The Barrie Cricket League started their two big weekends Saturday and will prepare for a playoff next weekend.
The BCL put on six games in two days over the course of Saturday and Sunday, which will help determine which teams place where in the standings as the championship weekend on Saturday, Aug. 3 crowns a champion.
Jashank Vyas is one of the league directors who were overseeing Sunday's event while also waiting to take the pitch for his Royal Lions, who were facing the Barrie Eagles this morning at the east end’s Maitland Park.
“Today was supposed to be a 9 a.m. start, but we held off until 10 a.m. as the rain weakened the field conditions last night,” Vyas told BarrieToday. “But we will get some games in today and have some great competition.”
The BCL started in 2010, but took a break a couple years after to focus on growing the game locally from a grassroots initiative with some summer camps.
A return last year saw the BCL become a strong sports league with four teams and more than 50 players dedicated to not just winning the league championship, but also growing the game in the city.
“We have been trying to get the word out through different forms of advertising and every player helps to spread the word also,” Vyas said.
“The South-Asian community in Barrie has been very supportive as the game of cricket is a favourite sport," he added. "And with Georgian College having lots of students of South-Asian background, it has been very helpful.”
Vyas said the league is taking itself seriously as he knows they are in the midst of starting some fresh in a city that loves sports.
“We sat down with city staff and sports management in early June and we discussed short-term and long-term goals,” he said. “Short term was getting a tournament like this one organized and some members of the city have been in constant contact with us and have been also taking care of the field in preparation of our games.”
As of Sunday morning, Vyas’s Royal Lions Barrie sat atop the BCL standings, with the Barrie Strikers in second. Barrie Warriors and Barrie Eagles round out third and fourth, respectively.
Games are scheduled for Sunday afternoon in a tightly contested league.
Playoff action gets underway Saturday, Aug. 3 with games at 7:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and the championship final at 2:30 p.m.
All games take place at Maitland Park, which is located in the Johnson Drive and Hickling Trail area.
For more information on the BCL, head to their website.
