Canada And The World Cup: 1979
A Reflective Testimonial
Canada has participated in the World Cup on one previous occasion, 1979. The competition was then known as the Prudential Cup. The story of the team bears retelling. It was the culmination to a revival in Canadian cricket in the modern era which was orchestrated by a gentleman named Donald King, of the Toronto Cricket Club, and ably assisted in the distant parts that comprise Canada by such luminaries as Peter Molyneaux, he of the Vancouver Juniors, from British Columbia, and William Weighton from Manitoba.
Donald King died in 1977. In 1978 an Inter- provincial Competition was held in Winnipeg Manitoba specifically with a view to selecting a side for the World Cup competition the following year. The competition was intense.
The order of finish Quebec, British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta. BC should have, could have won it all but didn't thanks in no small part to celebrating too much the night before the game against Quebec, the star bowler of the day before, left for dead on the sidelines with alcohol poisoning. Trevor Hart, he of safe hands, (All State), dropping Delisle Jones of Quebec, when he was on spit.
Off the playing field Austin Ward from Ontario appeared for the 1st time on the Canadian Cricket scene in 1978. J Kyle was elected President of the CCA and Karam Gopaulsingh 1st Vice-President. Funny how little has changed then to now. We digress.
Although Ontario was destroyed by BC and manhandled by Quebec they provided the bulk of the personnel that journeyed to the UK in 1979 to face the world.
Some interesting things to note post 9-11 from the 1979 trophy matches prior to World Cup. Sri Lanka refused to play Israel and forfeited their game and points on principle. The Captain of the side leaving Canada was Garnet Brisbane from Quebec, not Brian Mauricette from Ontario. Garnet pulled up lame at practice in a wind sprint with Cederic Marshall, not the fastest man alive. Brian, the V.C, stepped in to fill the void, and performed. The Canadians battled through the ICC trophy matches in May. Rhodesia now Zimbabwe did not compete. The highlite of the Prudential Cup for Canada was their defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka. The scorecard from that game is produced below.
The Sri Lanka side that defeated the Canadians were not a side to be trifled with. They manhandled a good Indian side and India and Canada finished at the bottom of the points table with 0 points. Along the way Canada made its mark and a mark was made by 3 Canadians who had learned their cricket in Canada, Martin Stead, Chris Chappell and John Valentine. They were the product of the labour of the likes of King, Molyneaux and Weighton. Let's look at how they did.
Stead
BC & Brockton Point C.C.
Valentine
Manitoba
Chappell
Ontario & Toronto C.C.
The scorecard shows nothing impressive in the ICC trophy match results save and except a way good spell of bowling by Martin Stead from BC, picked as an opening bat but, who on May 31, 1979 had 4 wicket for 16 runs in a loosing cause in the match against Denmark. The Prudential Cup, proper told a different story.
John Valentine's problem arriving in the UK was that he was suffering from enhanced hemoglobin. Immediately before the Prudential Cup proper the blockage was cleared. Eureka. Pakistan V Canada June 9, 1979. Majid Khan bowled Valentine 1. That day John's figures in a loosing cause were 9-3-18-1. Not bad against one of the co- favorites to take it all. England V Canada June 14th no play on the 13th on the 14th Canada wins the toss and elects to bat on a green track that rained the day before. Ouch. Canada is bowled out for 45. Canada's bowling attack for that day consisted of Valentine, Stead and Callender. J.M Brierley LBW b Valentine 0 Valentine's match figure for the day 7-2-20-1. Not bad for a kid from Manitoba. Australia were next up on the 16th of June. CC Henry was the star of the day for Canada 10-0-27-2 Chris Chappell performed admirably with the bat scoring 19 Canada all out 105 Australia 106-3. John Valentine 3-0-28-1, not up to the high standards John had set for himself in previous matches. Move on to the finals of the ICC trophy versus Sri Lanka June 21, 1979 at Worcester. John Valentine bowling into the teeth of the Sri Lanka batting ends up with match figures of 12-1-54-2. Chris Chappell opens the innings for Canada and scores 35. Martin Stead did not bat or bowl but he played. Three of the eleven that day on June 21, 1979 at Worchester were home grown product.
Dennis getting hit on the head
Action photos of Chappell,
Vaughn & Franklin
Fast forward, it is now 2001 and Canada is playing Scotland in the Associates Cup. The home grown part of the product has been diluted. We have a paradigm shift in product to born in Canada, learned and play their cricket elsewhere. If the trend continues expect 8 of the first 15 to be playing overseas by the time the World Cup is played in the West Indies in 2007.
My lasting impression from the 1979 World Cup team was that it was composed in no small measure with a quality home developed product in the likes of Chappell, Stead and Valentine. If there was such a thing as a 1st and 2nd, All Star Team from the 1979 Prudential Cup, Valentine may have garnered some votes. We have Donald King, Peter Molyneaux, William Weighton and the like to thank for setting the table in 1979.
Good Luck to the new breed of gladiators going forward. Do us proud, although Canadian support for you has been lackluster.
C.V.T
