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A damp squib of a Test match
By Jonathan Liew last year, mid-December, 5 Comments »
Mike Selvey was seeing the Galle squelch-pit through uncharacteristically rose-tinted glasses in yesterday’s Guardian:
Already there has been insensitive and thoughtless talk about shifting the match back to Colombo - as if that is the sort of thing that happens when rain is forecast for Chester-le-Street, or the Old Trafford outfield has been damaged by concert-goers. It just goes to show how some people are incapable of seeing a wider picture beyond their wraparound shades: anyone who suggests such a thing has failed to grasp what this match at this ground means to Galle specifically and to Sri Lanka in general.
The point Selvey was making, I think, is that it doesn’t really matter if there’s any meaningful cricket or not in Galle: as long as everyone turns up and mumbles some vaguely heartfelt sentiments about how much it means to the region, it’s really rather immaterial that a Test series is ruined and the England fans who have travelled thousands of miles to see proper Test cricket are instead treated to something rather akin to the serious bits of Comic Relief.
Obviously - obviously - it’s great that Galle is getting back on its feet, and it’s also nice to see international cricketers recognising the existence of something more important than cricket. Yet at the same time, there’s a Test match to be played, and either the ground’s fit to stage it, or it’s not. If it’s not, then moving the Test would have been simple common sense. Not only that, but it would have given Galle time to make a grand, dignified re-entrance to the Test arena, rather than the sodden mess that looks like ensuing.
If it’s playable, then, you know, fine. Hoggy’ll like a bowl on it. But while this outpouring of generosity and consideration to a town still trying to remake itself is absolutely the right thing to do, you do wonder whether it could be done without also devaluing Test cricket, which is in the interests of nobody. Offering support and assistance to those in need is one thing; ruining an enthralling Test series to achieve it smacks of perversity.
5 Comments »Galle in a race against time
By Will last year, mid-December, 3 Comments »
Tuesday should be a point of symbolic closure for the people of Galle, Sri Lanka’s ancient fortress of a city, when England and Sri Lanka play their third Test at the ground which was devastated by the Tsunami in 2004. However, things are not looking remotely promising. Suffice to say, the ground appears to be not only weeks behind schedule but unfit to host a Test, which is a great shame - mainly because it will overshadow what Sri Lanka hoped would be a turning point.
Look at the dressing rooms for starters:
Andrew Miller is there.
Federer turns to cricket
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of December, No Comments; be the first!
Tennis’s biggest winner, Roger Federer, has visited Tamil Nadu in Cuddalore, India, which was devastated two years ago by the Tsunami.
In the Pudupettai rehabilitation colony, 180 km south of Chennai, the state capital, hundreds watched the improvised cricket game played on an old red coir mat that was placed on a makeshift pitch.
“It was good fun playing cricket here,” Federer on a two-day UNICEF trip to the region, told Reuters after knocking a few balls that drew huge applause from tsunami survivors.
“I know the sport is huge here. I follow it myself,” said Federer, whose mother is South African.
“In the beginning they threw the ball at me slowly, and then realised that I was not that bad after all.
Cricket Auction - Brian Lara’s world record 400
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of June, 1 Comment »
Wraye Wenigmann wrote to me about a very good cause she and the German Cricket Board have organised. Bill Frindall aka “The Bearded Wonder,” renowned scorer for BBC’s Test Match Special, has donated one of his last original radial charts of Brian Lara’s world record 400. From their website:
The chart, originally commissioned by The Times of England, is one of a limited edition. Printed in full colour on A4 card, each of the 400 numbered prints is accompanied by a signed and numbered certificate. On offer is Nr. 144.
The 215 lines (4 sixes, 1 five, 43 fours, 4 threes, 24 twos and 139 singles) are coloured to represent the damage inflicted upon England’s seven bowlers.
Wraye and co are auctioning this chart, with a starting price of 50Euros. All proceeds go towards the Diocesan Catastrophe Help Fund - a Tsunami relief charity who, in Wraye’s words, have “done a lot of work in the area, building houses and boats.”
You may bid by emailing bids@dcusa.de with a subject of “Lara Chart” (serious bidders only). A great opportunity to not only contribute to the Tsunami re-building programme, but to get your hands on a piece of cricketing memorabilia.
1 Comment »MCC v International XI - photos
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, No Comments; be the first!
Brian Lara batting
Photo taken by mailliw @ Flickr.com.
My photos of yesterday’s game, which was brilliant fun, are up on Flickr for your viewing pleasure. I never tire of watching Brian Lara bat (pictured) - some of the shots he played were breathtaking.
No Comments »MCC v International XI
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, No Comments; be the first!
MCC v International XI
Photo taken by mailliw @ Flickr.com.
MCC 327-7. Pretty good innings. Fleming’s was very fluent in particular. Warming up now, and a big band playing on the outfield. Tremendous atmosphere, and all great fun.
