East Indies celebrate Christmas in style with fine win

There is great beauty about in Pancawati in December, as the wet season rains which lash Bogor and Jakarta clear the air around the great mountains of Salak and Pangranggo. Nonetheless to your correspondent there is something distinctly alien about watching and playing cricket in December, listening maybe, but only by night under a large duvet and mug of cocoa.

Andrew Barnes had challenged the East Indies to a Christmas game back in September, and so blessed by the seasonal natural beauty, on Sunday an excited Twenty20 crowd saw a terrific performance by the East Indies result in a 55 run victory against the new force in Jakarta social cricket, the Country Woods Barbarians. There was no turkey but some excellent sausages and steaks, not to mention a few memorable ducks.

The CW-Barbars won the toss, and Barnes had no hesitation in inserting the Indies, who then proceeded to accumulate a record opening partnership of 67, before Robert Baldwin, who had batted with grace and poise in putting together a fine innings perished seven runs short of his half century to a fine catch by Liam Hammer, off Sam. Two balls later Dick Slaney gave Sam a return catch to leave the Indies if not reeling, then at least dizzy at 67/2.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110054883312172675815/EastIndiesCelebrateChristmas

Mike Chick joined Scott Masson in adding 25 crucial runs before Chick copped a straight one from Briggsy.  But by then the score was 92/3 in the 15th over and Masson had the solid platform he needed to attack. Though wickets continued to fall Masson could not be prevented from delivering several brutal blows into the sawah to finish with a superb 62 not out, a record score for the Indies. He was ably supported by cameo batting roles from Mark Havard, Arvin, Michael Schmid (who had never even seen a cricket match before, let alone played in one) and finally the eleven year old George Symonds, who ran well and remained unbeaten at the death. Connoisseurs of fine batting were respectively disappointed and relieved that Sam Shahzad and Will Symonds were not called upon to bat. The score of 126/6 was considered a good score on a slow pitch offering no little assistance for spin bowling.

Sam bowled very well to finish with 2/22 and Briggsy showed remarkable control in taking 4/18, with only eight runs from the bat off his 4 overs.

The CWBs have a renowned batting line-up and strode out with great confidence. Will Symonds opened with spin at both ends, and took the new(ish) ball himself. Seeing the prodigous extent of turn he went round the wicket in the first over, a tactic that payed off immediately as he trapped the dangerous Hankin lbw with his quicker ball. Baldy found extravagant turn at the sawah end, and swiftly removed Liam Hammer, to leave the CWBs 15/2 with plenty to think about.

With signs of coming rain, and sensing the need to go for the kill, Will duly relieved himself at the pavilion end, turning to the spin of Scott Masson who immediately dismissed Sam. Andrew Barnes had watched and waited patiently for 16 when the wily Baldy tempted him to sky one to Masson in the deep. The innings soon turned into a rout as Rahoul, Amol and Briggsy swiftly perished to the turning ball, to leave the last pair together with the score on 39/8.

Raj and Umesh then proceeded to bat with great sense and purpose, but a last innings pair does not often score 88 to win a match, even so they were over a third of the way there before Arvin trapped Raj lbw for a determined 13 with a dipping full toss. CWB finished with 71 all out with Baldwin taking 3-16 and the remarkable Scott Masson secured the second 4-18 of the day and duly scooped the MVP award. The East Indies had triumphed and maintained their 100% record for 2012. Dick Slaney threw some steaks on the fire and it was time to party!

Photos by, or of, Michael Schmid
Umpired by Tony Jennings

England miss opportunity to call up East Indies skipper

Can’t believe it – my big moment gone, I’m in Colombo, with my kit, and England suddenly need a spinner and they call for some guy who has to fly in from the West Indies. Madness - or perhaps a simple typo - they surely meant the guy from the East Indies.

England bowlers all looked very athletic as they got out of their taxi in the hotel lobby. They are all staying at the Cinnamon, where I watched the game last night. We were next to Vaughan and Colly at the pool bar watching the final overs. Seems they were disappointed to see India win.

Meanwhile Bell and Trott were in the pub having a beer. I wonder if Bell had to show ID, or perhaps trot bought it for him. Of course had they picked me I’d have been on carrot juice

Just got upgraded to a box tomorrow. The aircon will be welcome…

Indies stunned by consistent Kiwis

It was a fine day – even the traffic wasn’t too bad. The pitch, as featured in this month's Wisden Cricketer, was perfect to behold. As the sun headed toward the yard arm Dick Slaney appeared armed with the finest steak and snags, and a warm smile that suggested that Friday night was not yet over. The game was on…..even with nineteen players one of whom was lost in traffic.

After much theatre in the middle, Indies batted, and started well. Matt was merciless on anything short from an unusually hospitable Dede (1-23) and Richard started smoothly as though he intended to bat all day, until his innings was rudely terminated by Tim. Marty (who really did bat all day once) then fell cheaply to Lawrence (2-16), but after 8 overs the Indies had a sound platform at 59/2, with Matt having retired on 35*, after timing a maximum to perfection.

