Cricket doesn't have a huge following in Prince George and not many people play the game.
But it is part of the Prince George sporting scene and this weekend, starting this afternoon at 2 p.m. at Prince George secondary school field, the game will be showcased in a three-day tournament which will involve six teams.
Three Prince George teams - P.G. Cricket Club, Benny 11 and Jarman 11 - will compete for cash prizes against teams from Fort St. John, Williams Lake and Quesnel.
Tournament organizer Kanwal Bains said cricket was dead in the city for about five years until the club revived it in 2014. The three teams in the city meet for games once or twice a week during the summer. Last year the 100-player club hosted a six-team tournament at D.P. Todd field.
"We have lots of players from CNC, mostly students," said the 42-year-old Bains, part of the Prince George Cricket Club executive. "Mostly they are Indians and we have players from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We do have a couple of players from Australia, not the young bloods. They're older ones like me and they're more into management now than (being) active players."
Games start Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m.
A tug of war is also on tap for Saturday night, after the games of the day have been completed. Each game will be limited to 12 overs to ensure all games are completed before it gets dark. Bains said each game will take between two hours and 2 1/2 hours.
Semifinal games are scheduled for Sunday afternoon with the final set for a 3 p.m. start. The winning team will win a cash prize of $1,100, and $700 will go to the runner-up.
Bains said new players are welcome and the teams will give them an opportunity to play in the tournament.
"Our main purpose is to promote the game in northern B.C.," he said.
