PTI

Toronto, Jun 21: Propelled by the enthusiasm of hundreds of thousands of recent immigrants, cricket has finally come of age in Canada -- about 150 years after it was once regarded as the country's National sport.

The federal government announced on Friday it was officially recognising the game, elevating its formal stature and making it eligible for much needed public funding, Toronto star has reported.

“It's a tremendous day for cricket,” said Ben Sennik, president of cricket Canada, the umbrella organisation that speaks for the sport and is responsible for the Canadian National team.

The recognition, which follows a decade of lobbying, means an immediate grant of USD77,000 for 2007-2008. While it's a modest sum, Sennik could barely contain his delight.

“We need every dollar, the way we are developing. In the past, we have been scraping through,” he said. Canada is no stranger to the pastime, with reports of games played here as far back as the mid-18th century.

The country's first Prime Minister, Sir John A Macdonald, declared it Canada's National sport in 1867 and Cricket Canada itself was established in 1892. However, the game was quickly overtaken by baseball in importance.

In recent years, interest has risen to a new level with the influx of immigrants from cricket-crazy areas such as Pakistan, India and the Caribbean, as well as from other commonwealth countries such as Australia, South Africa and the UK.