Led by rugby sevens’ inclusion in the upcoming Rio Olympics, abbreviated versions of sports have become a rage. But to quote the Tragically Hip, cricket was ahead by a century. Well, at least the VISAS six-a-side cricket tournament began in the last century.
Held every two years, VISAS celebrates its 30th anniversary with the 2016 edition, which opens Saturday at Beacon Hill and Windsor parks.
The inaugural tournament, in 1986, was created as a way to lure people to the Island after visiting Expo 86 in Vancouver.
“The cricketers just kept coming back for more,” said Nick Grant, organizing chair of the tournament.
“This event really caught on and is now one of the longest-running six-a-side tournaments in the world.”
The 10 teams coming this year to the Island for the VISAS tournament are from England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, U.S. and Canada.
While most six-a-side cricket tournaments are five overs, VISAS is 10 overs, meaning games are about 75 minutes compared with about 45 minutes for other six-a-side tournaments.
“We found a middle, hybrid ground that allows for a higher level of strategy while maintaining the six-a-side element,” said Grant.
The VISAS event was the first to pioneer the vibe that rugby sevens has plugged into so well.
“Like rugby sevens, as soon as one game ends, the next one starts,” said Grant. “There’s a beer garden … and Beacon Hill Park is such a fantastic place to watch cricket [where it has been played since 1852].”
Admission is free.
“We have a number of players who have played at a good level, including Orlando Baker leading the Dallas entry here this week,” said Grant, referring to the recently retired captain of the U.S. Twenty20 national team.
Round-robin pool games run 10 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday at both Beacon Hill and Windsor parks. The playoff rounds begin next Friday with the finals on Aug. 6.
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