Damian Mills
Encyclopedia
Damian Mills was a Canadian
international cricketer
. He was a right-handed opening batsman
and right-arm medium bowler
.
started in 1985 during a family visit to England
, when he saw his first cricket match. Before the family returned from their vacation Damian’s father presented him with a size-2 junior cricket bat
. Dr. Mills strongly encouraged young Damian’s interest in cricket.
in Toronto
. Damian was amongst the youngest athletes at the trials and whilst he did not make the team, he gained experience. On the first day of the tournament during the morning practice session he was hit very hard in the head by a ball, and spent the rest of the day in the emergency room of a Toronto
hospital. The next day he played very hard throughout the tournament, despite his injury.
In 1994, Mills was invited by the Manitoba Cricket Association (MCA) to the MCA Senior Training Camp. The camp took place during the winter months.
In 1995, Mills first represented Manitoba
on the Senior Provincial Team in the Western Provincial Championship, when he opened the batting against British Columbia
and scored 42 runs. Returning from this competition at age 16 he scored his first century
in the MCA Senior League: 111 runs not out
. Since that time, Damian was an integral member of the Manitoba Senior Provincial Team.
. He again represented Canada in 1998 at The NorTel West Indies Youth Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 1999, Mills was selected for two Canadian teams: Canada Under-23; and the Canadian National Senior Team. He played for Canada in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Red Stripe Bowl competition in Antigua
from October 1999 and again in 2000.
Also in 2000, Damian was selected by Ilford
Cricket Club from England for a tour to India. He spent one winter playing in New Zealand.
at junior camps, schools, community centers and tournaments. He also made time to be an administrator of the sport. He was committed to an increasingly strong cricket program in Manitoba.
in 1997. Due to competing demands from cricket, he was expected to have graduated in April 2005 from the University of Manitoba.
from 8 to 21 years of age. During this time he helped to train young servers.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
international cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
. He was a right-handed opening batsman
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
and right-arm medium bowler
Bowling (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. A player skilled at bowling is called a bowler; a bowler who is also a competent batsman is known as an all-rounder...
.
Early life
Damian Mills was born on July 15, 1979 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the son of Dr. Barry Mills and Rona Mills. He had two sisters, Cresida and Eleanor. His enthusiasm for cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
started in 1985 during a family visit to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, when he saw his first cricket match. Before the family returned from their vacation Damian’s father presented him with a size-2 junior cricket bat
Cricket bat
A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batsmen in the sport of cricket to hit the ball. It is usually made of willow wood. Its use is first mentioned in 1624....
. Dr. Mills strongly encouraged young Damian’s interest in cricket.
Club
Mills started to play organized cricket in 1986 at age seven at Lincoln Elementary School. In 1989 he joined the Manitoba Cricket Association Junior League. In 1992 he made his first appearance in the MCA Senior League. He was a member of the Winnipeg Juniors Cricket Club(WJCC) but played only two league games that year. During 1993 he became a regular member of the WJCC, mainly as a bowler. Due to injuries he gave up bowling and concentrated on his batting, which made his mark in cricket.Representative
In 1992, days before his 13th birthday, Damian became a member of The Manitoba Junior Provincial Team and for the first time tried out for The Canadian National Youth TeamYouth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Damian was amongst the youngest athletes at the trials and whilst he did not make the team, he gained experience. On the first day of the tournament during the morning practice session he was hit very hard in the head by a ball, and spent the rest of the day in the emergency room of a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
hospital. The next day he played very hard throughout the tournament, despite his injury.
In 1994, Mills was invited by the Manitoba Cricket Association (MCA) to the MCA Senior Training Camp. The camp took place during the winter months.
In 1995, Mills first represented Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
on the Senior Provincial Team in the Western Provincial Championship, when he opened the batting against British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and scored 42 runs. Returning from this competition at age 16 he scored his first century
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
in the MCA Senior League: 111 runs not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
. Since that time, Damian was an integral member of the Manitoba Senior Provincial Team.
International cricket
Mills represented Canada for the first time in 1997 in the final International Youth Tournament in BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. He again represented Canada in 1998 at The NorTel West Indies Youth Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 1999, Mills was selected for two Canadian teams: Canada Under-23; and the Canadian National Senior Team. He played for Canada in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Red Stripe Bowl competition in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
from October 1999 and again in 2000.
Also in 2000, Damian was selected by Ilford
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
Cricket Club from England for a tour to India. He spent one winter playing in New Zealand.
Cricket
Mills was dedicated to the promotion of the sport and the development of youth cricketers. He was a coachCoach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
at junior camps, schools, community centers and tournaments. He also made time to be an administrator of the sport. He was committed to an increasingly strong cricket program in Manitoba.
Study
Mills started studies toward a Degree in Business StudiesBusiness studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
in 1997. Due to competing demands from cricket, he was expected to have graduated in April 2005 from the University of Manitoba.
Religion
Mills was a church altar serverAltar server
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
from 8 to 21 years of age. During this time he helped to train young servers.
Death
Mills died unexpectedly in his sleep on Monday November 17, 2003 at the age of 24. He had not been ill and there was no undetected medical condition.Legacy
The Damian Mills Junior Cricket Foundation was established in Mills' honor. The fund’s purpose is to continue Damian’s work in promoting the sport of cricket and to serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to young cricketers.Teams
- Canada
- Canada U-23
- Canada U-19
- Manitoba, Manitoba U-25
- The Winnipeg Juniors Cricket Club
- Lincoln Elementary School
Major Tours
- 1995: Western CanadaWestern CanadaWestern Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
Provincial Tournament, Vancouver - 1997: International Youth Tournament, Bermuda
- 1998: Nortel West Indies Youth Tournament, Trinidad and Tobago
- 1999: Canada U-23 vs Bermuda, Toronto
- 1999: WICB Red Stripe Bowl, Antigua
- 1999: Four month training tour in New Zealand
- 2000: WICB Red Stripe Bowl, Jamaica
- 2000: Ilford Cricket Club (England) tour of India
- 1996–2003: Western Canada Under-25 Provincial Championship, Edmonton
Accomplishments
- In 1997, Mills scored the most runs in the Manitoba Senior League, repeating this performance five more times; in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and in his final season, 2003.
- He was rated Best Batsman of the MCA League: 1999, 2001, 2003
- He scored the most runs in the MCA League: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003
- He was the Most Outstanding Canadian Junior Cricketer of 1998, and the Outstanding Manitoba Junior Cricketer: 1996, 1997
- Mills also won many batting awards at the Western Canada Provincial U-25 Championships, MCA Indoor League and shares a Canadian Junior Record for highest opening partnership of 143 runs from the 1997 IYT in Bermuda.