February 20, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/20/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Sarfraz Ahmed slept with the World Cup last night and you can hardly blame him considering it looked to have slipped away from him yesterday. The Pakistan team savoured their victory today, as the Indians made a hasty retreat back home – although, to be fair, it was always their schedule to fly out of Colombo early this morning. However, I expect they are now fairly happy with that planning.
Continue reading "The end of the road"
February 19, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/19/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
What an extraordinary match; 180 runs, 20 wickets, 60 overs. They are the bare numbers but don’t do justice to the sheer drama of today. One minute Pakistan had been routed for 109 – World Cup over. Twenty minutes of chaos later India were 9 for 6. As they say, cricket’s a funny old game.
Continue reading "Final drama"
February 18, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/18/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
This evening was the closing dinner for the World Cup, an event attended by the two main finalists and the two teams who contested the Plate final – New Zealand and Nepal. There were the usual speeches which we can gloss over, the main fun came after the official part of proceedings had been done and dusted.
Continue reading "Dancing the night away"
February 17, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/17/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Was that the Aussies choking that I watched today? “The pressure got to us,” said Moises Henriques, their captain. The favoured outcome of today’s match was the powerfully consistent Australians (at least in this tournament) to out do the talented but inconsistent Pakistanis. But that depended on which Pakistan arrived. For 17 overs it seemed for all the world that it was the reckless version, but then an extraordinary turnaround occurred. When Pakistan were 80 for 5 we all feared another one-sided final, that’s what it was – but for the other side.
Continue reading "Pakistan passion"
February 16, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/16/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
It wasn’t the worst of days for Sameera de Zoysa, Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain, against Zimbabwe. Called on as a replacement for Angelo Mathews he scored 63 and his side won to keep themselves in with a shout of winning the Super League play-off. So when Sri Lanka’s coach said: “I thought he struggled with some of his field settings, and that’s why we gave away a few too many runs,” he can probably consider himself a tad unlucky.
Continue reading "Meeting expectations"
February 15, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/15/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
What a way to go – 58 all out and in front of the TV cameras to boot. There was nowhere to hide for England. Over the last few years the senior side has largely eradicated those collapses that so typified the 1990s, and when a clump of wickets do crash together – as at Lord’s last summer when they slumped to 21 for 5 against the Aussies –someone, on that occasion Kevin Pietersen, is usually there to at least give a score some respectability.
Continue reading "Leaving in a rush"
February 14, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/14/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
The crowds for this tournament have been non-existent, even for Sri Lanka’s matches, but at least the semi-finals and final should have a few more people taking notice of the action as the games are being beamed around the world. Today the Premadasa Stadium was getting the finishing touches as it prepares to host the first semi-final – England against India – a day/night match tomorrow. The ground certainly has a different feel than the others used in the tournament.
Continue reading "Smile for the cameras"
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/14/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Mine will be a ‘Jayasuriya Triple Century’ please, and for him a ‘Border’s burger’. For the uninitiated that’s two chicken breasts with chips and a burger with all the trimmings (how Sri Lankan) at the Cricket Club Café in Colombo, an amazing place crammed full to bursting with memorabilia from every avenue of the sport. It, therefore, won’t surprise people when I say I have spent a few evenings down there since arriving in town.
Continue reading "Jayasuriya's triple century"
February 12, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/12/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Today was a ‘Poya Day’ in Sri Lanka - a Buddhist ritual which happens four times a month and equates to the four phases of the moon. This was a full-moon day, the most important of the phases and a monthly national holiday in Buddhist tradition. Yesterday there were lavish parades around the streets of Colombo, involving herds of dressed-up elephants, as the city prepared itself for a day of worship.
Continue reading "Time for reflection"
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/12/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Nondescripts is an unassuming cricket ground, the only one of the five used for this tournament that hasn’t hosted a Test or ODI. But while it may not have held international matches, it certainly has an impressive production line of international players. Reading the honours board on the back wall of the pavilion is like a who’s who of Sri Lankan Cricket.
