Ontario girls cricket team set for England tour

Ontario Schools Cricket Association has named the province’s first high school girls’ cricket team for a CAP 2026 tour of England in August. The delegation will combine cricket, leadership training and cultural exchange as part of a long-running partnership with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

Why it matters: - The tour gives 15 Ontario student-athletes an international platform to build leadership skills, confidence and cross-cultural experience. - The program marks a milestone for girls’ cricket in Ontario and Canada by putting a high school girls’ team on an England tour for the first time. - The trip is designed to send students home as ambassadors who can expand participation in cricket across schools and communities.

What happened: - Ontario Schools Cricket Association announced its Cricket Across the Pond 2026 Girls’ Cricket Team on July 20 at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club. - Premier Doug Ford attended the announcement with students, parents, educators, coaches, community leaders and corporate partners. - The delegation will travel to England in August for cricket, leadership development and cultural exchange. - The team is led by Mississauga’s Stephen Lewis Secondary School girls’ cricket team, a three-time Premier’s Cup champion. - Selected representatives from other participating schools will also join the Ontario delegation.

The details: - CAP uses cricket to develop leadership, character and cross-cultural understanding. - Students will receive cricket and leadership training before departure so they can represent their schools, communities and Ontario. - During the tour, students will take part in ambassadorial training, institutional visits, cultural exchanges, friendly matches and meetings with female leaders, government officials, community groups and international partners. - The program also includes visits to leading cricket and cultural institutions in England. - The tour continues a partnership with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames that began in 2008. - OSCA credited Laura Briscoe, senior director at The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Canada, for media training, mentorship and confidence-building support. - OSCA thanked VisitEngland and Lady Victoria Borwick, chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board, for helping shape the 2026 program. - OSCA said Lady Victoria Borwick helped connect the organization with leaders and organizations in support of female leadership, learning and international engagement. - OSCA also recognized Bob Qureshi MBE, co-owner and managing partner of i-view London, for helping provide access to cricket venues and institutions in England. - The Mayor and Council of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames have hosted Cricket Across the Pond since the program’s first tour in 2008. - Marcatus QED was recognized for supporting OSCA’s school and community cricket programming. - Marcatus QED President and CEO Murali Sundar said the company supports the program because strong communities begin with good nutrition, active living and opportunities for the next generation. - The program promotes discipline, honesty, respect, integrity and civic responsibility. - After the tour, each participant will support school and community cricket through presentations, mentorship and recreational activities. - OSCA is a nonprofit focused on healthy lifestyles and youth well-being through cricket. - OSCA works with school boards, governments and community partners to promote inclusion, confidence, teamwork, leadership and stronger community connections across Ontario.

Between the lines: - The announcement signals a broader push to frame cricket as a pathway to education, leadership and public service, not only sport. - The involvement of government, civic and corporate partners suggests OSCA is building a wider support network around girls’ cricket. - The post-tour mentorship component is designed to extend the impact beyond the students who travel to England.

What's next: - The delegation will depart for England in August. - Students will complete training, matches and cultural programming during the trip. - After returning to Ontario, the participants will lead school and community outreach to introduce younger students to cricket and active living. - OSCA is expected to use the tour to deepen participation in girls’ cricket and strengthen its youth leadership model.

The bottom line: - OSCA is using an England cricket tour to turn a first-of-its-kind girls’ team into a leadership pipeline for Ontario.