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Published: August 14th 2006
Hi there,
Back in Calgary after a week in Edmonton coaching team Alberta at the National U19 championships. We had a great week, played some good cricket, and finished 2nd in the standings overall. In between we trained, ate at some good and not-so-good restaurants, hung out with the Canadian Coach Andy Pick, and laughed at the boys during their Ice Bath cryptotherapy (young guys screaming like little girls is seriously funny EVERYTIME!)
On the Saturday morning we were leaving, the rental car place screwed up (despite a 3 month old booking and 2 confirmation calls) and we were stuck on a long weekend with no bus, or cars. Only one solution... Pick-up truck, yeehah! So I got to live out one of the Alberta stereotypes, driving my rental 8L Ford F-150 Pickup through the prairies with the windows down listening to AC/DC! Only thing missing was the cowboy hat...
After a drawn out opening 'ceremony' at Victoria Park we put up 320 runs against British Columbia, who usually push for the title, with our skipper Zein notching up a lazy 149. Then we destroyed them with the ball smacking them by 150 odd runs. The boys
had a day out in the field, catching everything that came their way, including 3 absolute gems in slips and gully!
Game 2 against Manitoba started well, reducing them to 2 for 0 in the first over, but sloppy bowling saw them post a competitive 130. Then we did our best to hand them the game by batting like superstars, million dollar shots everywhere. Some sensible batting from our middle order saw us sneak home by 5 wickets.
Thursday was an exhibition game against a President's XI, Ontario pulled out of the tournament 2 days before cause some genius remembered that they might need to fly rather than walk, and they couldn't afford to cover the last minute prices. Despite playing pretty well, we lost by 2 wickets against a pretty talented side including my assistant coach Shajib and a young guy on the National team.
So Friday was set up to decide the winner, and sure enough it pissed down. We finished 2nd based on net run rate for the games played. On the up side I did win 60 beers from Shajib and Eason who seemed convinced that they could play Texas hold 'em. They
couldn't.
I have never eaten so much Indian food in my life, at least once every day that we were here, sometimes twice. Why would you eat sandwiches or pasta during the lunch interval when you can have you CURRY! What do you what for tea boys? Oh good, curry. Fair dinkum. Got to eat a goat curry at the banquet on Friday, great...
Daniyal and I made some road trip cd's for the duration of our stay, classics that have stood the test of time, and there was an outright ban on Hindi music (learned from a rookie mistake on my first trip) and any R&B/rap trash with lyrics that included 'west-side' or 'ghetto'. Europe's the Final Countdown became the pre/post match song of choice for the boys, the novelty starts wear a touch thin during the 27th listen.
Anyway, after an early departure on Saturday morning I got to come back to Calgary and play cricket. Joy. On the up side we had driven that far to make the game that there was no way I was getting out cheap, making my top score so far of 42. Huss was back even punching out a
couple of consecutive 6's! Dan is leaving for argachaban... harba catchan... some place in the middle east, so we celebrated with a cake and quiet beer, which turned into a not so quiet beer and getting thrown out of the pub at 2am.
Got offer to stay and coach some winter programs that Andy Pick hopes to implement throughout the provinces over the winter break, so I need to decide whether I'm coming home soon or staying for a look at -30c! Not a fun time to try and fly over here at the moment either, gone a bit mad. Matt took the pics below from our front porch last year, least you don't have to mow the lawn...
Anyway, will add some more photos later, hope everyone is well, I see the torture for the blues is nearly over, Melbourne is struggling, Don's making a late charge (cough!) and Shep and I went out in straight sets during the dream team finals.
Ciao
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Mitch
non-member comment
Yes abe carlton are a very good team. The dee's just have no answer. Twice in a year!! Is ok though because at least we will be in the final for an expected third year in a row. Glad all is well. How long till your back for an aussie beer?