The 71st edition of the K.A. Auty Cup between host Canada and the USA was played last Thursday, and Friday, at the Maple Leaf cricket ground, King City.
The 2-day encounter which is recognized as the world’s first and longest running international sporting fixture was first played in 1844.
Canada won the match on the basis of a first-innings lead. The home side choosing to bat first scored 228 with opener Ravindu Gunasekera topscoring with 72 and his opening partner Trevin Bastiampillai scored 55. T.K. Patel took 4 for 66.
USA in reply scored 183 with R. Timbawala scoring 44. Salman Nazar took 3 for 45. Canada in their second innings were 168 for 2 wickets at the close with R. Gunasekera undefeated on 100 off 93 balls which included 11 fours and 3 sixes
In a 50-over match which was played last Saturday, the game was unfortunately abandoned due to heavy rain before the USA could start their reply. Canada scored 252 all out in 49 overs with stand-in captain Damodar Daesrath hitting a sparkling 109 off 105 balls with seven fours and five sixes. Ashish Bagai made 56. K. Ganesh took 3 for 44.
On Sunday, the Auty Cup series concluded with two T20 matches.
In the first match, Canada won by 5 wickets and in the second they also defeated the USA by 78 runs. Canadian opener R. Gunasekera continued to be among the runs, scoring 58 in the first match and 73 in the second.
Meanwhile, the sixth round of the Pepsi World Cup League (WCL) and the ICC Intercontinental Cup will be played at the Maple Leaf ground, King City, starting this Thursday, August 01st.
The ICC Intercontinental Cup 4-day match is between Canada and the United Arab Emirates which is from August 01st – 04th
Canada will also take on sixth-placed United Arab Emirates (UAE) for two WCL Championship 50-over matches on August 06th and August 08th at the Maple Leaf ground. The two teams will also be engaged in two other matches at the Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club on August 10th and August 11th.
On Thursday, August 22nd host Canada will take on the Netherlands in a 4-day ICC Intercontinental Cup match.
The 14-man Canadian squad named: Ashish Bagai, Harvir Baidwan, Rizwan Cheema, Damodar Daesrath, Parth Desai, Jeremy Gordon, Ravindu Gunasekera, Amarbir (Jimmy Hansra, Nitish Kumar, Usman Limbada, Henry Osinde, Hiral Patel, Cecil Pervez and Junaid Saddique. The National Coach is Gus Logie and the Manager is Johnny Bujan.