🎶 “Cricket, lovely cricket…” 🎶

6th November 2024

The link at the end of the last post was to a jaunty old calypso number by Lord Beginner celebrating West Indies’ first ever Test victory in England in 1950 – at Lord’s, the home of cricket. Coming so soon after the 1948 arrival in Britain of HMT Empire Windrush, this sparked jubilation in the Caribbean community, whose experiences of the UK were often very challenging, as is well known.

This year we’ve been fortunate enough to see the same two teams face each other twice – Jimmy Anderson’s last ever day of Test cricket at Lord’s in July, and Wednesday’s ODI at Kensington. One victory apiece. Suits us fine as we support both sides! So many enjoyable contrasts – MCC bacon and egg ties v baggy board shorts, vintage Bollinger bubbly v ’brewery fresh’ Banks beer, City slickers in the pavilion at St John’s Wood v the Barmy Army on tour, and quite a difference in the heat and humidity!

Lord’s:

Kensington:

The musical accompaniment on Wednesday was the Barmy Army trumpeter sitting right next to us and the traditional Caribbean conch shell being blown with gusto.

A Grand Day Out.

And all of a sudden…it’s over. For now at least. After the inevitable visits from the plumber and the wedding caterers yesterday, we flew back to Britain last night, landing this morning.

Surreal.

Never fear, dear readers – the adventures will continue from across the Atlantic, dutifully reported by your fearless foreign correspondents. We return to paradise after Christmas. Stay tuned!