Check the weather, the local news and the traffic!

As departure day looms, you might want to check the weather conditions in Barbados! Click the link!

Barbados weather

Probable weather in Manchester!

For local Bajan news check out The Barbados Advocate or Barbados Today

Local mode of transport - the Reggae Bus!

Pre-Tour meeting - feedback.

The players have signed 6 of these bats to be presented, along with a copy of the Tour Brochure, to each of the opposition teams in Barbados.

Almost 100% turnout at Leyland CC for tonight's pre-Tour meeting.

Head Coach, Dave Leighton presented each of the players with a Tour Pack with guidance on "rules and behaviour", how to stay fit and healthy, prepare for games etc. A copy will be posted here when available. Dave also advised the players on the high cost of mobile phone calls and texts! For those who are staying at home but want to keep in touch with the Tour, the Blog will be up and running and you can post comments on here, you can also e-mail barbadosdadu13s@gmail.com and I will pass any messages onto individual players, who can then use the same e-mail to respond if they wish, and there's also a Twitter account @barbadosdadu13s.

Shaun Anders advised that he is to run a video diary of the Tour and it is intended to post some video content on the Blog whilst the squad is in Barbados.

Phil Wright confirmed that the Tour Fund had now reached £12,500 and this should be sufficient to cover the likely costs of feeding the Tour Party, paying for transport to and from games, pitch hire, umpires fess etc.

John Hood, already Official Scorer has also landed the role of Tour Manager.

Paul & Lisa Clough brought along the flight confirmations for all those family, friends and supporters travelling on the flight but not as part of the official group, and....

........Liv and Sarah Davidson distributed the Tour Brochures and they look fantastic!

Arrangements for Departure Day are - meet at Terminal 2, Manchester Airport Monday 11th April, 10 am to allow plenty of time for kit and baggage check-in (23kg per case - 1 case per person PLUS each player can have an additional 23kg in a cricket kit bag). DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORTS!Flight time is 1.45pm with arrival in Barbados at 5.25pm LOCAL TIME! Flight is on a Boeing 747/400, journey 4163 miles, flight time 8hrs 40mins.



Dominic Morris takes the controls of the Tour jet at Manchester!

 The only slight downer to the pre-Tour excitement is that it looks unlikely that the planned game at Kensington Oval will be able to go ahead as the ground authorities are having major problems with the pitch in advance of a Pakistan Tour to the West Indies later this year and have cancelled all matches for the time being. However, the Tour Management is hoping there will still be a visit to the Test Ground and are working hard to arrange an alternative fixture.

Other than that, all looks good and the excitement levels are building with 4 days to go!

Final pre-Tour meeting tonight!

The travelling party will get together at Leyland Cricket Club tonight (7.30pm) for a final briefing before Departure Day next Monday. The Coaching Team will be letting the lads know (as if they didn't know already!) what will be expected of them as they represent Lancashire in Barbados, and there'll be tips on how to stay healthy and match fit in what are likely to be gruelling conditions in the Caribbean. The parents will have a chance to check kit lists, toiletry requisites etc and to discuss that all important bit of "extra leg room".

Leyland Cricket Club

The Stanning Memorial Ground,
Fox Lane,
Leyland
PR25 1HB

Directions: Leave M6 at Junction 28. Avoid town centre by turning towards the A49 southbound. At the first set of traffic lights on the A49 turn right on the B5248 back over the motorway. At the mini roundabout take the first exit into Church Road. After two mini roundabouts and the traffic lights (with the church on the left-hand side) take the second exit at next mini roundabout into Fox Lane. The ground is 400 yards on the left hand side.

How the funds were raised - part 5!

With only a week to go before Departure Day, Tour Captain Chris Brownlow had a last shot at raising some funds for the Tour Fund with a sponsored "clubtocounty" bike ride from Horwich RMICC to Old Trafford and back to Bolton - a trip of 36 miles. The event raised £334 pounds to push the Tour Fund over the £12,500 mark. Chris reflects on the trip below and there's a few photos of the action.

This wasn't quite as tough as I'd expected given that I hadn't had time to do as much training on my bike as I wanted during the winter. The pace was steady on the way to Old Trafford and we made good time. It was nice of Shaun to hang on to greet us after his nets session with the U12s had finished. The journey back was more of a challenge as there were more climbs and the A6 out of Salford was really hard work, especially as it started to rain! We had good support from my Mum and sister, who drove the route and carried drinks and biscuits to keep us going! Getting home felt good and I was pleased with the amount of money we raised. My legs are a bit sore today but I'll be fine by the time we fly out to Barbados - really looking forward to the Tour now! - Chris



Shaun Anders greets Chris Brownlow at Old Trafford

 

36 miles to go - the start at Horwich RMICC

Rev Axon Smith takes a nap at Irlam O'th Heights - on the way there, not back!

