Newswire - Domestic | Cricket Canada

David brings a wealth of experience to the position, having worked for Cricket NSW in the Australian system for over 20 years. During this time David headed up the NSW Institute of Sport Cricket Program and the Cricket NSW Emerging Player programs for a decade from 1997-2006. Over 20 players from these programs have gone on to represent Australia including current Australian captain Michael Clarke,

Brett Lee, David Warner and Brad Haddin.

During his time at Cricket NSW, David was also responsible for the Coach Education programs at all levels from grass roots to elite, a member of the Cricket Australia Education and Training Committee, a Regional Cricket Manager and headed up the NSW component of Cricket Australia National Pace Bowling Program.

For the past 12 months since moving to Canada, David has been assisting Cricket Canada as a specialist coach with both the Men’s and Women’s National Teams programs.

Patterson shared his enthusiasm upon announcement of the position, “I am excited and honoured to be part of the Cricket Canada team. There is a tremendous amount of passion and talent here. I am looking forward to working with stakeholders from across the country to develop and implement High Performance programs that will assist Canadian cricket moving forward”

SUPER SUNDAY SET TO KICK OFF

Sun, 09/30/2012

The world's fierces sporting rivalry descends on Colombo on Sunday and fans in Canada will be able to follow India and Pakistan in a crucial Super 8's matchup on Sunday. India need a victory to stay alive in the tournament while Pakistan will be assured a semi-final spot should they prevail.

The match as well as Australia and South Africa will be available on Sportsnet World Plus on Sunday starting at 5:45a EDT. Suscribers to Sportsnet World will be able to watch the matches live as follows :

Shaw Direct:

Classic: 461 and 462 (next to SNWL channel 460)

Advanced: 137 and 138

Bell Satellite TV (DTH)

Sportsnet World Bonus games:

SD on channel 703

HD on channel 738

PPV:

SD on channel 350

HD on channel 317

Bell Fibe TV (IPTV):

Sportsnet World Bonus games (HD only):

HD on channel 1425

The matches will also be available on Sportsnet World Online for non-suscribers

SRI LANKA CLOSE IN ON SEMIS

Sat, 09/29/2012

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka became a firm favourite to qualify for the World Twenty20 semifinals after crushing West Indies by nine wickets in the Super Eights on Saturday.

Sri Lanka can advance with a win or narrow loss -- because of an excellent net run rate -- to defending champion England on Monday.

West Indies needs to beat New Zealand on the same day and then wait for the outcome of the Sri Lanka-England match to qualify.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene smashed an unbeaten 65 off 49 balls in Sri Lanka's successful chase, reaching 130-1 with 28 balls to spare after West Indies put up only 129-4. The West Indians were buckled down by Jayawardene's effective and regular change of bowlers.

"Overall a very good effort," Jayawardene said of his team's convincing win. "When they were going after our bowlers I just kept changing the bowlers. And once we got through the first 12 overs I told Kumar (Sangakkara) we should finish this as quickly as possible."

Jayawardene and Sangakkara (39) shared a 108-run unbroken stand off 75 balls after Ravi Rampaul had Tillakaratne Dilshan (13) caught behind in the third over.

Both batsmen batted comortably at Pallekele International Stadium and gave respect to only offspinner Sunil Narine, who gave away 23 runs but remained wicketless.

Jaywardene hit 10 fours and a six in his unbeaten knock while Sangakkara faced 34 balls and hit five boundaries.

Earlier, Sri Lanka finger spinner Ajantha Mendis bowled a miserly spell of 2-12 to help restrict West Indies.

Marlon Samuels top-scored with 50 off 35 balls with four boundaries and two sixes and shared the best stand of 65 for the third wicket with Dwayne Bravo, who made 40.

Mendis had opening batsman Charles Johnson (12) stumped in the fifth over and returned to clean bowl Kieron Pollard (1).

"Their bowlers bowled really well to us and now the New Zealand game is a must-win for us," West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. "We bowled too short and wide (while) the Sri Lankan bowlers bowled fuller and we didn't do that enough."

