Canada receive massive cash boost

Cricket Canada has announced its first ever major sponsor, Scotiabank, a big boost for a country's cricket set-up which had been living "hand-to-mouth" according to its president, Ben Sennik.

The board has agreed a three-year deal for an undisclosed sum that will make the company the premier national sponsor and official bank. The bank will sponsor both the men's and women's national teams as well as the senior and Under-19 championships in Canada.

A Cricket Canada spokesperson told Cricinfo: "Scotiabank has been a long-standing supporter of cricket internationally, and their recognition of the position that cricket now has on the Canadian amateur sporting scene shows just how much the game has grown over the past decade or so. Their partnership with Cricket Canada will help to sustain that growth - importantly at the grassroots level and in our schools, as well as with the country's elite cricketers."

"It's big day for us," Sennik told the Toronto Star. "It's very important, because it gives us now the muscle to go ahead in a more organised manner. The national team players are always in a dilemma because neither are they professional nor are they amateurs."

In recent years, the Canadian Cricket Association - now Cricket Canada - has been putting itself on a stronger footing both administratively and financially including the appointment of a full-time CEO and a national coach. The involvement of Scotiabank is one further step in the process. The CA spokesperson said: "It is important because as the sport grows in Canada in line with the country's changing demographics and increased demands internationally, so the financial challenges increase."

Canada is set for another boost with rumours that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is about to sign a deal of assistance with them. Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lanka CEO, was in Canada on a short visit recently and agreed to back Canada's national side. However, concerns were raised about the level of the support given SLC's well-publicised financial problems.

And, contrary to reports, it is unlikely that Scotiabank's support will lead to Canadian cricketers becoming professionals, at least in the short term. "There are a host of other factors involved in that process," said the spokesperson. "But it is certainly a major positive step forward for cricket generally in Canada."