Despite experiencing a setback midway through the season, the Sarnia Cricket Club’s ‘A’ Team (SCC-A) won the London Cricket League Elite Division Championship at the end of September.
“Throughout the season, our team worked really hard, and in the end, it’s a big achievement for everybody,” says Thiru Kannan, SCC President.
The club has been playing in the London league since 2021, and this is the first time a Sarnia team has taken home the top prize.
“The last two years, we played in the semi-finals, and this year, the London league had more teams than before—there were 14 teams participating,” explains SCC-A team captain Aamir Khan.
Out of the 14 teams in the league, three were from Sarnia. The SCC-C team lost in the semi-finals.
However, an act of vandalism at the club’s storage shed on Canada Day almost derailed the season.
“They somehow broke into the shed, and it was hard in the summer—right in the middle of the season—to get through all that,” Kannan tells The Journal.
Fortunately, community support came through when the Rotary Club reached out to assist. "We are in the process of working with them to get a grant.”
Kannan notes that the community's support after such a loss was beneficial to the team, allowing them to finish the season on a high note despite the setback. Now, they are heading into the off-season ready to prepare for the next one, which starts in the spring—and they are always looking for new members.
Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the Sarnia Cricket Club in late this year or early next year, as the club begins organizing teams in March and finalizes the number of teams and leagues by April.
Kannan estimates the club’s membership at around 60 people and encourages anyone over the age of 14 to try the sport.No experience is necessary; newcomers are welcome to come and learn. “People just come for practices and practice games. Then, once they feel confident and the captain feels confident in including them, they can go ahead and play in the league,” says Kannan.
“Initially, for the first two or three weeks, we have practice games. We gauge the skill level of the players and decide, ‘Which team can we place them on? Are they ready to play?’ Because it’s hardball, right? It’s pretty hard, and people can get hurt. So, you need to get rid of that fear a little bit,” says Khan.
“I’ve seen people start out just practicing, and then they go on to play in the leagues.”
To find out more about the Sarnia Cricket Club, be sure to follow them on Facebook.