Davy Jacobs looks to take Canada back to ODI status

“I got a call from the Canadian Cricket Board and I realised then that my body had recovered from the previous injuries. You only miss cricket when you start playing again. It feels like I never left."

April 19, 2019

Wouter Pienaar 1 minute read

Davy Jacobs busy training at Senwes Park.

One of the prominent figures of the Maple Leafers is their captain and wicket-keeper, Davy Jacobs.

Jacobs is a well-known local, having grown up in Klerksdorp, and represented North West at various age levels. He also played some memorable innings for the Eagles, Warriors and the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. His average of above 40 in first-class cricket and numerous fifties and hundreds in the shorter form of the game is a testament to his talent.

Jacobs retired a couple of seasons ago, immigrated to Canada and got involved in cricket coaching at the Ontario Cricket Academy. He returned to cricket with the Canadian National Team after qualifying to play for his adopted country.

“I got a call from the Canadian Cricket Board and I realised then that my body had recovered from the previous injuries. You only miss cricket when you start playing again. It feels like I never left,” said the 36-year-old Jacobs.

“I went to Canada four years ago and, at that stage, Canada had gone down in the rankings towards division 3. This is a big opportunity to get into the top four to regain ODI status,” explained Jacobs.

Cricket is the fastest growing sport in Canada and there is a subtle urge to get the national cricket team back to ODI status.
This sentiment was evident when their red and black-clad cricketers made Potchefstroom their training base this past month.

The Canadian National Cricket Team swopped the icy Canadian weather for warm SA sun in preparation for the 2019 ICC Division 2 qualifiers in Namibia from 20 to 27 April. Here, they will face Hong Kong, Oman, Papua New Guinea, USA and hosts Namibia with the top four teams gaining ODI status. The top four teams will join Scotland, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates in the 2019–21 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.

“The opportunities for cricketers are fantastic and it is the fastest growing sport there. I can only imagine what will happen in the next 10 to 15 years if we can get the ODI status, especially in terms of the next generation of cricketers.”

Photos: Wouter Pienaar