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


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Went to Lord's

Lord's Cricket Ground

Went to Lords - more later...


RP


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Yorkshire Tea

Yorkshire Tea

To the traditional sounds of leaf on teapot... (Thanks The Orb - Check LFC's remix)


RP


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Snow on pitch

Snow on pitch at Bath CCC

They'll have to move that before the next match!


RP


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

The Great Cricketer

The Great Cricketer

The plaque outside Memorial Ground, Gloucestershire County Cricket Ground, Bristol reads

To commemorate
Dr.W.G.Grace
The Great Cricketer
Born 1843 - Died 1915
This tablet was erected
Outside his county ground
At the centenary of his birth
16th July 1948

RP


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Memorial Ground, Bristol

An empty board

Outside the Memorial Ground, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Bristol yesterday.

The pitch is in turmoil, upturned soil as far as the eye can see. Hopefully there will be a green, green grass at the home of Gloucester cricket in readiness for the start of the season...

Just found out that it is drainage ad irrigation works in the outfield [No Boundaries November 2008 issue 33 (the official magazine of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club]


RP


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

The Outlook is Sunny

From a cold, albeit sunny day at the end of January, the pictures posted on the ECB website of the the England team, training on the sands in the Caribbean pull a little twinge of jealousy (however it is not as big a twinge as in my leg which has been keeping me up nights over the past few days). They have arrived and are no doubt adapting to the climate of a greater 'personal responsibility' and anticipated income increase from the IPL, should they be lucky enough to be bid for.

Newspaper coverage is good, I'm struggling to keep up with it but a debate that is growing in my head is; does the web version of events from the big four newspapers; The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, and The Daily Telegraph capture all of their paper-based output? Will I 'miss out' if I just go to the web and don't buy the newspaper? The verdict is still out but I'll let you know.

St. Kitts hosts an XI versus XI at Basseterre, St. Kitts starting tomorrow. The first strike of the ball will be heard some time after 2:00 in the afternoon (although the sound will have to travel a pretty long way for me to hear it as I look out of the window (that I now see needs cleaning) here in Wiltshire. I shall be avidly checking Crickinfo for all the updates.


RP


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Official Sustenance

Marston's Old Empire
Original Export
India Pale Ale

It's powering this blog as we speak!


RP


Copyright © 2009 THE GREEN ORCHARD Ltd. All rights reserved.All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.