Heart, Heritage, and Hard-Fought Cricket

One of Us, Always: Dr. Raza Ali (1943–2025)

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our former York member Dr. Raza Ali, PhD, who left us on Thursday, August 28, aged 82. Raza faced cancer for several years with dignity, productivity, and courage.

The following memoir was shared with us by Jay on the York WhatsApp group, originally written by our teammate Ian Joseph. We share here an adapted version to honor Raza’s memory:

Raza was an ardent York CC cricketer from the late 1990s through 2012 and toured England with the spirited 2005 side. He served as Club Secretary, often took the new ball well into his late sixties—ever inspired by his boyhood hero Fazal Mahmood—and as a batsman could dig in with an immovable forward defensive when the team needed a rearguard.

He was a tiger in the field and never gave up a chase to the boundary. He was once celebrated in a playful team poem—now mostly lost—of which only this couplet about Raza is remembered:

“See Raza charge in at the wicket, See Raza fly into the thicket.”

“York will always remember the scholar, the cricketer, the artist, and above all — the kind man, Dr. Raza Ali.”

That wooded patch beyond the riverside boundary at Glendon has since been fondly known as Raza’s Thicket.

Beyond the field, Raza’s life was a tapestry: raised in Dhaka; a Shakespeare scholar (Doctorate, Syracuse University); a writer of essays, poems, and stories (including years in Libya); a stage actor; a singer of Bengali and English songs; and later a fine artist of black‑and‑white drawings and watercolors. He was a gentle, observant, erudite teammate—and, above all, a kind man.

Funeral & Viewing: The funeral took place today (Thu, Sep 4) at the Islamic Foundation of Toronto (Nugget Mosque), 441 Nugget Ave., Scarborough (M1S 5E1), with viewing from 12:00–1:30 pm. We share this so friends who weren’t on WhatsApp are aware and can reach out to Raza’s family with their memories and prayers.

Editor’s note: Jay also shared a treasured team photo featuring Raza; we’ve lightly retouched and included it in our club archive so his smile keeps greeting future generations of York cricketers.

“Legends in jeans and polos. Cricket was the excuse, friendship was the real game — Raza forever part of this crew.” - Pic Courtesy: Jay

Match Recap: YCC 2025 vs ICICI Bank CC — Aug 30, 2025

Scorecard here: https://cricclubs.com/YorkCricketClubYCC/fullScorecard.do?matchId=997&clubId=1001384

Asked to bat first, York’s innings unfolded with grit and patience, building partnerships in testing conditions. Stephen Williams (30) anchored the start, while Ian Joseph (21) and Thaya Thevathasan (19) chipped in around him. Late cameos from Echi Fernando (15) and Rajat Kumar Sinha (8)* helped the total creep to 163/9 in the 40 overs. Extras were plentiful, but it was a grind rather than a flourish.

Defending a modest score, York fought valiantly. Rajat Kumar Sinha’s 4‑wicket haul gave the innings real bite, while Rafi Mohamed (2/30) and Lahiru Wijesinghe (1/24) kept the middle overs tight. Echi Fernando added a wicket too, and with every breakthrough York stayed in the contest. ICICI, however, leaned on Neeraj’s match‑winning all‑round display (51 runs and 3 wickets) to edge over the line at 164/8 with just two wickets to spare.

It was the sort of game where York’s resilience shone through—runs were hard‑earned, bowling was committed, and the spirit never wavered, even if the final result tipped the other way.

Weekend Fixtures

• Sat, Sep 6 — vs Exiles CC

• Sun, Sep 7 — vs Ramblers CC

Two games, two chances to turn effort into results. Pack your greens and reds, bring the noise, and let’s make it a York weekend!