Region not keeping up with growth of cricket

The landscape of outdoor sports in Windsor-Essex County is shifting.

“There's a demand now. It's growing,” said Ksitij Punj, who, along with partner Gagan Singh, has opened up Pax Pitch Sports, a training facility featuring two cricket batting cages.

“It has been welcomed well. We've just been open for two-three days now but it has been really, we've been overwhelmed,” said Punj.

Prior to 2018, Punj says there were six cricket teams in the Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent area. Since then, the game has exploded with 22 teams.

The closest cricket cage in Ontario is Mississauga. The closest in Michigan is Ann Arbor.

Many in the cricket community feel support for the game has not kept up with demand.

“The community wants it and there's not enough services or not enough facilities right now,” Punj said.

Pax Pitch also has two cages for baseball and softball.

“It's just not cricket. Sports facilities for any ball and stick game in Windsor, there's not enough,” Punj added.

Like baseball, cricket players now have a place to work on their skills and train during the off-season.

“The competitiveness of the whole league and the players in Windsor will obviously set a bar a little higher,” said Punj.

Pax Pitch is one of the much needed amenities and will carry cricket gear and equipment. Also needed to keep up with demand is another cricket pitch.

“If they give us access, we can put the pitch in in the next thirty days,” said Dave Patel, a member of a group that is helping the city bring another pitch to the area.

In May, the city announced a commitment of $100-thousand for a cricket field within Derwent Park and trail improvements.

“Currently it's being studied and reviewed. As of now that study and report will come back to council and then we'll vote on it to move forward,” said Ward 7 Coun. Angelo Marignani, who is hoping to see that report sometime in the fall.

“Derwent Park is badly needed because we can accommodate more games in the league and we can accommodate more teams,” Patel said.