Davison calls for more professionalism in Canada

Canada ... down and out as far as this World Cup is concerned © Getty Images

John Davison, Canada's captain, has called for higher standards in the country's domestic game if the side are to be truly competitive.

"Canada's domestic league needs to be semi-professional at least, if not professional if you have to compete at this level," Davison said in the aftermath of the country's elimination from the World Cup. "We need the infrastructure in place as there are definitely talented players in the country.

"There are a few talented youngsters around," he continued. "But the most important thing is we get some sort of infrastructure in place. The Canadian Cricket Association doesn't have anyone who is employed by the association. It's basically on a voluntary basis and if we want to compete at this level we will have to be semi-professional at least, if not professional.

"There are definitely talented players in the country and we need them to be brought through a system."

The call for increasing professionalism is likely to fall on deaf ears, however. Canada, like most of the Associates, relies heavy on the ICC for funding and there is not sufficient cash to enable anything more than a hand-to-mouth existence.