In these troubled and worrying days, I’ve been trying to cheer everyone (and myself) up in looking on the bright side – the signs of Spring, even on the dullest of days and so forth. And whilst feedback has been positive in the main, there is a risk that this blog turns into “Gardeners World” or “Flowers we have loved” but this blog is about cricket and travel – and neither are going to be possible for some time as yet so…what do I do?

As an advanced practitioner of social distancing (County Championship followers have been doing it for years!), I’m taking the opportunity of the current sd requirement to look back through my photographs and to try and find the ‘odd’ or ‘unusual’ or the photo or two which didn’t make it to the original post – either because I had too much to say (Editors comment…surely not!) or there were better and more apt photos.

So, here are a few snaps looking at the crowd reaction to the action (or not). And it’s surprising what you see if you look close enough!

It’s not often that leprechauns have been spotted at Lord’s but 2019 saw the first England v Ireland test at Lord’s (and was it hot! Remember those 37C degree days?) and, in essence, no one took too much notice of him! Just look at what some in the crowd are doing – and the guy holding his nose?

The latest in head-wear from New Zealand?

Again, the latest in Kiwi fashion

The sheer intensity from the Essex faithful at ‘Fortress’ Chelmsford!

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition (young readers search ‘Monty Python’).

Royal London one day cup final 2019. A stunning catch on the boundary and ‘the crowd go…’ Well, some do, some don’t!

Crowd humour – Aussie style, Sydney 2018

In amongst the Barmies 2019

Even royals turn up for the Ashes! Brissie…2017

And finally…

Championship cricket can get just too intense to watch! Either sleep through it, go on your mobile or simply hide! Essex v Hampshire 2019

Today should have been the first day of the first test in Galle, Sri Lanka. And at any cricket match there are always ducks by one or more batsmen. So today’s countryside walk was lucky in finding a couple!

But there’s more to see and photograph than you think…and there’s s lot more colour around you than you think. So here’s a few snaps of some colourful things I came across on another day of depressing news.

To help everyone cheer up….

And finally…it looks a little damp from this end of the pitch!

My plans all along were to start writing my blog from today showing some of the tourist delights of Southern Sri Lanka before moving on to some cricket later this week. But they have been blown away, so I’ve turned today to life beyond the C-word!

I know my reader was very keen to see more tourist snaps of warm, sunny climes and the delights of Sri Lanka – to say nothing of the cricket – but hopefully my new approach will keep my reader happy!

With no sport to follow now and for the foreseeable future, priorities have had to change and whilst the risk of self-isolation increases, I’m taking the opportunity to keep my exercise regime in place (if not enhanced…since in self-isolation, cycling is still allowed – at the moment) and to intersperse that with long country walks (again keeping distance from others – except dogs it seems!). Indulging in a little photography will also help and will help keep my reader entertained!

The photos may be centred in sunny Essex but today’s expedition shows that Spring is in the air, life is still going on and nature is taking her course.

So…a few sights of Spring, no media hype or feeding frenzy, no panic-demic warnings of the end of civilisation as we know it…just Mother Nature telling us that’s all’s well – just take a few minutes to sit back, peruse and enjoy! And if my plans go according to plan, there will be similar offerings in the coming days and weeks (if not months) as I wait for the cricket season to start!

 

Practicing self-isolating!

 

Did you miss me over the past few weeks?

Well, I’m back but I’m going!

I’m back blogging as I’m going to Sri Lanka next week for a bit of tourist time, two tests and hopefully sight of the MCC v Essex game in Galle which can only mean that Spring is almost here, Summer not far behind and equilibrium restored to the northern hemisphere in the arrival of the cricket season! Did I mention that Essex are the champion county?

What bliss! Brexit, Covid19 (what happened to Covids 1 to 18?), floods and all the other gloom and doom perpetuated by the non-stop screaming media consigned to the back burner whilst civilisation is renewed and restored!

So, you may ask what have I been up to?

As well as self-isolating with man-flu in January for a week or so and before it became fashionable, the health service has been interested in what goes into my body, what comes out, my heart, my bone strength…to say nothing of my dentist having some fun with my teeth. It’s all prevention and not cure which is reassuring!

My voluntary/charity work has had a change of focus…much more towards pure trusteeship rather than hands on/operational trusteeship. Much better and less stress!

I’ve been squeezing myself into my winter Lycra and cycling the lanes of Essex when the weather has been kind and generally keeping fit and healthy. And I’m still one of the youngest of all those I meet clad in their Lycra!

And…there’s been a bit of cricket to follow on the box, so life’s been quite civilised!

What do the next few weeks bring? Warm if not hot, weather, test cricket, more tourist sites and experiences to have and the prospect of a new cricket season when I return…although by then sporting events in the U.K. may well be cancelled and ‘old folk’ not allowed out – all I say is ‘never upset those with the grey pound’ – their retribution will be long and painful!

And to whet the appetite – a few photos from SL which didn’t make it to the 2018 blogs!

‘Proper’ tourist stuff starts next week!

Ps…those of you who’ve ever had man flu will know that self-isolation is the best cure and respite from the pain!