No Comments »Tsunami match at Lords: the Teams
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 3 Comments »
The team-sheet for tomorrow’s game has changed since it was announced a month ago - here’re the finalised teams:
MCC: SP Fleming (captain); CH Gayle, S Ganguly, VVS Laxman, JH Kallis, A Flower, KC Sangakarra, SM Pollock, A Kumble, H Singh, S Akhtar.
International XI: BC Lara (captain), V Sehwag, ST Jayasuriya, GC Smith, RS Dravid, S Chanderpaul, CL Cairns, SK Warne, WPUJC Vaas, M Sami, N Ntini.
Some handy players there. Looking forward, in particular, to seeing Laxman (whose name I think is pronounced correctly as “Latchman”?), Gayle, Shoaib, Sehwag and Cairns. The rest? Well, they’re just making up the numbers, aren’t they?
I’ll be blogging, live from the ground with anything I think might be interesting. There are some big hitters in both sides - I’ll need to keep my eye on the ball, something I was never particularly good at…
3 Comments »50 grand to face Warne
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, No Comments; be the first!
A generous person has paid £50,000 for the privilege of facing one over against Shane Warne, at the Tsunami relief game on Tuesday at Lord’s. I’ll be at the game, so it’ll be fun to watch - the whole day should be brilliant and, if I can stay sober enough, I’ll try to blog from the game and provide my own (very unique) updates on proceedings.
No Comments »Cricket Relief: face an over from Shane Warne at Lords
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, No Comments; be the first!
A great incentive for anyone with a spare 50 grand, this. The Tsunami relief game (MCC v World XI) this Tuesday, June 14, is offering the chance for someone to face an over against Shane Warne. Not only that, but also to receive tips from his good buddy Sachin Tendulkar (who should’ve been playing, but is injured).
The auction is on eBay, and is already at £50,000 (as of 3pm). Amazing what people will do to humilate themselves 
The winning bid comprises the following:
1. Fifteen minutes of one-to-one coaching from Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar
2. The walk out to the middle at Lord’s in front of the crowd during the interval between the innings*
3. An over bowled by the world’s leading Test wicket-taker, Shane Warne
4. Continued support from Sachin Tendulkar, who will remain at the non-striker’s end to offer advice
5. Live broadcast of the over, by Sky Sports, to a worldwide TV audience
6. A commemorative photograph, commissioned by MCC as a permanent reminder of the experience
7. Two tickets to the match
Great idea, and should be a fun day out for all (including me - keeping an eye on the weather, though)
No Comments »Tsunami fund-raiser team sheet
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of May, No Comments; be the first!
The teams for Lord’s Tsunami fund-raiser have been announced, as follows:
MCC: S Tendulkar (India, captain), C Gayle (West Indies), S Fleming (N Zealand), R Sarwan (West Indies), J Kallis (S Africa), A Flower (Zimbabwe), K Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), S Pollock (S Africa), A Kumble (India), M Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), S Akhtar (Pakistan)
International XI: B Lara (W Indies), V Sehwag (India), S Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), G Smith (S Africa), R Dravid (India), S Chanderpaul (W Indies), C Cairns (N Zealand), S Warne (Australia), C Vaas (Sri Lanka), M Sami (Pakistan), M Ntini
A good mix of talent. It’ll be enjoyable watching Pollock bowl to Smith, Warne bowl to Tendulkar, and Murali to Jayasuriya See my Tsunami tag for more info
Tsunami Ticket
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of April, 3 Comments »
Tsunami Ticket
Photo taken by mailliw @ Flickr.com.
Recorded for posterity…
3 Comments »Tendulkar and Lara captains of the Tsunami match
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of April, 4 Comments »
Wow. Both Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara will play in the Tsunami fundraiser on June 14. Sachin in charge of the MCC (!) and Brian the international XI. Brilliant
4 Comments »Tsunami Lord’s tickets
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of April, 2 Comments »
In what will be the closest I’ll get to an Ashes Test-atmosphere this year, my 3 tickets for the Tsunami fund-raiser arrived today. Can’t wait. We’re in the “smoking section” of the Mound stand (since when did the ground have designated smoking areas? And have they erected a wall to divide us smelly smokers from anti-smokers?!). More on the match here - I really hope it’ll be packed out…I’m taking two of my mates, neither of who have been to an International before, or to Lord’s.
2 Comments »Lord’s Tsunami match - June 14th 2005
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of April, No Comments; be the first!
Tickets are now on sale for the Lord’s Tsunami relief match on June 14th. Prices are just a tenner for children (under 16), and a very reasonable £20-30 for Adults. Should be a really brilliant day out, so make sure you book your tickets now. They’re likely to sell very quickly…
No Comments »Tsunami fund-raiser at Lord’s
By Will 3 years ago, mid-March, No Comments; be the first!
[Via Jagadish]
Lord’s will host a Tsunami fund-raiser on June 14. Tickets are pretty reasonably-priced, between £20-30, and I’m sure many wouldn’t mind paying more that that due to its cause. Tickets go on sale on Monday 4 April - should be a really special, thrilling day out.
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