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First day at Kandy

It was England’s day but the supremacy was not easily achieved. Of the first seven in the order, only two scored more runs twenty (Rory Burns  and Josh Buttler) and a score nearer 200 than 300 looked likely. Sam Curran was the hero of the hour. He has scored more sixes than anyone in Test [...]

November 15, 2018 // 0 Comments

Tea and Kandy

Yesterday was another day of transit as the group went from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy via a tea plantation. This involved yet another hairy coach journey through mountain roads of sheer drops and hairpin bends. Down one of these a boy was brandishing flowers for sale. By cutting the bends he kept with [...]

November 14, 2018 // 0 Comments

Fortress Galle stormed

England achieved their first victory at Galle by 211 runs and ended a losing sequence that went back to October 2016. After the uncomfortable start in the morning of the first day, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran and before them Keaton Jennings steadied the ship. In the end the win was comfortable. Not a [...]

November 9, 2018 // 0 Comments

Day three

I was pleased to join the National Rusters flying in on the red-eye. I joined Duggie for breakfast. With us were the normal assortment of cricket tourists wearing some form of T-shirt advertising their tour or football club. They tucked into the copious buffet with some gusto. There was so much [...]

November 8, 2018 // 0 Comments

Day two

Our resort Weligama is some 45 minutes away from Galle where the Test ground is situated but it’s a pleasant coastal drive past surfers and fishermen some on stilts. It would be even more pleasant but for the random style of driving. Stray dogs, three wheelers called tuk-tuks, scooters, buses and [...]

November 7, 2018 // 0 Comments

First day/ Galle

It is always exciting to visit a new stadium for the first time. I certainly was not disappointed by the International Cricket Ground at Galle. It’s situated so close to the sea fort that one of the best views of it is from the ramparts. Seeing the spectators gathered there in silhouette along [...]

November 6, 2018 // 0 Comments

I don’t BELIEVE it

We learned today that Wayne Rooney – who retired from international football before the World Cup – is to return to the England set-up as captain for a one-off friendly match against the USA at Wembley. This is a total travesty in my humble opinion. International squads should surely [...]

November 5, 2018 // 0 Comments

En route and first impressions

We assembled in the BA lounge, tour leader Allan Lamb and wife Lindsay and Graham Gooch and his partner Karen. Lamby I know well from 2 previous tours to South Africa  and India, Goochie less so. His run accumulation of 44,846 first class runs at an average of 49 and 8,900 Test runs at 42 is [...]

November 4, 2018 // 0 Comments

Sri Lanka – rainwash or whitewash?

Today I leave for Sri Lanka to see the first and second Tests. I do so with some trepidation for two reasons. For some reason best known to themselves the England tour has been scheduled in the rainy season and the first Test at Galle may well be a total washout. Indeed a tropical cyclone is [...]

November 3, 2018 // 0 Comments

Saved by the Bell?

Yesterday I was Ivan’s guest at Hove. Sussex entertained Warwickshire the second division leaders, a game they had to win for any chance of promotion. In chilly and gusty conditions Warwickshire closed play at 308 for 2 with Ian Bell scoring a century. Conversation turned to picking him for Sri [...]

September 19, 2018 // 0 Comments

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