Experts fear that if not tackled immediately, it will be difficult for officials to host any tournament this year, and elite and national players will greatly compromise their ability to perform in the international arena.

The crisis details surfaced when Pandit Basdeo Maharaj, President of MLCC, asked the Ontario Cricket Association to sponsor soiling for the pitches before the season begins.

The details revealed Maharaj has taken personal loans for the club and has already spent about $30,000 from his own pocket for staff salaries, maintenance, bills and other expenses.

Reliable sources informed Focus that as many as 40 bank cheques along with counterfoils are also missing and there is no record of those cheques in the account books.

Talking to Focus, Maharaj confirmed that some cheque stubbs are missing and an auditor, currently investigating, will soon release his report.

He said the club is accountable to the public and, if people demand, the club can open books for those years.

The funds shortage remains a mystery for cricketing officials across Canada as to how the club - which has recently hosted big money-spinning tournaments like Al-Barakah Twenty20 World Cup and Scotiabank Tri-series in 2008 - is in crisis.

"I'm shocked to know this because my various initiatives in 2008 yielded approximately $600,000 to $700,000 for Canadian cricket in direct revenues. Of this more than $125,000 were generated for MLCC... how come it is in debt?" asked Atul Ahuja, former CEO of Cricket Canada.

In the year 2008, MLCC hosted Scotiabank National Championship, the Intercontinental Cup and One-Day Series with Scotland and Bermuda, Scotiabank Tri-series between Canada, Bemuda and West Indies, and the Al-Barakah Twenty20 Quadrangular between Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Canada.

During those international tournaments a large amount of cash was also collected by the club as gate money and car parking, in addition to retail sales of food and beverages etc.

'Not enough to start the year'

Maharaj said: "When I took over in April 2009, there weren't enough funds in the club to start off the year.

"From my own pocket I have spent approximately $30,000. I have taken some $25,000 personal loans and spent around $5,000 for purchases throughout the year, " said Maharaj.

According to Mike Kendal, president of OCA, the governing body of cricket in Ontario has also spent $270,000 in 2007-08 towards improvement of the facility, maintenance of grounds and the club house, etc.

When asked, Ranjit Saini, the then president of MLCC (2007-08) and current interim president of Cricket Canada, said: "When I left, MLCC was over $20,000 surplus in its books.

"As of today Cricket Canada has not received any request that MLCC has a cash shortageâ?¦ so there should be no crisis at Maple Leaf."

About the OCA's $270,000 spending, Saini said: "OCA itself spent $270,000 in 2006, and for tournaments like T20 and Tri-series, they (OCA) actually declined funding.

"Maple Leaf spent some $97,000 for infrastructure expansions and improvements by borrowing money from board directors and Toronto District Cricket Association, and then paid off that amount after the tournaments."

However, Maharaj said he is committed to upholding the accountability and integrity of the club, and will give his best efforts to uphold the image of Maple Leaf Cricket Club. 

"I guarantee that once I am there, cricket will be played in any circumstances," said Maharaj.