Continue reading "Certainly not nondescript"
February 10, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/10/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
You’ll have read the occasional passing reference to tuk-tuks in this diary already, but the three-wheeled vehicles have become such a part of my everyday life around Colombo that I felt they deserved an entry of their own. The question is really, where do I start? Is it the hair-raising cornering? The total disregard for the rules of the road? Or the confrontations with traffic many times bigger and stronger?
Continue reading "The only way to travel"
February 07, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/07/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
After two matches at the SSC, Colombo’s second biggest ground following the Premadasa Stadium, it was time to take a look at another of the town’s multitude if venues. Like Antigua is said to have a beach for every day of the year, I’m sure this place can match that for cricket grounds. They are everywhere, of all shapes and sizes, and very conveniently three of them (and, as if by magic, three of four for this tournament) are within about 100 yards of each other.
Continue reading "Anyone seen the score?"
February 06, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/06/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
In many ways, the World Cup is bigger news in the lesser-known cricketing nations. This was well demonstrated today with two journalists from Nepal covering the clash against England, while there are also journalists from Uganda, Ireland and Scotland covering their countries. And they are only the ones I know about.
Continue reading "Nepal aim to climb their Everest"
February 05, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/05/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
In their current form there are not many sides that could outdo the full Australian side when it comes to a crushing one-day win. So, it comes as no surprise, that when it does happen it is another Australian team that manages it. While South Africa suffered a 57-run drubbing at Sydney, the Under-19 version were crushed by 175 runs in Colombo.
Continue reading "Younger team, bigger win"
February 04, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/04/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Here, with my finest weather-presenting impression is the forecast for Colombo. It’s hot, and stays hot all day and all night, but when it rains, boy, does it rain. Yesterday evening I was sat in the Sri Lankan office of Cricinfo, putting together an entry for this blog, when I realised I could hear water cascading down the window panes. Funny time to wash the windows, I thought, before opening the door to see sheeting rain. Within minutes the road outside the office resembled a river and the dusty surface had turned to mud.
Continue reading "It never rains, but it pours"
February 03, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/03/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
A refreshing aspect to my early days in Colombo has been the attitude of the players and management that I have so far come across. It is fair to say that, at times, dealing with full international teams can be a frustrating and impersonal affair, as you are directed through one official channel then another before being told there is ‘no comment’. Nothing of the sort here, those I've met have been happy to talk and ensure the World Cup is shown in the best possible light.
Continue reading "The full experience"
February 02, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/02/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Who says England can’t win a match with spin? The probable threesome for the senior tour of India – Shaun Udal, Ian Blackwell and Monty Panesar – won’t be giving Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid nightmares, but the Under-19 side today showed the way, bowling England to a moral boosting warm-up win. To India’s Under-19 team Graeme White, Nick James and Moeen Ali will have sounded like a similar prospect to that facing the full squad next month. But they proved that with the backing of some thoughtful captaincy and the confidence to throw the ball up anything is possible. Food for thought as Vaughan and Co. prepare for their next challenge.
Continue reading "England in a positive spin"
February 01, 2006
Posted by Andrew McGlashan on 02/01/2006 in Under-19 World Cup
Forgive me if some of my comments over the next few weeks seem slightly
clichéd or old-hat. This is my first trip to the subcontinent and it
doesn’t matter how much you hear from other people, there is nothing like first-hand experience.
My flight left Dubai in the early hours of Wednesday morning, meaning
there was very little sleep beforehand and, with the journey taking just four hours, very little sleep on board. So, it was with slightly bleary eyes that I stared out of the window as we descended into Colombo, the lush, green landscape appearing out of the haze. However, any feeling of weariness was soon cast aside as my senses were sent into overdrive on entering the bustling – and at first glance, chaotic - Colombo life.
Continue reading "Life in Colombo"
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