Seamer Nuwan Kulasekara added to West Indies' early problems when, two balls after Johnson departed, hard-hitting Chris Gayle was out for 2 playing a loose shot off a slow delivery. Gayle had struggled for nine balls against the change of pace by the seamers.

Jaywardene -- who lost the toss -- never allowed the opening pair of Charles and Gayle to free their arms as they did against England in the 15-run win on Thursday.

Jayawardene intelligently used four bowlers within the first six overs of the batting powerplay and was duly rewarded with the wickets of both openers.

Samuels and Bravo revived the innings, but never looked to threaten to score boundaries at will as Jayawardene rotated his bowlers effectively.

Dilshan took well-judged catches of both batsmen in the deep as West Indies tried to break the stranglehold.

The only bright moment in West Inides' knock came in the 17th over when Andre Russell (19 not out) and Samuels hit Kulasekara for two sixes and two fours.

Sri Lanka was forced to leave out Akila Dananjaya after the 18-year-old offspinner broke his left cheekbone while trying for a caught-and-bowled during a thrilling victory in the one-over eliminator against New Zealand.

West Indies recalled fast bowler Fidel Edwards and left out spinner Samuels Badree.

SPORTSNET CRICKET | ENGLAND STAYS ALIVE WITH WIN

PAKISTAN AND AUSTRALIA SCORE BIG ON FRIDAY

Fri, 09/28/2012

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Tailender Umar Gul became an unlikely batting star as he helped Pakistan pull off a thrilling two-wicket win over South Africa in their World Twenty20 Super Eights match on Friday.

South Africa laboured against Pakistan's spin attack to post a modest 133-6 in 20 overs, then looked like it might be able to defend it.

Pakistan's chase was precariously placed at 76-7 in the 15th over, when Gul joined Umar Akmal with 58 needed for victory in five overs.

Gul, who'd hit double figures only five times in five years, launched three sixes and two boundaries in scoring a T20 career-best 32 off just 17 balls. He and Akmal, 43 not out, combined for 49 in 28 balls.

When Gul was finally out, caught on the boundary with an over to go, Pakistan was left with a gettable 9 to win over 6 balls. Akmal smashed Morne Morkel for his first six and Saeed Ajmal edged a boundary past the wicketkeeper for the winning runs at 136-8 with two balls to spare.

"Umar brought out something special for Pakistan," captain Mohammad Hafeez said.

Gul said Akmal, less experienced but a better batsman, boosted his confidence.

"When I went to bat, Umar (Akmal) said, 'You can get 15-20 runs, we can do it,"' Gul said.

Hafeez said they were rapt to restrict South Africa to a reachable target, but fortunate in the end.

"Anyone could have won this, Pakistan was lucky," he said.

Surprisingly South Africa captain AB de Villiers chose to operate his seamers almost to their whole quota of overs on a dusty pitch at R Premadasa Stadium, while two of his successful spinners -- Johan Botha and JP Duminy -- received just two overs each.

Fast bowler Dale Steyn took 3-22 while left-arm spinner Robin Pietersen returned 2-15 in his four overs.

Pakistan openers Hafeez and Imran Nazir got off to a good start sharing 24 runs at a run rate of eight runs per over.

But after Steyn had Nazir caught behind by de Villiers for 14 with the total on 24, Pakistan slumped. Pietersen justified his selection with two wickets four deliveries apart in his first over. It didn't look for Pakistan until Gul and Akmal joined up.

Earlier, Duminy top-scored for the Proteas with 48. Offspinner Hafeez and seamer Yasir Arafat picked up two wickets each.

SPORTSNET WORLD | AUSSIES HAMMER INDIA BY 9 WICKETS

ASHISH BAGAI

Fri, 09/28/2012

The franchise based T20 leagues around the world have recently had their fair share of the publicity and hype in the media but there is a different feeling in the air when a World Cup comes around, whether 50 or 20 overs. For the players, there is a lot more than money on the line: the pride of a nation, the expectations of the people and the right to call themselves ‘World Champions.’

