Childhood memories translate to cricket boom in Thunder Bay, Ont., that's attracting national interest

Weekends at Chapples Park in Thunder Bay, Ont., bring back a wave of good memories for cricket player Stefin Cyriac.

"I've been playing cricket since I was seven or eight," Cyriac said. "Where I grew up — it's called Kerala, it's in India — cricket is one of the main sports.

"I think cricket is the most popular game in India, so it's kind of bringing back my childhood memories. I've been missing this cricket for a long time."

Now, Cyriac is at the forefront of a surge in popularity of cricket in the northwestern Ontario city. He's one of the co-ordinators with Thunder Bay Cricket, helping run the organization's Friday leagues and tournaments.

Cricket Thunder Bay also runs leagues and tournaments on Sundays. All games are at Chapples Park, in a softball diamond that's been converted to a cricket field.

Thunder Bay Cricket's Abhiram Giri said the field still needs work. The city is set to complete and level the pitch later this summer.

Giri said the Thunder Bay field is smaller than the ones used in international competitions, and Thunder Bay Cricket has made some adjustments. For example, heavy tennis balls are used for play instead of the hard cricket balls common in high-level play.

That's not affecting the uptake, however. Giri told CBC last week about 250 players are taking part in games locally. 

And Thunder Bay Cricket hopes to see that grow.

"There is only one place as a cricket field here in Thunder Bay," he said. "But eventually, in a couple of years, if we are able to get two more fields somewhere around, that would be great to accommodate that many players who are interested and who are having talent to play cricket."

He said more fields would also allow Thunder Bay Cricket to bring in new players who'd like to