The second encounter of the Pirates season lived up to its billing as one of the most eagerly-awaited clashes in Montreal cricket. Considering that the teams pitted against each other were an experienced Bengal United XI and a talented Pirates side, the game’s thrilling finish shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Batting first, the Pirates made 145 for 10 in their allocated 45 overs, a score that doesn’t do justice to the Highlander-esque bravado of Captain Bell, and a tail that wagged with sufficient gusto and fury to humble a pack of amorous bloodhounds in mating season.

Making nearly half the score (72), the skipper was ably supported by a pugnacious Savage and Blechynden, whose single figure scores do not do their exploits justice. Against a pace attack that comprised the ever-threatening chin music of Mahfuz, and a wave of other seamers of similar caliber, the doughty doctor and the curry King of Kalgoorlie held on long enough to take the score from a dire 52 for 6 to 90 for 8.

Bell’s finest came during the last 5 overs when, in the company of the enigmatic Bhawalkar, he plastered the hapless Bengal bowlers for 42. The two shared a last-wicket partnership of 55, a Pirate record. As always, the Bengal bowlers were full and on target, with Sud grabbing three wickets and Main nipping out two.

Mahfuz’s one wicket does not do his menacing spell justice. Consistently generating pace and bounce, he troubled all and sundry.

The Bengal United batting began with a peach of a delivery by Legault, who castled the dangerous Shah with an inswinger for 3. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, thanks to the efforts of super-sub Melaram and debutant Tidy, who took three each. They were well supported by Sakrani, Bell, and Blechynden, who celebrated his first ever wicket and promptly propitiated the Gods in a gesture of gratitude.

Blechynden’s victim, Sajib, was also the mainstay of the Bengal batting. Scoring 52 off 69 balls, he held the innings together and built the platform from which his team could engineer a thrilling one-wicket victory.

The intensity of the game did not, in any way, hamper the spirit in which it was played, with both teams displaying impeccable sportsmanship and camaraderie on and off the field.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Bengal United
Saturday 12 May 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match Type: 45 overs per side
Weather conditions: Swinging like a banana
Toss won by: Pirates of the St Lawrence
Result: Bengal United won by 1 wicket

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 26 (Byes 8, Leg Byes 3, No Balls 4, Wides 11)
Total 145 for 10 in 45 overs

FoW (1-6, 2-22, 3-23, 4-37, 5-46, 6-52, 7-70, 8-90, 9-90, 10-145)

Bengal United Innings

Extras 22 (Byes 1, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 3, Wides 17)
Total 146 for 10 in 40.3 overs

FoW (1-10, 2-51, 3-55, 4-70, 5-85, 6-114, 7-128, 8-134, 9-143, 10-145)

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI
Saturday 5 May 2012
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Match type: 40 overs per side
Weather conditions: Southern France in Spring
Result: Pirates won by 33 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Extras 10 (Byes 3, Leg Byes 2, No Balls 1, Wides 4)
Total 188 for 4 in 40 overs

FoW (1-35, 2-41, 3-82, 4-148)

Sukhdeo’s Select Innings

Extras 21 (Byes 2, Leg Byes 5, No Balls 2, Wides 12)
Total 155 for 7 in 40 overs

FoW (1-24, 2-47, 3-62, 4-62, 5-111, 6-118, 7-153)

Click HERE to view the video report.

One of the most multi-cultural cricket clubs in the entire world is right here in Montreal. Pirates of the St-Lawrence boasts members from 60 nationalities and continues to grow. This summer, the club will host teams this summer from as far away as Philadelphia…

Click HERE to see the full article and listen to the radio report.

Cricketers donned snow pants and parkas for a Nordic-style cricket tournament on McGill University’s McTavish Reservoir field Saturday.

The annual Snow Cricket World Cup is going strong in its fifth year, giving “sticky wicket” a whole new meaning.

Cricketers drudge through ankle-high snow, chasing a tennis ball instead of a cricket ball.

Tournament organizer Angus Bell says the snow cancels out skill.

“All technique goes out the window,” said Bell, a member of Montreal cricket club Pirates of the St. Lawrence.

“I’ve been playing cricket for 20 years, you could find someone who’s playing for the first time today, and they’ll be at the same level.”

Parc-Extension’s Howard Park will become the home of Montreal’s first permanent, publicly-accessible cricket training ground in the spring of 2012.