Back home - 3 hours and 36 miles later!
Rev Axon Smith, Chris and Barbados Dad.

Thanks to all who sponsored us!

The Mother ('s Day) of all bike rides!

The North West's equivalent of the Tour de France was completed yesterday as the "clubtocounty" bike ride ended in Bolton. Tour Captain Chris Brownlow, Barbados Dad, and late entrant the Rev Neil Axon Smith* completed the round trip of approximately 36 miles in just over 3 hours. The route took Chris from his "home" Club of Horwich, to his County HQ at Old Trafford and back to his hometown of Bolton, where he has played District cricket from the age of 9, and finally past Bolton School, where he has captained his year group at cricket for the past 2 years.

Rev Neil passed some interesting churches on the way - but seemed strangely to be more attracted to the pubs and the smell from the various food outlets in Salford Quays!

The ride kicked off at 2pm with a throng of one (Stu Leigh, stalwart member of Horwich RMICC) wishing the riders good luck. The route from Horwich RMI Cricket Club to Old Trafford via the A6 and then back to Bolton up the A666 took the riders through some of the area's most scenic locations. The Alps on the Tour de France really can't compare with the grandeur of rainswept Little Hulton on an overcast Sunday afternoon. The cheery locals in Salford gave some encouraging waves, which appeared to indicate that it was only 2 miles to Old Trafford! The group was met at County HQ by assistant coach Shaun Anders and then turned around to pedal back to Bolton where they arrived just after 5 o'clock (yes, on the same day they set off!).

The ride raised £334 in sponsorship for the Tour Fund, which I understand now stands at around £12,500 and this is over and above the £28,000 we needed to raise for the flights and accommodation for the official Tour Party of 20. So thank you if you've bag packed, swam, run, cycled, flounced down a catwalk, held a make up party or whatever - it's been a blast and with only a week to go we can all sit back, sigh, feel proud and look forward to the last bit of this great adventure.

Club to County Bike Ride

to

Commenting on the ride - after getting his breath back - Barbados Dad said "My fitness regime has been intense but having foregone alcohol, pizza, chips, chocolate and women of dubious character for several weeks whilst I have been in the saddle..........I'll be glad to get home! Now I'm off to find some Sudocrem or dubbin for my sore backside. I don't know about a new pair of "budgie smugglers" for Barbados, might have to super-size them and see if they've got any "turkey smugglers" until the swelling's gone down!"

Rev. Neil Axon Smith said "Zzzzzz....."
* P.S. - he's not really a Man of the Cloth!

Chris Brownlow's reflections on his cycling efforts will follow shortly along with some photos of the Bike Ride.

Sponsored bike ride - TODAY!

The day has dawned fine and cool so hopefully the weather is set fair for the "clubtocounty" bike ride this afternoon. The three riders will leave the Recreation Ground at Horwich RMI Cricket Club at 2 o'clock and  head to Blackrod to join the A6, which they will follow through Westhoughon, Over Hulton, Little Hulton, Walkden, Swinton and Irlam o'th Heights. They'll then ride through Salford Quays to Old Trafford. After a quick circuit of the car park (it's all glamour!) and a refreshment break, the return journey will follow the same route until Irlam o'th Heights from where the route takes the A666 through Swinton, Clifton, Kearsley, Farnworth and Moses Gate to end up back in Bolton - hopefully before it gets dark!

Right just off for my organic fruit juice and porridge before I don the tight fitting multi-coloured shirt and Lycra shorts! I'll put my cycling gear on later!

Golf Day hits the mark!

Congratulations to Shaun Anders and Dave Hardman on their organisation of the inaugural Lancashire Cricket Board Golf Day, which took place earlier today at Eccleston Park in St Helens. The event was  a great success - and the weather stayed fair if a bit blustery. Nearly 40 teams turned out and took part in a good day's golf (like I know anything about it - odd game if you ask me!) and hospitality. Still, I enjoyed the walk and it has added to my already finely-honed fitness in readiness for the imminent "clubtocounty" bike ride - more of which on Sunday but the sponsorship funds have been boosted by a last minute donation of £50 from Tony Roberts of Acorn Building Services in Leigh.

The Golf Day was organised to raise funds for Youth Cricket Development in Lancashire and it was great to see Andy Hayhurst, Bobby Denning, Warren Hegg, John Williams and other Lancashire stalwarts hacking their way round the course in support of the cause!

On the Barbados Tour front, honours were even as the Seward  Precision Laser team and the Edwards Genesis team, with Tour Captain Chris Brownlow playing a blinder having wagged off school (!), finishing equal on 74 points and gaining mid-table respectability! Apparently Graham Seward wasn't quite as "precise"  as usual despite his claims to have just missed out on the nearest to the pin, the straightest drive etc! He may have spent more time in the sand and water today than he will during 2 weeks in Barbados!