Canadas Mr Cricket

He may be 67 years of age,but Canadian team manager Mike Henry makes sure that he maintains his fitness routine. The regime helps maintain his stature as his country’s cricketing father figure a person who has witnessed top flight cricket in Canada taking its baby steps. A Trinidadian by birth,Henry moved to Canada in the late 1960’s,his passion for the game ended up introducing the game to people who had never heard of it.

The game was very close to me and I wanted to find a way to help the community appreciate it. I even rolled wickets and nailed the mats to make people play the game,” Henry says. He believes that cultivating cricket in any society will have to begin from the grassroots. “School teachers possesing the slightest knowledge of the game are assigned the duty of spotting talented kids. Guidance and coaching commences later,” he adds in his thick Trinidadian accent.

A qualified ICC umpire,Henry officiated in practice games of the 2003 World Cup. “Like every other department in cricket,there was a shortage of umpires in Canada. Many a time,matches would be played with only one umpire. But thankfully,umpiring too has found enthusiasts in Canada. I still go to umpire in games whenever I’m free,” he says. From cricket administration to spreading it across its lands,Henry almost single-handedly runs the sport’s show in the country. His love for the game has ensured that as of now,it is in safe hands.