The facility is a joint venture between the Royal Bank of Canada and the Pirates of the St. Lawrence Cricket Club. As part of its RBC in the Community initiative, the bank agreed to finance the facility after months of lobbying by the Pirates’ main organizer, Angus Bell. A grant of $25,000 was awarded to the borough for the construction of batting cages.

“Cricket is a growing sport in this city,” said Bell. “We’ve coached more than 4,000 school children in the last four years, so we need [batting cages] to take the kids to the next level. We’re clamouring for facilities.”

Further details were finalized after a recent meeting between Bell and Parc-Extension city councillor Mary Deros. Deros, who also serves on Mayor Gérald Tremblay’s executive committee as the Member responsible for youth and cultural communities, informed Bell that the Pirates finally had a home on the island at Howard Park.

The city’s public works department determined that the equipment will be erected on the site of a disused baseball diamond on the northwest corner of the park. The location was chosen by city planners in part to reflect the diverse cultural character of the area. A large concentration of people of South Asian descent live nearby, originating from places like India and Pakistan where cricket is the national pastime. No further details have been released, though Bell promises more will be forthcoming once ground is broken.

“Working with the city’s boroughs and school boards we aim to create a legacy that will enable diverse communities to build on their love of cricket and pass along a cherished tradition to their children,” said Diane Jacob, RBC’s regional vice-president for Montreal and La Mauricie, in a statement made when the project was initially announced in the Spring of 2011.

In the past, the South Shore-based Pirates had to make do by improvising with whatever they could find. Their regular playing field – pitch, in cricket parlance – was hastily set up behind a chocolate factory owned by a friend of Bell’s. To train their batsmen, the team would have to make the long trek up to a baseball batting cage in Laval in order to practice. The trip sometimes took up to two hours depending on the traffic. Also, the machines were designed for baseballs; cricket balls are slightly smaller, stitched differently, and are half an ounce heavier.

As the team has experienced explosive growth in the four years since its inception, Bell has been actively pursuing a more sensible way to train. The team will now benefit from the same world-class training facilities normally available in cricket-mad nations such as the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka.

The facility is part of a growth strategy by Pirates founder Bell. A Scottish-born cricketing enthusiast with some truly unique experiences – he once struck a ball from Europe into Asia during a match in Turkey – he has big plans for the sport in Quebec. Bell says the Pirates have already introduced the sport to people of all ages. A recent profile on the ESPN Cricinfo website declared the Pirates to be the most ethnically diverse team on the planet. Bell is quick to point out that diversity and cricket are both intimately linked with the Canadian experience.

“The first international sporting competition of any kind was a cricket match between Canada and the US,” he says. “We have representatives of 56 nationalities in our group. If every club was more accessible, cricket would be the number one bat-and-ball sport in this country.”

The Pirates are gearing up for their annual Snow World Cup, to be held at McGill’s McTavish Reservoir on Saturday, Jan. 21.

To read the full article, click HERE.

The brave men and women of Pirates of the St Lawrence descended on McGill University’s McTavish Reservoir to compete in the fifth edition of the annual Snow Cricket World Cup. Four teams contested this year’s competition, with England sealing victory in a dramatic three-way bowl-out.

Rutherford Park, site of the McTavish underground reservoir, provided the picturesque setting for the 2012 Snow Cricket World Cup. Despite temperatures below -15°C, forty-five hardy souls from six continents arrived bright and early to lay two plywood pitches across the ankle-deep snow.

Four sides – England, Canada, Australia-New Zealand, and the Celtic-Asian Bloc Alliance – battled it out for snow supremacy. While most favoured ski gear and thermal underwear, Prashant Bhawalkar showed he was made of sterner stuff. The snow cricket debutant stayed true to tradition by togging out in whites, one thin pair of socks and trainers.

The action got underway in the morning with two enticing ties. While England and Australia-New Zealand contested the ‘Ice Ashes’, Canada locked horns with the Celtic-Asian Bloc Alliance.

Australia-New Zealand, ably led by Richard Horne, caught the old enemy cold. Despite a valiant effort by England, under the captaincy of Tom Wisden, it was the Antipodeans who clinched the ice urn.

On the other field, Canada overcame the Celtic-Asian Bloc Alliance in a keenly contested tussle. Despite a quick-fire 22 not out from the Alliance’s snow cricket veteran Angus Bell, the host nation pulled off a dramatic come-from-behind win. Canada’s captain, Matthew Legault, led from the front to seal a last over victory over Sam Mulligan’s Celtic-Asian Tigers.

