On June 25, Niagara College hosted an Ontario College Recreation (OCR) cricket tournament at the Niagara Cricket Centre in Thorold. Participating colleges also included Conestoga, Humber, Mohawk, Seneca and Sheridan, who travelled to Niagara for the full-day event.
“The tournament went extremely well with all schools having a great day for cricket. The rain held off, but there was some fierce wind the bowlers needed to overcome that created some challenges for our later matches,” said Jenna Wilson, Campus Recreation Coordinator, Athletics and Student Engagement.
NC played a strong tournament going 2-0 in round robin play with wins over Mohawk College (78-74) and Seneca College (81-80). The Knights faced Humber College in the championship match, with Humber coming out on top in the end (125-78).
Winning the consolation finals against Seneca College was Conestoga College (97-79), who also received the tournament’s Fair Play award for their respectful play and helpful attitudes both on and off the pitch.
“I am beyond proud of how our Niagara College team came together and played all three matches,” said Wilson.
NC’s extramural cricket team was formed last year in response to a strong demand and interest in the sport from international students. The 15-player team is made up of students from a variety of programs across the Welland and Daniel J. Patterson campuses who represent multiple countries.
Returning this year to coach the team is Ronan Wijegunaratne, a former player from last year’s cricket team and a recent graduate from NC’s Business – Sales and Marketing program.
“The way the boys played throughout the day was incredible,” said Coach Wijegunaratne, who was born in Sri Lanka and raised in Dubai, UAE. “As the coach this year for the Knights, I have the privilege to work with every player and help them develop as a player and perform at their best.”
Also returning this year is Captain Aakash Arora, a strong player who captained the team last year. Arora, from Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India, is an alumnus from NC’s Hospitality and Tourism program (2023) and a current International Business Management student.
“I believe that as long as the boys play as a team with the guidance of Aakash, they will surely be able to develop and improve their game and win for us,” said Wijegunaratne, who noted that Arora has been one of the best cricketers going around the Niagara region. “We might not have gotten the result we wanted against Humber in the finals, but I’m sure the boys will come out stronger.”
Next up, the team will be participating in their next OCR tournament on July 25 at Mohawk College.