While most of us could have predicted which teams would advance to the Super Eights with some degree of certainty, predicting what will follow in the next few days will require some sort of supernatural powers. The tournament is now set up to be one of the most open and captivating global ICC tournaments held in recent history. As we enter the ‘business end’ of the tournament, the question now becomes –What is it that will determine this year’s World T20 champion?

FULL STORY

DELOITTE IMPACT DAY FRIDAY

Thu, 09/27/2012

Global management consultants Deloitte and Touche will visit Cricket Canada's office on Friday as part of their global impact day.

IMPACT Day is Deloitte's annual celebration of commitment to community involvement when they encourage all employees across the country to set aside their work for the day to contribute their time and talent to benefit local nonprofits. Approximately one third of the volunteer projects are “skills-based,” so nonprofits benefit from Deloitte people’s business knowledge and experience.

In April 2012, Deloitte undertook a 4 month review and refresh of Cricket Canada's strategic plan. The findings as well as the work done included the most wide ranging and comprehensive study of cricket in Canada that has ever been produced. The work was done as part of Deloitte's pro-bono work program and served as a sizeable sponsorship to Cricket Canada

DOWN TO THE HEAVYWEIGHTS

Thu, 09/27/2012

The phony war is over. Finally the tournament proper can kick into top gear and the real business of becoming ICC World Twenty20 champions can begin in earnest.

Enough with the one sided blowouts. They hold little value for players or spectators.

Of course the minnows need to test themselves against better opposition in order to improve. But embarrassing losses serve only to perpetuate their status as ill prepared, under financed nations who lack the traditional infrastructure to develop.

Throwing them in at the deep end once every couple of years and expecting them to compete is completely unrealistic. Afghanistan and Ireland are serious about their cricket and are head and shoulders above the rest of the second tier countries - Canada included. However the gulf between the ICC's Full members and the Associates remains cavernous and it will take many more years before they can hold their own among cricket's elite.

Now we're down to the serious contenders - the eight teams who harbour genuine hopes of lifting the trophy in early October. There are no surprises - but we never expected any. Bangladesh acquitted themselves well against Pakistan but, in the final analysis, an eight wicket defeat is what it is. Zimbabwe, a test playing nation for twenty years, continues to struggle badly on the international stage.

FULL STORY | SL DEF NZ | CHAMPS FALL TO WINDIES | CRICKET CENTRAL

SUPER SATURDAY AT WT20 SET TO ROLL

Sat, 09/22/2012

South African and Sri Lanka look to finally be tested in the first match on Saturday at the World T20 as both teams come off easy wins against Zimbabwe. Also on Saturday, West Indies makes their tournament debut as they take on Australia.

Sunday will see the most talked about opening round match as England take on India and Pakistan take on New Zealand.

Four mammoth contests on the cards for this weekend.

SPORTSNET CRICKET | FARAZ SARWAT ON PAKISTAN | CURRENT STANDINGS

ENGLAND MAKES STATEMENT IN DEFENCE

Fri, 09/21/2012

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Luke Wright hammered an unbeaten 99 to steer defending champion England to a crushing 116-run win over Afghanistan in their World Twenty20 match on Friday.

England made a formidable 196 for five in its 20 overs after being sent in to bat, and then bowled out Afghanistan for 80 in the 18th over at R. Premadasa Stadium. Wright and Alex Hales joined in a 69-run stand, and Wright shared 72 runs with Eoin Morgan.

The game ended Afghanistan's short campaign in the tournament after losing to India by 23 runs in its first Group A match on Wednesday.

Wright said that England knew Afghans were a dangerous team after watching their spirited effort against India on television. But he added: "The way we came back and bowled them out was a superb effort."

Wright played down his disappointment at missing out on England's first Twenty20 century by a single run.

MATCH REPORT | NEW ZEALAND HAMMERS BANGLADESH