraderie, and personal growth. With a dedicated ground, we can enhance our training, develop new strategies, and aim for greater success in future tournaments."
The call for better facilities comes at a time when cricket is gaining global attention, especially with its inclusion in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. This will mark only the second time cricket has appeared as an Olympic sport, with the last appearance being over 100 years ago during the 1900 Summer Olympics. The sport is expected to be a six-team event for both women and men at LA28, and the qualification process is yet to be announced.
"Having cricket in the Olympics means an interaction of a global audience," Canadian men's cricket team captain Saad Bin Zafar told CBC Sports. "Cricket has a huge fan following outside North America. The Olympics has a huge fan following across the world, and it's now an interaction of two different fan bases merging into one. I believe the Olympics will gain a lot from it, and I believe cricket will gain a lot from it."
In Canada, cricket's popularity is on the rise, partly due to the influx of immigrants from cricket-loving nations. Statistics Canada notes that 500,000 immigrants arrived in the country between 2015-2020 from countries where cricket is either the national sport or has significant national representation. Canada's men's cricket team has also been making headlines, clinching its first-ever berth in the T20 World Cup earlier this year, a milestone that could be the beginning of an Olympic qualification journey.
For the North Bay Panthers Cricket Club, these global developments resonate deeply as they work to build a future for cricket in their community. The club, originally established in 2012, has recently rebranded as the North Bay Panthers and affiliated with Canadore College, a move that has helped them gain momentum and community support.
Club members like Adiraju see this as a critical moment to push for better facilities. "We have competed in top-level tournaments, clinching victories in a couple and finishing as runner-ups in others this season," Adiraju says. "These achievements are a testament to our commitment and hard work, but imagine the heights we could reach with adequate facilities."
Efforts are underway to secure a permanent cricket ground in North Bay, with the club working closely with the City of North Bay and its sports and events manager, Melinda Fry. "We’ve seen some parks in the city, and I think they have found three places where they want to build. We’re hoping to get this by 2025 so we can host tournaments here,” said Romy Ghumman, a local real estate agent and club member.
Until then, the Panthers will continue to travel to places like Sudbury, which is planning to increase the number of cricket venues in their city. Sudbury's premier cricket field is in the Greater Sudbury community of Capreol, built through a partnership between Big Nickel Cricket Club and the City of Greater Sudbury. A second cricket club is also starting in Sudbury, with the Rainbow District School Board incorporating the sport into its curriculum.
As the North Bay Panthers Cricket Club wraps up an eventful season, they remain hopeful that their efforts will soon result in a permanent home ground. Adiraju and his teammates are committed to not only elevating their performance but also to inspiring future generations to take up the sport and pursue their dreams. "A permanent cricket pitch will not only benefit the North Bay Cricket Club but also inspire future generations to take up the sport and pursue their dreams. Let us come together to make this vision a reality and strengthen the sporting fabric of North Bay," Adiraju urges.
The club’s recent success, including their victory at the Kings Cricket Club tournament in Sudbury this August, where they remained unbeaten and saw local player Kulwinder Gill named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, has boosted team morale. On their Instagram account, the club expressed their pride, stating, "The boys displayed such incredible energy on the ground that our opposition found it tough to tackle us. As we near the end of the season, this win has definitely boosted the morale of the team."
With the global stage set for a cricket boom, the North Bay Panthers are hoping to make a lasting impact on the sport in their hometown.
Editor's note: On Sept. 17, North Bay City Council approved the Steve Omischl Sports Complex as the recommended location for a regulation-sized cricket pitch, with budget considerations to follow.
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