Day 7, Sooriyawewa International Stadium for Game 3
Day 7,
Sooriyawewa International Stadium for Game 3:
1st
XI at the Sooriyawewa International Stadium
It was time for Day 7, and also time
for the highly anticipated visit to the Sooriyawewa International Stadium in
Hambantota. The ground, which is also known less commonly as the Mahinda
Rajapaksa Stadium, was only 30 minutes from the hotel and was built for the
2011 Cricket World Cup. It only hosted 2 games at this event, and has been
sparingly used for international T20s since. Having narrowly avoiding monitor
lizards enjoying their breakfast on the roads, we arrived at the 35,000 seater
stadium with time to spare, allowing the boys to wander around the facility and
enjoy the morning sun.
Sam Regan,
Alex Thorpe, Matthew Still-Blundell, Adam Weston, Kunal Muhambray
Today
our boys were up against sterner – and even beardier! – opposition, so it was
important that Mr Sutcliffe’s very own Barmy Army were on hand to give the boys
additional encouragement. Thanks go to the parents for their excellent support
this tour!
“We are the
Army! The Barmy Barmy Army! Mr Sutcliffe’s Barmy Army!”
Alex Barker’s excellent knock of
54* to bring up a respectable total of 116 for the 2nd XI in the
only T20 of the tour was an exciting yet mature innings, and the highlight of
the day; unfortunately the 2nd XI succumbed to their first defeat of
tour, losing by several wickets, despite our great tour leader’s words of
wisdom between innings.
The Great Sutty
speaks… listen!
The 2nd
XI and their opposition
The
1st XI started their game in brilliant sunshine, but the odd rumble
of thunder and flash of lightning was ominous, and after only a few overs, the
heavens opened like there was no tomorrow; the monsoon season really does exist,
and the pitch was flooded within minutes despite the best efforts of the Sri
Lankan groundsmen to cover the square. Lightning danced around the ground in a
dramatic display, and the cracks of thunder only seconds later were like
gunshots echoing eerily in the stands. I knew there was a reason Mr Bell was on
the tour, and he was soon to explain the time between seeing the lightning
bolts, hearing the thunder above, and the proximity of the strike. Physics! Scary stuff!
Rain truncates play!
Lightning strikes
at Sooriyawewa
Unfortunately
the 1st XI game had to be called off, and the boys reluctantly made
their way back to the buses to return to the hotel. It was dinner at the hotel,
and monkeys knocking on rooves and doors for the remainder of the night. On Day
9 we see elephants feeding, travel to the historic city of Galle and check-in
at Coral Sands, Hikkaduwa, our final hotel. Au revoir, Udawalawe!
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