OK - it's late Wednesday in Barbados, another slightly overcast but hot and humid day. It's cricket that we're here for (despite rumours to the contrary) and it's cricket that you'll get. Yes, as Freddie Flintoff said after The Ashes were won in 2005, behind these glasses there's a thousand stories....but some will have to remain untold - the Ali Bongo Bombay Mix tale, Sarah Davidson's "Self Regulating Diaphragmatic Control Swimsuit", Ali Bongo's (yes, it's her again!) text directions to "He Harbour" (which may be somewhere near B..b..bradford) and the Barbados Government Health Warning to "Drink Rum Punch Responsibly" will all have to wait (but there are photos if you can deposit 5,000 Barbados Dollars into my Swiss Bank account!)
Before I get to the Match Report and photos, what have we learnt today?
- You may not have the top notch kit or the best facilities, and the other team may be a class above you, but you can still play for the love of the game. To see the joy on the faces of the lads from Deighton Griffith Secondary School as they pitted their skills against the pick of the crop from Lancashire was a humbling experience and we should never forget that cricket is just a game! We were made thoroughly welcome at the school and the day was enjoyed by all!
For a change, Chris Brownlow won the toss and elected to bowl on a drying wicket.
The Lancs lads looked nervy as the first ball was a full toss, misfielded, and then a catch went to ground on the second ball. However, the home side was 1 for 1 after the third ball as Harrison Phelan pouched a catch from Dan Houghton's bowling. The next man in looked like Clive Lloyd in miniature and was clearly prepared to take on the bowling but Houghton struck again and had him caught at gulley by Dominic Morris with the score on 20. The next batter followed soon after as he was caught by Phelan off the bowling of Sam Jackson. Brownlow then produced a hat trick taking the fourth wicket, clean bowled, and then the fifth LBW before getting his next victim, and claiming his hat trick, caught by Will Davidson off the first ball of the ninth over. In between times Phelan had come on at the Highway End and claimed 3 wickets in his first over - the first caught by Saad Khan at slip, the next a catch by Will Davidson and, having missed out on a hat trick opportunity, he clean bowled the next man with a ball that seemed to turn about a metre. Phelan then finished the job with his fourth wicket giving him a return of 4 wickets for 5 runs from 2 overs whilst Brownlow posted 3 overs, 1 maiden, 3 for 3! The home side had run up a meagre total of 31.
The Lancs lads looked nervy as the first ball was a full toss, misfielded, and then a catch went to ground on the second ball. However, the home side was 1 for 1 after the third ball as Harrison Phelan pouched a catch from Dan Houghton's bowling. The next man in looked like Clive Lloyd in miniature and was clearly prepared to take on the bowling but Houghton struck again and had him caught at gulley by Dominic Morris with the score on 20. The next batter followed soon after as he was caught by Phelan off the bowling of Sam Jackson. Brownlow then produced a hat trick taking the fourth wicket, clean bowled, and then the fifth LBW before getting his next victim, and claiming his hat trick, caught by Will Davidson off the first ball of the ninth over. In between times Phelan had come on at the Highway End and claimed 3 wickets in his first over - the first caught by Saad Khan at slip, the next a catch by Will Davidson and, having missed out on a hat trick opportunity, he clean bowled the next man with a ball that seemed to turn about a metre. Phelan then finished the job with his fourth wicket giving him a return of 4 wickets for 5 runs from 2 overs whilst Brownlow posted 3 overs, 1 maiden, 3 for 3! The home side had run up a meagre total of 31.
Needless to say it didn't take too long for Dominic Morris and Lewis Wright to knock off the required runs to give Lancs a 10 wicket win!
Onto the 20/20 game. It was agreed that Lancs would bat first but any complacency they may have felt from the first game was soon shattered as Saad Khan's middle stump was uprooted first ball by a pearler from the Home team's star player. Brownlow followed soon after for 3 to a dodgy LBW decision but that just opened the door for Will Davidson to show his class as he compiled a beautiful 59 not out with a range of shots all around the ground, and he was ably supported by Harrison Phelan who made 25 in quick time. Lancs had posted a challenging total of 140 for 5 by the close of their innings. This never looked to be achievable by the hosts but they gave it a good shot and had reached 40 for 3 by the ninth over (the first and third batsman had fallen, both bowled, to Jake Smith's leg breaks and Smith had also taken a good catch to give off spinner Jody Clough his first wicket). The game then turned on Chris Brownlow's opening over which saw Sam Jackson take a superb catch at slip after a snorter caught the edge and was deflected off wicket keeper James Seward's gloves, and the incoming batsman was then clean bowled next ball! Jake Brown then produced a fine throw from the boundary to take the sixth wicket with a run out - another 3 wicket over. Brownlow then took a catch off his own bowling in the eighteenth over and had the seventh wicket (his fourth of the innings, for 2 runs, and his seventh of the day) thanks to a smart stumping by Seward and the game drew to a close with Deighton Griffith well short at 74 for 7.
Sterner challenges to come no doubt, and some of the lads found the conditions tough, but a good start on the pitch after all the build up. Over the 2 matches, each of the players contributed something - a catch, a run out, runs, a maiden over or a few wickets. Wherever life takes these lads they will always be able to say that they once played cricket in the West Indies!
Right - the karaoke has kicked off across the road (either that or some bloke is being strangled!) so I'm going to upload a few photos then stick my head under the pillow! Some miscellaneous Tour photos (none too embarrassing!) can be viewed at Tour Gallery
Today's photos are:
Today's photos are:
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| Umar Khan - water carrier and kit manager! |
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