In the second set of fixtures England bounced back to beat Canada, while Australia-New Zealand consigned the Tigers to their second last-over defeat.

After a break for Australian pies and hot soup courtesy of Tourtière Australienne, the four sides braved the conditions once more. The final games saw the Celtic-Asian Bloc Alliance secure the wooden spoon thanks to a comprehensive defeat at the hands of the English. In the other fixture, Canada delivered their second impressive performance of the day to beat Australia-New Zealand.

The victory meant Canada, England and Australia-New Zealand finished the day with two wins apiece. With the temperature falling by the minute, the three sides took to the field to contest a bowl-out to decide the winner.

With an unguarded set of stumps to aim at, each member of the three teams was called upon to bowl one ball. After Australia-New Zealand were eliminated, Canada and England duked it out for this year’s title. In the end, Tom Wisden’s England held their nerve and were crowned the 2012 Snow Cricket World Cup champions.

Batsman of the Year: Angus Bell

Bowler of the Year: Phil Roche

All-Rounder of the Year: Angus Bell

Fielder of the Year: Matthew Julius

Wicketkeeper of the Year: Richard Horne

Pirette of the Year: Margie Marlin

Best Batsman from a Non-Test Nation (excluding the British Isles): Thiery Milot

Best Bowler from a Non-Test Nation (excluding the British Isles): Matthew Legault

Best All-Rounder from a Non-Test Nation (excluding the British Isles): Hugue St-Jean

Most Improved Batsman: Tom Wisden

Most Improved Bowler: Faheem Awan

Most Improved Fielder: Ahmad Rashid

Seasoned Stalwart of the Year (Batting): Robert Savage

Seasoned Stalwart of the Year (Bowling): Brahma Melaram

Seasoned Stalwart of the Year (All-rounder): Bhajooram Sukhdeo

Junior Pro of the Year: Aneeq Sakrani

Selfless B*****d of the Year: Sundar Krishnan

Beginner of the Year: Dave Blechynden

Indoor Specialist of the Year: Tony Jiggins

Best Fielding Play of the Year: Dan Hogg’s one-handed catch (with a sprained left wrist) v The Nowrang Gang

Clown of the Year: Prashant Bhawalkar

Played: 19
Won: 5
Lost: 13
Abandoned due to weather: 1
Cancelled: 9

Saturday 31 April – Middlebury-Dartmouth Medlé – Middlebury College, Vermont, USA – cancelled

Saturday 7 May – West Island Tigers – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 14 May – Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 21 May – McGill – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 167 runs

Saturday 28 May – Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 4 June – McGill – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 102 runs

Saturday 11 June – Queen’s University of Kingston – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 18 June – Bengal United – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – won by 8 wickets
Sunday 19 June – Boston Gymkhana – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 57 runs

Saturday 25 June – Bengal United – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – match abandoned due to rain

Saturday 2 July – Ontario Tour – Inverhaugh Cricket Club, Guelph – lost by 88 runs
Sunday 3 July – Ontario Tour – Stoney Creek Cricket Academy, Hamilton – lost by 27 runs

Saturday 9 July – West Island Tigers – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 151 runs

Saturday 16 July – Colonial Cavaliers of Boston – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 3 wickets
Sunday 17 July – Colonial Cavaliers of Boston – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – Twenty20 – lost by 63 runs

Saturday 23 July – Concordia University – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 31 runs

Saturday 30 July – West Island Tigers – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – won by 15 runs

Sunday 7 August – Rolls Royce Aviators – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Sunday 14 August – New Edinburgh (Ottawa) – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – won by 3 wickets (Granville & Roche Method)

Sunday 21 August – Bengal United – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 27 August – The Nowrang Gang: A Guyanese XI – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 4 runs

Monday 5 September – Primes CC – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 10 September – Rolls Royce Aviators – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – won by 90 runs
Sunday 11 September – Concordia University – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – won by 9 wickets

Saturday 17 September – West Island Tigers – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 95 runs

Saturday 24 September – Bengal United – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 7 wickets

Saturday 1 October – Primes CC – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – cancelled

Saturday 8 October – Sukhdeo’s Select: A Guyanese XI – The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire – lost by 4 wickets