Canadian cricket: a brief history, part 3

The best individual batting performance against Canada took place during Ireland's 1973 tour of North America. Ivan Anderson, a right-handed Irish batsman, scored a powerful 198 not out in an international match played in Toronto. This innings remains the highest score by an Irish player in an international match to this day. The previous record against Canada was held by the Australian all-rounder Charlie Macartney, who scored 186 for Australia against a combined Canada/U.S.A. XI in Toronto in 1913.

Three noteworthy bowling achievements in Canadian cricket are worth mentioning. These include F.M. Pellatt's performance at Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario, where he took six wickets in six balls in 1890, and E. Attewell's sterling effort for the East Toronto Cricket Club, where he took 190 wickets for 615 runs at an average of 3.39 in 1894. The most outstanding personal performance ever recorded by a Canadian bowler seems to be the superb effort of C.A. Forbes. Forbes captured 10 wickets for 4 runs while playing for Trinity College against Upper Canada College in 1940.

On the international front, fast bowler Joel Bradbury of the Toronto Cricket Club skittled the United States for 32 runs at Toronto in 1854, capturing 9 wickets for 6 runs. This remains the United States' lowest innings total in the International Series against Canada to date. For over 150 years, the first name of Bradbury and his bowling analysis remained a mystery until American cricket historian David Creeth discovered them in 1996. Although Bradbury played for Canada on three occasions, old records indicate that he suffered from poor health and quickly disappeared from the international scene.

Bart King holds the bowling record against Canada in international cricket. In 1906, on a rainy afternoon in Philadelphia, King bowled superbly into a slight breeze and captured 8 for 17, slicing through the Canadian batsmen. Throughout his illustrious career, King turned in several spectacular bowling performances. During the 1908 tour of England, Philadelphia's player collected 87 wickets for 958 runs at an average of 11.01. This performance led to the first-class averages for the season and made him the only North American player to achieve such a feat.

Following World War II, as migrants arrived in Canada from British Commonwealth countries, Lewis Gunn and Donald King worked tirelessly to improve cricket at the national level. They were supported by Charles D. Wilson, who served cricket in Ontario for over 50 years.

Gunn formed a group of enthusiastic cricket followers around him. Together with CCA President W.E.N. (Billy) Bell, he was responsible for the Canadian cricket-playing provinces meeting for the first time in the newly constituted national championships in Toronto in 1947. Ontario emerged as the victor in the tournament and has since won the Bracht Trophy a record 10 times.

​​Donald King continued the work started by Billy Bell, Lewis Gunn, and Charlie Wilson. After discussions with United States officials, led by President John I. Marder, the historic International Series between the two nations was revived in Toronto in 1963. In later years, John I. Marder wrote an informative book on North American cricket titled 'The International Series: The History of the United States and Canada at Cricket'.

During this busy period of revival, cricket tours became as popular as they had been many years before. In 1954, H.B.O. (Basil) Robinson successfully led Canada on a tour of England. Overseas teams also returned, with visits from the MCC in 1951, led by R.W.V. Robins, and Pakistan in 1958, captained by Imtiaz Ahmed. The MCC returned again in 1959 and 1967, led on both occasions by D.R.W. Silk. The 1967 tour was timed to coincide with Canada's Centenary Celebrations.

The Canadian 1975 season was sensational as Eastern Canada defeated the touring Australian World Cup side led by Ian Chappell in Toronto by five wickets. The hero of the Eastern Canadian victory in this one-day match was Ontario batsman Franklyn Dennis, who scored a fighting 57 not out against the Australian attack of Dennis Lillie, Max Walker, and Allan Hurst. The stage was set early in this historic event when Canadian bowlers Jitu Patel, Rick Stevens, and Roy Callender skilfully dismissed the mighty Australian side for a modest 159 runs to pave the way for victory.

In the inaugural International Cricket Conference Trophy, held in England in 1979, Canada emerged as one of the top Associate Member countries, putting up a great fight in the final against Sri Lanka in Worcester, but losing by 60 runs. This creditable performance earned Canada a place in the 1979 World Cup, where they performed admirably against the cricketing might of England, Pakistan, and Australia, establishing Canada as one of the world's leading amateur cricket-playing nations.

On November 5, 1989, the United Way Cricket Match was held at the Toronto SkyDome between the West Indies and the Rest of the World XI. The event drew a crowd of 40,570, setting a new attendance record for North America. It also raised a record total of $550,000 for charity, benefiting the United Way of Greater Toronto.

Since 1844, Canada has played against the following nations on the international stage: Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Denmark, East and Central Africa, England, Guyana, Holland, Ireland, Jamaica, Pakistan, Scotland, United States, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea, Kenya, Israel, Hong Kong, Gibraltar, Fiji, Singapore, Namibia, Antigua, Montserrat, United Arab Emirates, St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago.