Canada declares interest in co-hosting 2007 World Cup

ehsan · April 4, 2003, 8:06pm

Canada declares interest in co-hosting 2007 World Cup](http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/APR/165889_BLOOMBERG_04APR2003.html)

Canada may stage some cricket matches at the 2007 World Cup after its administrators held talks with the West Indies Cricket Board, which is hosting the event.

“I’ve had informal discussions and indicated an interest,” Canada Cricket Association President Geoff Edwards said in an interview. “First we must do some groundwork and see if there is any merit in making a bid. I believe there is.”

The 14 Caribbean islands that comprise the WICB, plus Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas are interested in putting on matches at the four-yearly tournament. The International Cricket Council will discuss in June whether the U.S. should also be one of the co-hosts, with matches possible in Florida or California.

“It will be a unique tournament because so many nations are competing for host status,” said Chris Dehring, managing director of the 2007 World Cup. “We are also conscious of the ICC’s mandate to spread cricket in North America so we’ll be looking at that too.”

Hosting games may help the sport develop in Canada, which has 250 organized clubs, 20,000 players and made its second World Cup appearance this year in South Africa. Although it finished sixth in the seven-nation group, the team recorded a surprise win over Bangladesh, one of the 10 elite Test nations.

The SkyDome, home to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team, would be the most likely venue, Edwards said. The city used to stage an annual one-day cricket series between India and Pakistan.

The WICB may favor Canada’s involvement because the stadium holds about 50,000 people, four times as many as the average Caribbean ground. More ticket sales would boost the WICB’s revenue.

Canada’s recent World Cup was mixed. The team was dismissed by Sri Lanka for 36, the lowest total in the tournament’s history. Four days earlier against the West Indies, opener John Davison hit the fastest World Cup hundred in 67 balls.

“The coverage was tremendous and there was a groundswell of support,” Edwards said. “Hosting a World Cup would probably see that interest magnified 1,000 times. It would be the perfect way to bring cricket to the mainland of Canada and the U.S.”

samb · April 4, 2003, 8:11pm

I hereby volunteer my backyard for the staging of the Pak-Ind games.

no burning of the stadium though, please.

teaser · April 4, 2003, 8:14pm

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by sambrialian: *
I hereby volunteer my backyard for the staging of the Pak-Ind games.

no burning of the stadium though, please.
[/QUOTE]

Can I get the pavillion pass :)

samb · April 4, 2003, 8:16pm

you, my jigger, will live in the pavilion. happy?

all the KK people are invited to the 2007 games hosted in Canada, more specifically in my house.

UMAIR316 · April 5, 2003, 2:39am

Canada is a little too far from the original host nations.
Players are going to have to travel a great deal back and forth to play.
I say forget about Canada, California, and Florida and just host all the matches in Houston and some of the caribbean grounds.

allah_ka_banda_1 · April 5, 2003, 2:53am

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by sambrialian: *
you, my jigger, will live in the pavilion. happy?

all the KK people are invited to the 2007 games hosted in Canada, more specifically in my house.
[/QUOTE]

Indians too ;)

Sadiyah · April 5, 2003, 4:39am

overjoyed

I hope they have a couple of games in Toronto and maybe one of the Super Six games as well, inshAllah.

teaser · April 5, 2003, 5:36am

Why not set vegypie dhoti on fire to get back the PAK vs India matches in canada

Spock · April 5, 2003, 5:40am

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by allah_ka_banda: *

Indians too ;)
[/QUOTE]

No... You do not qualify as human beings :)

Peoples_Champ · April 5, 2003, 6:28am

I’m shocked they have thought of bringing the game to Canada and USA!

I for one would be really happy if the game was brought to Canada and USA, therefore they would most probably play their games in stadiums like Skydome, Astrodome, and many other baseball stadiums.

But if the same critics show up for World Cup 2007, who were voicing their opinion in 2003, then I’m afraid to say, but 2007 will be ruined by them too.

I am talking about the people who nagged, and whined over sissy issues like ball swinging when under the lights, toss factors, weather/climate, and pitch conditions in some stadiums.

South Africa has proper adequet cricket stadiums, whereas North America has nothing close to South Africa’s calibre.

I hope those critics voice their opinion now (not later) on how cricket cannot be played in a baseball stadium, the lights are not good, turf outfields, small grounds, fake pitches, etc.. etc. (who knows what they will come up with next!?)

World Cup 2007 resides in their hands. Whether they want to criticize now, and prevent the games from being played in US/Canada before the tournament commences, or else there goes another World Cup down the drain because we know they will make excuses up in the middle of the competition.

khiska_hoowa · April 6, 2003, 2:54pm

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by sambrialian: *
I hereby volunteer my backyard for the staging of the Pak-Ind games.

no burning of the stadium though, please.
[/QUOTE]

I am thinking of the free inhouse on the couch pass

UMAIR316 · April 6, 2003, 3:01pm

I think it will be very tough hosting cricket matches on baseball fields. They are way smaller than a standard cricket field, and plus if the tournament were to happen in the summer or spring time, which is a baseball season.
Football stadiums are too small as well.
I think the matches will only be hosted under real stadiums.
Toronto has one, Houston has couple, I know there is one cricket stadium in LA, I don't know much about Florida.

Jal_Pari · April 10, 2003, 6:01am

Asif_k · April 10, 2003, 12:27pm

Arey Dont worry, Brother jab tak hum hain you dont need to go to a Pakis place.

Sadiyah · April 10, 2003, 2:42pm

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
I think it will be very tough hosting cricket matches on baseball fields. They are way smaller than a standard cricket field, and plus if the tournament were to happen in the summer or spring time, which is a baseball season.
Football stadiums are too small as well.
I think the matches will only be hosted under real stadiums.
Toronto has one, Houston has couple, I know there is one cricket stadium in LA, I don't know much about Florida.
[/QUOTE]

Toronto's got a number of proper Cricket grounds. Now if only it gets approved (inshAllah), then I'm sure Canadian Cricket board can work on fixing/upgrading the other grounds to bring'em up/close to the International Cricket ground standards.

pheeka · April 10, 2003, 2:56pm

In that case I shall file a case for illegal status of Asif in Canada and have him deported to great hindu land immediately.
Don’t worry all the people of hindu land you will be able to watch the game at Asif’s house after all.

Asif_k · April 10, 2003, 4:05pm

Pheeka ji - achha hai ye naya mask Waise is naye mukhote me bhi aapka KathMullapan nazar aata hai.

pheeka · April 10, 2003, 11:47pm

Oh Asif uncle, how did you guess that I was wearing a mask. Oh you naughty uncle Asif uncle.:D

I think it will be hard to host matches in Canada. First because of the amount of travelling, second because of the extremely cold weather in feb,march even in april. And also because of the grounds. They need to have big stadiums to host matches, I mean it's the world cup. They have to have stadiums with capacities of 20,000+. Because of these reasons I think Canada rules out of being co-hosts of the world cup.

system · April 11, 2003, 3:42am

How many teams will be in WC2007 from Europe?

What about Germany or Italy?