ICC coaching at RVSC - Day 1

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Good sleep until about 5am and dozed until 7am. Got up to another hot shower and sat outside until 8am enjoying the pleasant warm sunshine. Shorts today for the first time; it was obviously going to be extremely hot and we were staying at RVSC all day. Matt and Chip had had a good meal last night and they went off to Hell’s Gate with their friends for the day. Simon and RD had got back at about 5am but seemed to be in reasonable states! Andy, however, was not as his fever continues and he stayed in the room all day trying to sweat it out and sleep.

RD, RL, SC and I set up various areas on the RVSC field for the Level 1 candidates who were due at 10am. At the appointed time we had nobody. At 10.15 we had 5 and eventually got under way at 10.30 with twelve. They were a great group of local teachers who have given up their weekend to be with us. We easily managed to organise some really useful sessions along the now established routine of dynamic warm-ups, floor football and introduction to cricket talk/Q&A. We began “The Process” with front-foot drive. Our 13th member turned up but no more - it was the Nairobi marathon and so we might get some of them tomorrow! Another half hour of work and one of the RVSC lads walked off never to be seen again! Rajab Ali, ex-Kenyan International, came for the morning and also, kindly, left us his golf clubs!

We broke for lunch for about an hour before moving onto the Pull Shot. As at Kericho, all the teachers seem to be managing really well despite their very limited knowledge and exposure to the game of cricket. The heat was immense, much the hottest we have experienced so far and water was at a premium. We attempted a game of Pairs Cricket but it was clear that they need to work on their bowling first. Instead, we worked and then played Continuous Cricket both individually and in two teams. Yours truly was responsible for hitting the winning seven runs!

Next we showed the HIV/Aids demonstrations and talk. All the teachers had worked hard and had great fun. We cleared the kit away that Barbara (Josephine’s daughter) had very carefully lined up by size and colour just before a huge thunderstorm broke. It was clearly going to be with us for some time! By then Andy had got up and he looked much better. Let’s hope that he continues that way!

We had a Tusker in the RVSC bar where there was a large, poor quality, black & white image of some premiership football match. Chip and Matt returned having had a good day. The lightning subsided, as did the rain and so we walked to Merica Hotel where we enjoyed the buffet. More good food in a mixed environment. Simon met an Austrian who is building a sports college in the area. One drink, good meal and, with all of us feeling tired, we walked back through the dark, unlit streets to RVSC. An early night - lay in bed reading!

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