As cricket gains popularity in London, Ontario, the installation of large black sight screens at the city's only full-sized regulation pitch is expected to enhance both the quality and safety of the game, according to a local club president.
Responding to requests from the local cricket community, city workers recently installed three-meter-high sight screens at the north and south ends of the Northridge Fields cricket ground on Adelaide Street, north of Windermere Road.
These sight screens are designed to help batters see the ball more clearly as it speeds toward them at over 100 km/h, explained Subhash Sharma, president of the Forest City Riders cricket team. Sharma, who has extensive cricket experience, emphasised the importance of sight screens, noting their routine use in cricket venues in India, where he played before moving to London 20 years ago.
The sight screens make the ball more visible to the batter, aiding in hitting the ball and avoiding injuries. Cricket balls, which are usually red or white with a hard leather exterior, can cause severe injuries if they hit a player.
Sharma expressed his satisfaction with the installation, mentioning the positive feedback from the cricket community. The city, which operates three cricket pitches including the newest at Northridge Fields, acted swiftly on the request for sight screens after it was raised earlier this year, said Jon-Paul McGonigle, the city's director of recreation and sport.
Sharma played a crucial role in advocating for the sight screens, a process that took about six weeks and cost $10,000. McGonigle noted that the city had been in discussions with the local cricket community, which includes 1,200 to 1,500 players across two leagues and 25 teams.
Acknowledging the city's openness to making the cricket fields more accommodating, Sharma praised the city's responsiveness to concerns such as grass length, which is ideally between 15 and 18 millimetres for cricket.
McGonigle mentioned that the city is also considering updating its parks and recreation master plan, which currently does not include future provisions for cricket. The rising popularity of cricket, fuelled by an influx of international students from cricket-loving countries like India, has highlighted the need for more facilities.
While the installation of sight screens at other cricket pitches in London is being considered, no immediate plans are in place. The city continues to explore new equipment and consult with other regions with more cricket experience to better meet the needs of the growing cricket community.