Canada prepare for international test

Canada's cricket team had a four-hour practice session at Toronto's Ross Lord Park on Thursday in preparation for their forthcoming home international matches. The first game starts on Saturday (July 29) against Kenya at Maple Leaf CC, King City. This is a four-day game in the ICC Intercontinental Cup competition. Play is from 10am until , approximately, 5pm each day

Andy Pick, Canada's coach, was pleased that so many of the players took time off work to prepare together for several key matches. "It is good to get the team together with as many players as possible," he said. "The session gets them away from work, their families and other distractions and allows them to focus on the game this weekend."

Asked about the team's prospects for this weekend's games, Pick said "A lot will depend on the wicket. For a lot of our guys it will be their first experience of four-day games. We have to educate them on four-day play." Earlier, he had told the players that if the team wins the toss and bat they would aim to bat for a long time - perhaps a day and a half - to build a solid total. "We need to improve our approach to batting, based on what I saw in Trinidad and league cricket around the Toronto area. We need application at the crease."

Pick said of Kenyan captain and batting danger-man Steve Tikolo. "He's got a lot or runs and we respect him. We have quality bowlers who can get him. Our opening bowlers [Henry Osinde and Umar Bhatti] are widely recognised as the best pair in the ICC Associate nations."

Preparations continue on Friday with a fitness assessment at the Mayfair Club (Woodbine Avenue, north of Steeles Ave) and resume at Ross Lord Park in the afternoon, around 1 pm. Pick told how the Mayfair Club had been `very accommodating'.

It was good to see the players working well together, lead by Pick, John Davison, the captain, and the experienced Pubudu Dassanayake. Due to wet conditions, they were unable to use the grass wickets but hope to be on them on Friday.