Tuesday 5 May 2009

He knows his Onions...

BBC's 'England Rookies Backed By Strauss' article...

Someone would have said it!


RP


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1st Test England v West Indies

Test match starts tomorrow. So, straight after work I'l be twiddling the old dial to catch the sound of leather on willow from Lord's.

Can't wait!


RP


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Tuesday 21 April 2009

I've been pre-occupied...

I've been pre-occupied with my other blog; A Glastonbury Tale. To the detriment of cricket I hear you say? Well after the Test Series it all seemed to fall a bit flat - loosing an' all. I know it's the game that counts but when you're supporting, you like a positive result!

Of course, there have been the One Day Internationals. England won and Strauss was rightly lauded for his part but I can't get on with a 'One Dayer' as much as a Test Series. I mean, as soon as it is started, it's over! You miss a day and you've missed the series (albeit a very short series, in a one day kind of way). This all seems to be at odds with current wisdom (that's wisdom, not Wisden) as everyone is plugging 'One Day, maximum return, in a credit crunch environment, people don't have enough time for Test Series' cricket.

The next speight of activity for me will be the 1st Test - England v West Indies, at Lord's. Come Wednesday the 6th of May I'll be glued to my Pure Evoke flow (in a metaphysical sense you understand, I try to keep glue well away from any electrical equipment), shift pattern permitting. I do keep one eye on BBC SPORT ¦ Cricket & Crickinfo (is that two eyes?) though and do see that 'Flintoff wins Pietersen IPL duel' & 'Yorkshire beat Durham by 80 runs'.


RP


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Monday 9 March 2009

Lord's - The Home of Cricket

Out of the blue we got invited to go to London for the weekend (a big thank you to my Sister-in-Law). What to do on Saturday? I know, go to Lord's - the home of cricket!

Lord's Sign

I took the District line to Edgeware Road and then the Circle line to Baker Street and then walked, trying to get a No 13 bus to St. John's Wood. However, it was not straight forward. First of all I nearly ended up going in the wrong direction, I was pointed 'across the road' but how far? Which road? I don't know what I'm doing! So I walked and then found that all the bus stops had been suspended. So I walked and a No 13 bus went straight past a bus stop that said a No 13 bus stops here! So I walked and then finally got to a stop and on to a No 13 bus. No sooner had the bus started when 'the next stop for Lord's cricket ground' was announced! And that was the shortest of the stops on the route! Typical!

NW8

I stepped off the bus and there it was. A large concrete wall inset into the ground perimeter wall, with large, over-sized cricket balls on top! Love it!

The Home of CKET!

Just beyond was a glimpse of the Media Centre.

Media Centre

I walked around the whole of the ground as close as I could. Houses dominate one end and at one point I even walked past the house where Billy Fury once lived!.

Just walking around the outside, there is plenty to keep the cricket fan (O.K. Geek/Anorak) entertained

Yet To Come

A Sign!

On to the Bicentenary Gate

Another Sign!

And here was the Gate

The Bicentenary Gate


MCC

Cricket Behind Bars

I saw some cricket being played!

Bowling Screen

Oh, it was just a photograph...

I saw Kevin Pieterson!

Kevin Pieterson

Sort of...

By the time I got the main entrance again Lords was closing - I asked if I could get in to see the ground briefly but he had just locked up! Ah well next time...
(He did tell me England's Test score though - only 4 wickets had fallen though.)

On my way back I got to see the famous Father Time weather vane

The Weather Vane

A final look at the Investec Media Centre

Media Centre 1

Media Centre 2

Media Centre 3

The centre was designed by the late Jan Kaplicky and Amanda Levete of Future Systems.

I got back home to hear the fall of the 5th wicket - Collingwood lbw, bowled by Baker for 161 partnering Prior after a referral which gave Geoffry Boycott something to comment about! Then it was time for tea.


RP


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Sunday 8 March 2009

Went to Lord's

Lord's Cricket Ground

Went to Lords - more later...


RP


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Wednesday 4 March 2009

Mole Found At Bath Cricket Club

Mole at Bath

They really must do something about the mole in the outfield at Bath Cricket Club before the start of the season!


RP


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The 4th Test Had Everything

I enjoyed the 4th Test, it had Strauss making a centaury, it had England declaring at 600 for 6, it had a bland surface, it had the West Indies making 749 for 9 and declaring, it had Cook making a centaury, it had everything.

Everything that is except and England win.


Ah, The 5th Test, now that is a different matter...


RP


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