Day 7 - Twenty Twenty

Lessons for today!  

• Synchronised swimming for 1 is the perfect sport
• Lasagne has a hidden meaning
• If you have a nut allergy, always ask whether there may be nuts in a Spiced Orange Cookie in Bridgetown, Barbados - otherwise you may end up feeling a bit ropey!

After a day by the pool with a bit of light training and then some mini golf, the Lancs boys rolled up at Dover Beach for a 20/20 game under floodlights against the Barbados u13s. Whatever else these young men achieve in life - cricket related or not - they will always be able to say that "I won at 20/20 cricket under floodlights in the West Indies". The game was played in coloured clothing and was a vibrant spectacle - if this is what Caribbean 20/20 is like for a kids game I for one would love to be at Kensington when the Windies play England!

This was a team effort in humid conditions, but it was a 50+ partnership between Sam Jackson (17) and Chris Brownlow (45) that built the platform for the victory. In the field Will Davidson's 3 wickets and direct hit run out were the "chamapgne" moments but the lads were sharp all through and always had the home team under pressure.

A big crowd had gathered as "Sparky" Wright sorted out the floodlights and Chris Brownlow won his third toss in a row and elected to bat on a wicket that had been transformed in a week. A positive start saw Khan and Morris take 3 quick singles off 5 balls but Morris fell for 1 to a suspect LBW (from Trigger the Ump) on the last ball of the first over. Davidson followed for 1 (12-2) caught behind and things looked bleak at 13-3 as Khan was sharply caught at first slip for 10. Brownlow and Jackson then added 53 for the fourth wicket and Brownlow hit the first 6 of the Tour with a smash over square leg. Jacko was bowled for 17 (66-4) and the innings lost momentum as Phelan was caught off a skyer for 7 (a beautiful 4 off his first delivery), Seward was LBW for 1 (but to a ball that was at least a foot over the bails), Wright was run out without troubling the scorers and Brown followed for 4 (a neat cut to the third man boundary from his first ball) to another sharp catch at first slip. Clough was run out on 0 and Brownlow was last to go, bowled for 45 with 3 balls left in the innings leaving Lancs 92 all out. 

Cries of "Oh, Lanky, Lanky" rang out as the bowlers began their assault and Daniel Houghton struck first with a wicket as James Seward stumped one of the openers in the third over - 10-1. The home team batsman looked comfortable against pace but the introduction of spin after the third over saw things tighten up. It still looked to be in the balance at 40-1 after 10 overs but Jake Smith teased a batter into a nick and Seward took a smart catch (40-2) and Davidson then brought some control, bowling line and length from the pavilion end, and had the next man caught by Wright. Davidson then backed his arm and took the fourth wicket with a direct throw from mid on. Next ball saw another run out as Harrison Phelan fired the ball back to Brownlow at the bowler's end and at 51-5 it looked all up for the home team . The next 2 wickets fell to Davidson, the first caught Khan and the next clean bowled. Seward stumped the next man (56-8) off Jody Clough's bowling and Clough then had the next batsman caught by Smith. The innings was ended on 73 as a sharp piece of fielding by Khan brought yet another run out.

So a win by 19 runs but will they recover for the next game out in the sticks?

Tomorrow's game involves a trek across the island to The Lodge School, Society in the Parish of St John's. The school motto is "Possunt Quia Posse Videntur" (They can because they think they can) and The School dates back to 1745 and boasts several high profile "alumni" including Tony Cozier, who commentates on the BBC's Test Match Special, and James Wedderburn, the first Barbadian to win an Olympic medal as part of the 1960 Bronze medal winning West Indies Federation 4x400 team. Equally celebrated as an "old boy" of the School is Calypso singer "Mac" MacFingall who is a well known cheerleader at the Kensington Oval! Check him out on the video!

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The Lodge School badge

Some photos from tonight's game:

Mrs Barbados Dad and Mrs Scooby Doo in front of the digital scoreboard at Dover Beach

 Faithful scorer John Hood in position on the balcony (Banks beer out of shot)

Captains' handshake as the sun sets

 The teams mingle before the game - the "Spirit of Cricket"

 Khan and Morris open the innings under lights

Just like those girls at the IPL - Mrs B and 4 Jugs signal a boundary for Lanky, Lanky

The WAGS - Stamford Netball team from Peterborough cheer on their heroes!

Our new friends Kelly and Simon - on honeymoon but with nothing better to do!

Jake Brown and Harrison Phelan with Shemar Persaud from the Barbados u13s (he's only 10!)