Norm Da Costa

LATEST STORIES BY NORM DA COSTA

Booing of injured player at Lord’s — home of the game — nothing short of disgraceful

Jofra Archer thundered in at full pace and released the ball at a frightening 92.4 mph. Archer’s delivery was short, rose high and struck ace Australian batsman Steve Smith just under his left ear. An eerie silence shrouded Lord’s as Smith’s head fell back and he dropped limp to the turf with a thud. There was no movement for several moments as he lay prone. At that sickening moment most of those at Lord’s and millions more on television held their breath hoping Smith wouldn’t suffer the same fate as his former teammate Phillip Hughes who was struck in a similar area in an Australian league match in 2014 and succumbed to that blow.

August 29, 2019 Other Sports

Australia’s Steve Smith receives treatment as he lays on the floor after being hit by a ball from England’s Jofra Archer as England’s Jos Buttler and Australia’s Pat Cummins look on. Reuters

DA COSTA: Booing of injured cricket player disgraceful

Jofra Archer thundered in at full pace and released the ball at a frightening 92.4 mph.

August 21, 2019 Other Sports

Australia’s Steve Smith lays on the pitch after being hit in the head by a ball off the bowling of England’s Jofra Archer (unseen) during play on the fourth day of the second Ashes cricket Test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on Saturday. A significant number in the crowd booed Smith. (Getty Images)

World-class cricket stadium will be built in Brampton

Brampton will build a new state-of-the-art cricket stadium. The realization that the country needs a world-class facility was driven home during the second Global T20 League that ended on Sunday with Winnipeg Hawks stunning Vancouver Knights in the final before a record crowd of 6,000 at the CAA Centre in Brampton. Among the superstars in the six-team league that was played over 21/2-weeks were India’s Yuvraj Singh, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, West Indians Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine and South Africa’s World Cup skipper Faf du Plessis. The other marquee player who added a curiosity factor to the tournament was Mohammad Irfan, who at 7-foot-1 is the world’s tallest cricketer. The Pakistani fast bowler, who suited up for Winnipeg, thrilled fans with his bouncers and had the batsmen on their toes with his deliveries that were clocked in and around 140 km/h.

August 13, 2019 Other Sports

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi took part in the highly successful Global T20 League held in Brampton recently. Getty Images

Singh, owner of GT20 League, to pay Canadian players $30,000 a year in a bid to qualify for World Cup

Gurmeet Singh has loved a challenge ever since he was 11 years old. He longed for a good education and realized the only way to attain any of his goals would be through work hard. “I would wake up early every morning and wash taxis for a living so I could pay my fees,” said Gurmeet in an exclusive interview with the Toronto Sun. He is the founder and group CEO of Bombay Sports Company, owner of the professional Canadian GT20 Cricket League.

August 6, 2019 Other Sports

Former Pakistan’s coach Geoff Lawson (right) will help develop a Canadian team that will travel to Australia later this year. AP

It’s raining sixes as West Indies legend Gayle puts on a pyrotechnic show

Residents of Brampton are accustomed to watching air planes taking off or landing at nearby Pearson International Airport.

July 30, 2019 Other Sports

Cricket - ICC Cricket Chris Gayle (right) put on an amazing show of batting for Winnipeg. (REUTERS)

India’s Yuvraj Singh leads parade of world-class stars ready to swing the bat in T20 League

No Steve Smith. No David Warner. No problem.

July 23, 2019 Other Sports

India's Yuvraj Singh hits to the offside as wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed looks on. (GETTY IMAGES)

England involved in yet another controversial World Cup result

There’s no denying that the World Cup final at Lord’s, the home of cricket, was possibly the greatest match ever played in the history of the game.

July 16, 2019 Other Sports

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends a reception for the England cricket team on Monday. (REUTERS)

‘A billion broken hearts’ after India loses Cricket World Cup semifinal

There were no fireworks to light up the Indian skies.

July 10, 2019 Other Sports

India's Virat Kohli reacts after losing his wicket during a Cricket World Cup semifinal game against New Zealand in Manchester, England, on July 10, 2019. (LEE SMITH/Reuters)

India-N.Z. cricket semifinal to resume Wednesday

The rain came down in buckets in Manchester, and that resulted in the first semifinal of the Cricket World Cup between India and New Zealand not being completed on Tuesday. The contest is scheduled to resume on the designated reserve day on Wednesday.

July 9, 2019 Other Sports

A spectator with an umbrella waits out a rain delay during the Cricket World Cup semifinal between India and New Zealand in Manchester, England, on July 9, 2019. (LEE SMITH/Reuters)

India reaches Cricket World Cup semifinals

Virat Kohli was the man India expected to churn out the big scores in the World Cup. Instead it has been opening batsman Rohit Sharma who has been piling on the runs.

July 2, 2019 Other Sports

India's Rohit Sharma celebrates his century during a Cricket World Cup game against Bangladesh on July 2, 2019, in Birmingham, England, (ANDREW BOYERS/Reuters)