Ontario's First High School Girls' Cricket Team Returns Home After Successful England Tour

OSCA Ontario Premier’s Team at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London during the Cricket Across the Pond 2026 England tour.

OSCA Ontario Premier’s Team at Canada House in London with Sophia Arvanitis, Ontario’s Agent General in the United Kingdom, Robert Fry, Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and guests during the CAP 2026 England tour.

OSCA Ontario Premier’s Team at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office with Chris Elmore MP, UK Minister responsible for Canada, and guests during the CAP 2026 England tour.

OSCA Ontario Premier's Team completes historic CAP 2026 tour combining cricket, leadership development, international engagement and cultural exchange.

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA, September 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Historic Cricket Across the Pond 2026 tour combined cricket, leadership development, international engagement and cultural exchange
The Ontario Schools Cricket Association (OSCA) is celebrating the successful completion of Cricket Across the Pond (CAP) 2026, following the return from England of Ontario's first high school girls' cricket team, the OSCA Ontario Premier's Team, to participate in an international cricket, leadership and experiential learning tour.
The 15 Ontario student-athletes returned home after an extraordinary nine-day program that took them from some of England's most iconic cricket venues to government, civic and cultural institutions.
CAP 2026 was designed to go far beyond cricket. The young Ontarians represented their province as student ambassadors while developing leadership skills, building international friendships and experiencing the history, institutions and traditions of England.
The delegation was also welcomed to Canada House in London and visited the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, where the team met Chris Elmore MP, the UK Minister responsible for Canada. The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, CAP's civic partner since the program began in 2008, hosted the delegation for a special mayoral reception at the historic Guildhall. Students also took part in a leadership session with Historic Royal Palaces at the Clore Learning Centre before visiting Kensington Palace as part of the tour's cultural and experiential learning program.
Leadership development was woven throughout the tour, building on the media training, mentorship and confidence-building preparation the students received before departure. Players went on to meet women leaders from cricket, government, business and community organizations, and took part in discussions and Q&A sessions focused on leadership, careers, confidence and overcoming barriers.
The cricket program included seven scheduled shorter-format fixtures against English clubs and community teams, including Reigate Priory Cricket Club, Old Wimbledonians Cricket Club and Hartley Wintney Cricket Club. Ontario recorded four wins and two losses, with the final fixture, against Beddington C.C., abandoned because of rain. More importantly, the matches created opportunities for young cricketers from Ontario and England to meet, play together and build friendships through their shared love of the game.
"This tour demonstrated exactly what Cricket Across the Pond was created to do," said Ken Jeffers, President of OSCA. "Fifteen young Ontarians left home as cricket players and student ambassadors and returned with new confidence, friendships, perspectives and experiences that will stay with them for years. Their responsibility now is to take those experiences back into their schools and communities and inspire the next generation."
CAP also renewed relationships stretching back nearly two decades. The program was first launched in 2008, establishing connections between Ontario and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and introducing young Ontario cricketers to international cricket and cultural exchange.
OSCA thanked the many organizations, cricket clubs, government representatives, community leaders and volunteers in Canada and the United Kingdom who helped make CAP 2026 possible.
"I want to congratulate everyone who played a part in making Cricket Across the Pond 2026 such a success," said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. "The players represented our province with pride and respect, and I hope they will use their new confidence and skills to be leaders in their communities and inspire more young people across Ontario to get involved with the wonderful sport of cricket."
Marcatus QED was recognized for its support of OSCA's school and community cricket programming and Cricket Across the Pond 2026.
"Marcatus QED is proud to have supported Cricket Across the Pond and the opportunities it created for young women," said Murali Sundar, President and CEO of Marcatus QED. "As an agri-food solutions company, we believe strong communities begin with good nutrition, active living and opportunities for the next generation. These students represented Ontario with confidence and returned home ready to inspire many more young people."
Each CAP participant will now undertake post-tour school and community engagement, sharing her experiences and supporting activities designed to introduce more young people to cricket, leadership and active living.
For OSCA, their return home is not the end of the journey. It marks the beginning of the legacy of Ontario's first high school girls' cricket team to England.
About the Ontario Schools Cricket Association
The Ontario Schools Cricket Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and youth well-being through cricket. Working with school boards, governments and community partners, OSCA uses cricket to encourage inclusion, confidence, teamwork, leadership and stronger community connections across Ontario.

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OSCA Cricket Across the Pond - 2026