Open Letter from Bud Singh

A Brief History of Cricket in Saskatchewan

When I arrived in Regina in 1969 cricket was played between the two clubs which were in existence. Games were more friendly than competitive, at the same time good performances were always noted. Players in both the Regina Cricket Club and the Saskatoon Cricket Club were predominantly from Guyana and the Caribbean. The Regina Club, however, had more players than Saskatoon. The Regina Club boasted of members from many cricket playing Commonwealth countries. Except for long standing members, such as Dr.Ian Hill, Mr.Tom Sealy, Dr.Brian Rainey, players who came to Saskatchewan did not stay very long, after a year or two they moved to the larger centers of Toronto, Vancouver or Calgary. Thus the number of cricket players hardly ever saw any increase.

I got involved with the administration of the sport in Regina in 1975 and saw the need to have more than a single club in Regina so that there could be a few more games played during the short summer. The Regina Club was subsequently divided into two groups, The Molson Cricket Club and The St. Georges Cricket Club which remained the two clubs followed by Queen City Club the next year.  These clubs combined along with Saskatoon in 1982 to win Saskatchewan’s first John Ross Tournament after one win against Manitoba and the final decided on a vicious coin toss over British Columbia due to weather.  Even though it was a coin toss it was still a win for the Province and one for the record books.  

In 1983 a new club in Cavaliers Sports and Social Club was created by Khurum Hussain and Nauth Ramoo merging with Molson Cricket Club.

In 1977 I was elected the Provincial Director representing Saskatchewan on The Canadian Cricket Board of Control. I also incorporated the Saskatchewan Cricket Association during this year creating the official body for the Province and opening the door with a relationship with SaskSports.  This position I held until 1990, the year I was the Manager of The Canadian National Team which competed at the ICC Associates World Competition.   Players such as Ron Dipchand, Garvin Budhoo and Farooq Kirmani played on the team at that time to name a few and who are all still quite heavily involved in Canadian Cricket today.

During my tenure on The CCA Board I negotiated an agreement with The National Body for funding and coaching support to develop junior and senior cricket in Saskatchewan. The aim of the program was to develop a schools' program which would supply a stream of players into the senior teams. Funding for this initiative came from Sask.Sport and The CCA. Saskatchewan Cricket hired a coach who went into the high schools. It did not take very long to see junior players in competition at our cricket facility in Regina. Richard Singh is the only player left from that program. We had 50 plus kids every Saturday morning participating at Douglas Park ages seven plus.  

The Saskatchewan Cricket Junior Program ended as soon as I took a break after fifteen years. The people who took over were never able to function in the positions they held. There were a good many position seekers with lacking abilities which ended up reverting Cricket in Saskatchewan to a halt. As such our six figure funding was lost and never recovered.

Except for very few of the older players, Regina now boasts of more than twenty clubs mainly from the Subcontinent. This is good and I’m hoping Cricket will continue to move forward in the Province and regain the stature it once had with developing juniors as they are the future.  The Administration should always be seen to act in the best interests of, if not all, at least the majority. At the end of the game it's not whether we win or lose, but how we play the game that matters. Remember the sport will still be there when all of you current players would have gone.

Sincerely,

Bud Singh