Yorkton鈥檚 cricket team started preparing for the 2015 Saskatchewan T20 Cricket League (SCL) season at MC Knoll School last week.
The Yorkton Yorkers are entering their third season after becoming, in 2013, the first team from outside Regina and Saskatoon to enter the league. Now Estevan and Moose Jaw have also joined, as well as numerous new Regina and Saskatoon teams. The league, in fact, has grown so much the Saskatchewan Cricket Association (SCA) executive had to split the league into three groups with 17 Regina teams, and six from Saskatoon. Yorkton will play in Group C along with the new entry from Moose Jaw.
Thom Barker, president of the Yorkton Cricket Association (YCA) said changes to the local program have led to increased interest this year.
鈥淚鈥檓 really encouraged by the turnout this year,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e reduced our fees聽 because a lot of our guys are international students or new immigrants so the fees we were charging were prohibitive for some. Fortunately, in 2014, we got a travel grant from the Province that allowed us to subsidize the fees this year. Also, we鈥檙e not dealing with all the start up costs, such as uniforms and equipment any more.
鈥淲e also dropped out of the ODP league. The last two years playing both formats of the game we were travelling to Regina pretty much every weekend and in the T20 league, we would have to play two games per day. That made for some really long days. Dropping out of ODP means we will only have to travel every other weekend and play only one match a day. I think that makes us all feel more comfortable.鈥�
After a few weeks in the gym warming up, the team will move practices outdoors to Heritage Heights Park to start getting in some proper batting and fielding practice before its first game May 30 against Queen City.
After finishing last in the SCL in its first two seasons, Barker is confident the team can make a better showing this year.
鈥淲e have most of our top players back, plus some really good new talent,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat combination of experience and new blood bodes well. Also, the reduced schedule will help us, I think; it was tiring the last two years.鈥�
Interested in learning more about the Yorkers, or cricket in general? Check out Yorkton Yorkers on Facebook or come out and give it a try Saturday April 25 at MC Knoll School or Sunday May 3 at the Gallagher Centre.
