In high-level play, cricket matches can go on for days.
It is easily one of the sports with the longest
playing times, along with yachting and a few others.
Cricket may seem unfamiliar to many, but Alex Turko says, "There is a lot of cricket being played in Canada."
At one time around the turn of the century, cricket was Canada's national sport, he adds.
Turko is president of the West Vancouver Cricket Club, which hosts about 150 active players throughout its regular season. The season runs from the last weekend in April through Labour Day.
The club has players as young as seven and some members still playing into their 70s.
During the regular season, the club has seven teams that play in the B.C. Mainland Cricket League, of which Turko is also the president.
Cricket is similar to baseball in terms of degree of difficulty to learn and play, and in terms of the biomechanics of running, throwing and catching, explains Turko.
However, there are specific differences in the details. Cricket is played with a flatter bat, and players run back and forth between two bases instead of around three to home plate.
Cricket and baseball also differ in pitching and batting technique, notes Turko.
This summer, the cricket club is offering summer camps for boys and girls ages seven-16. The camps are divided into two groups. Older kids play a form of cricket called hard ball, while players under 10 play soft ball, using a softer ball and lighter equipment.
There are different formats of the game that can affect the length of a match, but Turko notes that kids play a modified version of cricket so their games are much shorter. The club also hosts Saturday morning games as part of its regular league for young players.
Summer camp participants will focus on skill development in the morning and practise with mini-games in the afternoon.
Although most kids can learn to play cricket, Turko notes that eye-hand coordination is important to success in the game. Visit the club's website for more information about summer camps being offered there.
This story originally appeared in the North Shore News special section called Summer Camps, which features local camps for kids.
