With a growing diversity in Brandon’s population has come a growing diversity in its organized sports scene and the need for facilities to keep up, as the recent creation of a local Pétanque court put a spotlight on.
Out for a bike ride in Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday afternoon, I couldn’t help but have my interest piqued by the level of organization and enthusiasm of another growing game being played on a section of all-but-forgotten land that at one point in time was home to a youth baseball diamond before flood waters of 2011 and 2014 did a number on the area.
Between the public address system, cheering of spectators, trophy sitting on a field-side table and excitement level of the guys playing it was clear I was looking at more than the games of pickup cricket that have become a common sight at some neighbourhood parks and even residential green spaces.
After a brief chat with folks in the area and later connecting with organizers I learned I was watching the fourth tournament of the year being played by eight teams in the Brandon Cricket Club, a group of local cricket enthusiasts that got together last year to bring a level of organized cricket to QE Park.
Players make use of the city's only public cricket pitch at Queen Elizabeth Park
While the group seemed grateful to have a place to play it was clear that the game is growing in a hurry in the city and that there’s a need for more attention to facilities to support that growth.
Not only is that opportunity for growth in the number of players taking part in matches and fitting in practice times that are all squeezed in on the city’s only public competitive cricket pitch, growth is also very possible in the quality of cricket played. It was pointed out to this self-professed newbie to the game that matches played at QE are done using a tennis ball, which is more suited to the current playing surface. The hope is one day to have a facility played with organized cricket’s more typical hard leather ball, which requires a regulation-sized field and pitch with that centre pitch being flat and well-maintained.
With an improved facility would also come the opportunity to organize inter-provincial tournaments, which some local teams have been known to themselves travel to other cities such as Winnipeg to play in.
Cricket pitches at Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park
The good news for the game in the future is that Brandon’s Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan includes the creation of an Outdoor Sports Field Complex located at 1st Street and Veterans Way. Among the sporting fields are said to be one dedicated cricket pitch and two more within multi-use fields that are shared with soccer.
Though it isn’t expected that the Outdoor Sports Field Complex will have work begin this season it doesn’t sound out of the realm of possibility for visual progress as soon as next year. Whenever it does come to fruition it will be great news for folks that take part in many of the city’s popular organized sports.
Folks with the club tell me they’re happy to teach and help anyone learn that’s curious about how the game is played. Going forward you can count on the sport being a more visible part of recreation in Brandon in the years to come when you combine the interest of the local club in growing the game with the clear passion for playing amongst current participants.
More on the Brandon Cricket Club can be learned through its Facebook page at