Canada wil play in Red Stripe competition in October.

Executive Secretary, V Andrew Sealy confirmed today that Canada will join the USA, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, and home team Jamaica in Zone One of the Red Stripe 2000 Competition in October. Further detailed information is to follow. The Canadian Cricket Association thanks President Pat Rousseau and the West Indies Cricket Board for their vital support of Canada's and Americas'Cricket Development. This support and exposure is vital to Canada and the other area Associates in their preparation to compete in ICC Trophy 2001.

Canada's preparations and plans have been savaged by the loss of Sahara Cup funding for the second consecutive year. Due to ongoing problems in Kashmir, India cancelled Sahara Cup 2000 competition against Pakistan in Toronto yet again.

Not only does this create nightmarish financial problems for Canada's ICC Trophy 2001 preparation, it also hurts that Canada's senior players once again shall be unable to play against or to study stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram and others in action.

Of course the Canadian and Americas cricketing fans are extremely and vocally upset and disappointed by the cancellations. (See CricInfo poll). This of course does not help in the promotion of the game in the Americas, or ICC's stated global grassroots expansion.

In Zone Two, Bermuda, Guyana, Windward Islands, Leeward Islands (hosts?), and fourth place finisher in the Americas Cup, Cayman Islands, will compete.

Canada will of course aim to gain maximum benefit from this event and the 2000 M.C.C. cross- Canada tour from September 18- October 2, 2000. It will be interesting to see which players will be invited to participate in these games as this may represent possibly one of the last on field selection opportunities before Canada needs to register its initial squad of 25 players next spring for the ICC Trophy. Later of course this squad will again be reduced to a 15-player short list submission.

Canadian U25 and senior squad members will be in action at Rideau Hall, Ajax CC and Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club venues in Ontario. The MCC will also play at picturesque Riley Park in Calgary and of course at magnificent Brockton Point and Beacon Hill venues in British Columbia.

This visit by MCC is long overdue and much anticipated. Canadian players at the Red Stripe and against the M.C.C. will no doubt use these games to secure CCA invitations to participate in the ICC Trophy 2001, the qualifying Event for World Cup 2003.

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