Tour Diary
'Can you change my photo?'
Cricketers have long been unhappy with things written about them in the papers
Siddarth Ravindran
25-Feb-2013
Abdur Razzak's request has been promptly heeded
© Getty Images
Cricketers have long been unhappy with things written about them in the papers. Viv Richards famously stormed into the Antigua press box during a Test against England in 1990 and threatened to sort things out after an uncomplimentary article. At the 2009 World Twenty20, MS Dhoni paraded the entire team at a press conference as a 'show of unity' and read a prepared message to the 'people of India and Indian cricket fans worldwide' after reports of a rift in the team.
Regarding Cricinfo's coverage, the most common complaint from players seems to be about the mugshots on their profile pages. On Sunday, I wanted to speak to Bangladesh fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza on his progress from knee surgeries, and as I was introducing myself to him after the team's net session, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak walked past. When he overheard where I worked, he perked up.
"Cricinfo?" he asked eying my media accreditation badge. "Can you change my photo?" before adding for good measure, "Put in a nice one."
Full postDisconnected from the action
The Rangiri Dambulla Stadium is a lovely setting to watch cricket
Siddarth Ravindran
25-Feb-2013
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The press box, perched near the top of the stand, provides a vantage view of the natural beauty around. However, for someone like me, viewing the cricket from the air-conditioned enclosure for the first time, the silence inside the press box gives an unsettling sense of disconnect from the action. There is no thwack of the bat on ball, players appealing earnestly seem part of a mime in the middle, and it’s hard to get a feel of the game. You might as well be in some other city.
Even that constant background music that is part-and-parcel of cricket in Sri Lanka, from the numerous bands joyously performing in the stands seem to be nearly on mute-mode from the press box. If you step out and stroll around, the merry din transports you to a party atmosphere. Get back in, and you might as well be at a browsing centre with a great view.
Full postSt Lucia gets it right
I had a headache yesterday, but it was a good headache
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
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There were amazing contrasts in emotion. Chris Gayle’s early boundary would have brought the roof, then his quick dismissal created near silence. But the home supporters would cheer again until another wicket fell and the killer blow for them, after giving him a hero’s welcome, was the first-ball loss of local star Darren Sammy. He is a legend in these parts and a golden duck was a sad moment. Minutes later a priest was seen standing in front of one of the stands, but there would be no divine inspiration for West Indies.
Yet despite the defeat it showed what passion is still alive for cricket. If only they had a team who could deliver success more often.
Much has been written about the new Caribbean grounds that sprang up for the 2007 World Cup (a lot of it in this diary over the last 18 months) and how they struggle to capture the true essence of the regions. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and Providence could really be grounds anywhere in the world, unlike the ARG and Bourda.
Full postTesting times on TV
It’s probably fair to say that the local TV here in Guyana is an eclectic mix of programming
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
It’s probably fair to say that the local TV here in Guyana is an eclectic mix of programming. One minute you are watching an episode of Family Guy on Fox Puerto Rico then you see an advertisement for two-ply toilet roll on offer at the local supermarket. It certainly keeps you guessing about what will come next.
In the UK television channels work on the basic principle of one, two, three, four etc (and even the myriad of channels now on offer on satellite TV follow some sort of chronology) but here there’s a more haphazard system. Channel 7 seems to show a range of American programmes, then there’s a local channel 11 and the numbers increase in random increments such as 28, 65, 67, 92, and 102.
At least the World Twenty20 is available on a reasonably accessible local channel, which hasn’t been the case on all the islands, and they are giving it considerable airtime by replaying full highlights later in the evening. In between the double-headers they fill time with a live cricket phone-in quiz – named Cricket Bingo – hosted by a chap sat behind a desk reading out the questions.
Yesterday there was a particularly tough question: How many Twenty20 matches has MS Dhoni played and how many runs has he scored? That’s the time go hunting on Cricinfo.
Full postSoaking in history at Bourda
Like The Rec, there was immediately a sense of history stepping foot into Bourda – the ground itself dates back to 1884
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
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There was a sense of déjà vu for me on Saturday. Last year I was in the Caribbean for England’s Test series and, while in Antigua, paid a visit to the famous Recreation ground. This time I'm in Georgetown and I went to visit another great relic of West Indies cricket – the Bourda ground, which used to hold international cricket in this region before the Providence Stadium was built for the 2007 World Cup.
My trip to the place when Brian Lara twice broke the world record for highest Test score became a much longer visit than anyone imagined when the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was ruled unfit after 10 balls of the second Test and the match was moved to The Rec in less than 48 hours. This time there won’t be any hurried switching of World Twenty20 matches to this old stadium with the Providence outfield free of sand.
