Watching Cameroon vs Denmark match,more exciting than last night’s snooze fest.No beer 2night though,sadly.Sleeping in garage,bedroom 2 hot!
Jun 19 2010
The Opera singing #Kazakh guy …
The Opera singing #Kazakh guy pretending to be #Algerian is singing. Do I need to take less “comfort breaks”? I’m having a fag…
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Jun 19 2010
You want superstision? (spelli…
You want superstision? (spelling optional) I am outside bar smoking, NOT watching TV out here. There has to be an English goal now…
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Jun 15 2010
Enforced Lock In
We had an interesting time watching the England vs USA football match on Saturday. A few friends came over to the flat pre-game, to warm up our drinking arms. We moved onto a bar (I think it is called Goal Keeper?), where power cuts meant we missed the American goal, and after the power flicking on and off for a while, we tried to leave the bar and head to the Hotel Radisson (as they were more likely to have a generator). However, the security guards had locked the front doors before we could leave, and were telling people to go back into the bar and wait, as electricity would return. Before we made complete idiots of ourselves with people holding batons, the owner appeared, apologised (I think she realised locals might take that kind of brute force attempt to keep customers, but ex-pats would throw a hissy fit and tell their friends, and therefore she could lose business).
So we left, but getting into our designated driver’s car we noticed someone had forgotten their top. He went back in, I hung around outside to start banging on the doors and windows if they didn’t let him out. This time some locals were caught trying to leave without paying, and the guards were literally throwing them back into the bar. Our friend got out, we went on to the hotel, and although they also had power cuts, they didn’t last as long. Obviously the match ended in a draw (I would have won 16,000 Tenge if England had managed to score one more goal!), but given that we had both Americans and Brits in our group, I suppose it was a fair enough score to keep all parties happy. I’ll leave commentary on the actual football played to other more knowledgeable people.
Oct 14 2009
Kazakhstan vs. Croatia
I am off to watch the Kazakhstan vs. Croatia match this evening, in Astana’s new football stadium. It will be the first proper match I’ve attended in about, oh, 20-odd years ?!? Thanks to DanD and his friend for invite and sorting the tickets ahead of time. Looking at predictions on the net, most think it will be an easy win for Croatia, though a couple of people thought that Kazakhstan had a slim chance of at least a draw. Will try and grab some photos/tweet if I remember.
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Apr 27 2007
Blind Cricket
Cricket for Blind and Partially Sighted People has been played since the 40s in England & Wales.
The sport offers solidarity and a chance to contest on equal terms for blind and partially sighted people.
All players are registered blind or partially sighted. Out of the 11 players, a minimum of 4 must be totally blind.
British Blind Sport are responsible for running the England Blind Cricket team who have represented the England and Wales Cricket Board in two Blind Cricket World Cups. The team have toured Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, as well as playing in two world cups in India and hosting Pakistan and Australia.
England won the first Blind Cricket Ashes in 2004 and since then the England Blind Cricket team have won both series they’ve played, away to both the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
The main difference between standard Cricket and Blind Cricket is the ball. A size three football is used in UK Blind Cricket to help the partially sighted players to see it and it is filled with a quantity of ball bearings to allow the totally blind players to hear it. The MCC Laws of Cricket have also been adapted in other ways in an attempt to allow blind and partially sighted people to compete on equal terms. The major variations are as follows:
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The wicket is larger, making it easier for the partially sighted players to see and easier for a Batsman or Bowler to touch for the purpose of orientatation.
The ball must pitch at least twice before the crease of a totally blind Batsman but must not be rolling.
The ball must pitch at least once before the crease of a partially sighted Batsman.
A totally blind Batsman is given one chance before being given out LBW and cannot be stumped.
The Bowler must ask the Batsman if he is ready before beginning his run up and shout “play” as he releases the ball.
A totally blind Fielder can make a catch after the ball has bounced once.
Because of the nationwide and international scope of this sport BBS are always looking for new sponsors to help support the work of the Cricket Committee and provide opportunity and encouragement to young visually impaired cricketers. Volunteer Umpires and Scorers are always welcome. If you’d like to get involved as a sponsor Click Here
PS For any incredibly cynical people out there, NO, this isn’t a sponsored post, I just saw a clip on cricket for blind and partially sighted people on the news, and wanted to give them a little link-love on my blog.
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