A RECORD 110 teams are slated to be in
action when the Scarborough Cricket
Association (SCA) 2023 season swings
into gear on May 6. This represents an increase
of 16 from the 94 which participated in the 2022
edition.
Faced with the loss of the Ajax Cricket Ground,
which is undergoing complete rehabilitation, the
SCA has been able to secure Cedarvale ground
in Toronto and Jeffrey Park in Whitby. However,
several prospective teams, were turned away,
posing a real concern to President Shiv Persaud and his
executives.
Earlier this year, Persaud disclosed that because of the
lack of facilities, the SCA turned away 45 applications,
thereby putting approximately 1350 constituents out of
cricket. While only the Cedarvale and Jeffrey Park facilities will
see action on May 6 and 7, featuring mainly T20 and T30
games, the other divisions will bowl off on May 13 and 14.
Defending Elite champions Naseeb Cricket Club
(NCC) who created a stir last year by dethroning
defending champions Ambassadors Sports Club
in the semi-final 2022, before inflicting a six-wicket
defeat on Victoria Park in the final, played at the
Ashtonbee Number One ground, will open their
2023 campaign against Ajax Cricket Club on
Saturday, May 13 at the Ellesmere South ground.
In the other opening Elite fixture, set for the
following day, Island Warriors face Victoria Park at
L’Amoreaux.
The victory also meant that NCC achieved the feat
in their first year in the Elite Division, after being
promoted from the Premier Division which they
won in 2021.
The other teams in contention in the Elite Division
are Highland Creek, who earned promotion after
winning the Premier Division in 2022, Kaieteur
International A, who also played in the Premier last
year, Highland Creek and Caribbean Stars.
Ten teams are vying for supremacy in the Premier
Division, which has been divided into two groups.
Group A has Bangla Warriors, Champions CC,
Janbaaz CC, Maple CC and Toronto Invaders CC
while Group B comprises of Ajax CC, Bilal CC, Palace
Panthers/Scarborough Legends, Team Tigers and
Toronto Rhinos CC.
The First Division, which will also see ten teams battling,
has also been split in two divisions. Armor CC, Bawa
X1 CC, PBR CC, TP Tigers CC and United Titans are in
Group A while Group B has Ajax CC, Durham United
CC, Kaieteur International CC, Knightly CC and United
CC.
The eight teams in the Second Division are Ambassadors
Sports Club B, Oshawa/Hawks Toronto Braves,
Superstars, Team Tigers, Toronto 6ixers, Toronto
Seawolves, TPark Youngstars and Victoria Park.
Challengers CC, Friends United CC, Lawrence CC,
Northumberland County CC, Pickering Panthers CC,
Pro Sports CC, Stikbook CC and Toronto Invaders
make up the Third Division.
The T30 (Elite and Premiere), T20 (Elite, Premiere,
First and Second Divisions) and Over-50 are the other
divisions to be contested while efforts are being made
to revive the women’s and youth categories