Like The Rec, there was immediately a sense of history stepping foot into Bourda – the ground itself dates back to 1884 - making your way over the moat which runs in front of the main entrance much like a medieval castle. But rather than used for keeping out invaders this is to prevent the ground flooding as, like the rest of the town, it is below sea level. Not that water (or more specifically rain) hasn’t played a significant part in Bourda’s history, with England’s Test here in 1990 abandoned without a ball bowled.
Full postA boombastic opening ceremony
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
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Cricket doesn’t have a great record when it comes to opening ceremonies. The World Cup in 1996 included a laser show, but high winds meant it didn’t quite go to plan. In 1999 the English weather and a dodgy microphone for Tony Blair meant a rather shambolic start and last year, at the World Twenty20 in England, more rain meant Aleisha Dixon’s entrance was canned at Lord’s.
This time, though, the small spectacle went to plan at Providence. And small is the key word there. When the weather meant the ceremony was cancelled at Lord’s nine months ago Netherlands then went and beat England which ensured everyone was talking about the cricket. It didn’t need anything else to enliven the tournament. The cricket did it all on its own. Twenty20 is the entertainment and the sooner it can get going the better.
But there’s nothing wrong with the off-field highlights – they have become part and parcel of Twenty20. So half an hour before New Zealand and Sri Lanka took the field we were greeted by Caribbean dancers on the outfield, although for a moment it looked as though they would charge straight into New Zealand’s warm-up session.
Full postA Georgetown story
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
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During the 2007 World Cup an English journalist angered the local media with some less-than-flattering remarks about Georgetown so I’m going to be very careful about what I say here. I don’t fancy a knock on the door in the middle of the night.
Having spent a day in the capital chasing around preview interviews I’ve soaked up some of the flavour of the city. It’s a little like going back in time with the colonial-style wooden buildings which line the street and the horse-drawn carriages that still do a lot of work here, but it’s a bustling commercial district with a huge amount of traffic for a city with a population of around 250,000. The horses often move quicker than the cars.
There remain plenty of reminders to the history of the area, from the cities name itself which stems from King George III in 1812, to the main Regent Street in the centre to the sluices built by the Dutch to keep the sea water out.
Full postAsh, lost cash and the smell of rum in the afternoon
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
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A week ago this trip was looking decidedly dodgy as UK and European airspace was brought to a standstill by the ash from an unpronounceable volcano in Iceland. The situation got so dire that England were contemplating an overland trip to Madrid or Dubai in order to reach the Caribbean in time, while a few of my more helpful colleagues suggested I’d better start swimming.
In the end everything worked out fine as the reaction to the cloud was shown to be, possibly, a tad over the top – or at least that’s what the airline chief executives are saying. However, I couldn’t help but laugh when the captain of my flight to Barbados came over the PA system just as the 747 was beginning its decent over the Atlantic Ocean into Grantley Adams International Airport.
“If you look below you’ll see a haze. It’s called Sahara dust and it’s perfectly normal it just means your view won’t be great as we come in.” I don’t know, it looked like ash to me.
Full postAminul Islam's new horizons
Andrew Miller
25-Feb-2013
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As one national team prepares to take its leave of Bangladesh, another has flown in to take its place. But the 40-member squad that arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday evening was of a distinctly different profile to that of England’s cricketers. The Chinese women’s squad and their Under-19 counterparts are at the start of a month-long training tour, as they prepare to make their bow at the Asian Games in November.
The visit is part of an Asian Cricket Council initiative to spread the game into new territories in the region, and the Chinese men’s squad is already back home after their own visit earlier in the year. It is a reminder that Bangladesh, while still finding their feet at the very highest level of the game, are already a cut above the competition when you travel east of India.
There is a familiar figure at the forefront of the project to promote cricket in the region, a man who Bangladesh might one day do well to reclaim as their own. Aminul Islam achieved instant fame in November 2000 when he scored a century in his country’s inaugural Test, but for the past two-and-a-half years he has been working as one of three development officers at the ACC, with a brief to oversee six of the 18 countries in the region - Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand ... and the big one.
Full postA memorable debut for the Harris family
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
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When Ryan Harris ran through the New Zealand lower order on Tuesday morning and helped Australia to victory, there was only one man at the Basin Reserve prouder of his efforts than the bowler himself. Sitting high up in the RA Vance stand, Jim Harris was a satisfied man, quietly watching his son getting rewarded for all his hard work.
It was an emotional time for the Harris family. Ryan said last week that when he received his baggy green he would be thinking of his mother Gai, who died from lung cancer in 2006. His father and brother Gavin were on hand to witness his Test debut, having flown out from Australia with only the hope that he would get the nod to play.
As it turned out, Jim nearly missed his son’s cap presentation as the public gates at the Basin Reserve were still closed when the Australians circled around their newest Test player on the ground on Friday morning. A quick appeal to the security staff and he was ushered around to another entrance, hustled in to the venue and was just in time to see the memorable moment.
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