Cue James Waite, who suddenly posed as much threat as Joel Garner armed with cruise missiles, if only in East Indian minds. Suddenly Piers and Dave were gone and the Indies were tottering. Piers’ wicket – eventually out stumped was a great piece of work by Houlding, who let only one bye all day. With the damage done James (2-16) relieved himself and passed the ball to Mike Jones.

Baldy pressed on gallantly without much in the way of long term support. Lawrence picked off Danny and Jonesy (1-21) soon had the ebullient and rehydrated Slaney out to another fine stumping in the 15th over as the Indies were crumbling at 102-6. Your correspondent thus found himself in the middle with Baldy rather sooner than expected.

Baldy retired on 30* and Matt returned to join Will. The next few overs proved fruitful and the pair kept the score moving quickly, but with the score in the 18th over, Phil Houlding tore out Matt (for a powerful 50) and Baldy (32) to leave the Indies all out for 133, or were they?

Cleverly disguised as Anthony Cottan, who was still lost somewhere in the Ciawi traffic, Dave rejoined Will and the last pair eschewed risks as they tried to eke out a few more runs. Accurate bowling from Tim and Phil gave little opportunity but the pair got the score up close to 150 in the final over before Dave took Dede on and perished for 7 in the cause, leaving Will unbeaten on 20. Still 147 looked twenty runs short of par.

Much of the Kiwi bowling was excellent and Phil 3-2-6-2 and Tim 4-2-13-1 exploited the pitch particularly well and controlled the game at the death. The high class bowling and keeping meant few wides and just a bye as X. Tras (9) failed in East Indies colours for the first time.

James and Tim opened very brightly against Marty, who was unlucky all day and Richard, who struggled to find his usual line. Will almost managed to catch James in his “midriff” and as his agony/laughter subsided turned to Anthony (1-19), the real version having arrived heroically moments after his impersonator had been dismissed. Anthony responded immediately by snaring the Kiwi skipper for a well-constructed 10.

Nonetheless at 61/1 after 7 overs the Kiwis were in control. A brilliant catch on the fence by Matt off Baldy removed Tim (26) and a second wicket in the over as Baldy castled Lawrence with a well-disguised faster ball for 13 gave the Indies a real sniff. But the later Kiwi batsmen all contributed something and the infamous Xavier Tras turned in a good performance (24!) as Indies gave away too many wides and byes.

Piers bowled Dede with a beauty for 24 and Matt (1-30) caught the return catch of the season to send the incendiary Deevs back, and hopes were still alive as as Will gave himself a bowl with the last throw of the dice. Marty had a huge lbw shout turned down and Will (1-11) added to his bruises as he tried to catch Phil with his shin; he eventually had the sense to allow a skier from Phil to be caught by Marty for an excellent 26.

With the top Kiwi order finally gone the more optimistic East Indians sensed a final last opportunity for heroics (how nice those extra twenty runs have been?) but it was all far too late and Phillip (13*) and Tony saw the Kiwis home with three wickets and five overs in hand.

Connoisseurs of fine batting will not be especially devastated to hear that Jonesy did not bat and nor did Justin, who fielded well in his first ever game, get the chance to commence his batting career. Baldy was the pick of the Indies bowlers with 2-17 off 3 overs of left arm spin.

After the game the skippers thanked everyone for coming and for Baldy for prearing the ground. Matthew Hoare was presented with the “Schick close shave moment of the match” award. Dick Slaney went back to his wonderful steaks and snags and I’m relieved and proud to say he didn’t drop any of them..

Ashes in the East Indies

Television

For TV in coverage in Indonesia you will probably need to go to a bar or somehow get a Malaysian dish and decoder.

Astro is showing the Ashes on special subscription but of course you need a dish and a decoder and card from Malaysia, and after sales service will be non-existent.

Some Jakarta sports bars (certainly Sportsmans and try Aphrodite, Fez, Mad Dogs, Cazbar etc) now have Astro.

Other options no longer work by all accounts. The KabelVision Star cricket channel 53, TenSports which used to be on TelkomVision and the South African satellite channels are apparently all no longer available in Indonesia. I will be surprised if the Australia channel shows anything.. Someone obviously doesn't want is watching the cricket this time around...

Streaming video

This streaming video link works fairly well and provides a choice of sites to watch - coverage from Hobart via veetle.com was really very good....

http://myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=cricket

Also try http://www.crictime.com/ - but too many ads for my liking

Radio

Shortwave

Radio Australia normally plays ABC Grandstand during Ashes Tests - check their website for frequencies - but no guarantees they will this time around as they will probably stream audio on the web. You'll need a good SW radio and a degree of luck and patience.

Steaming audio

This should be good. You can pick up streaming audio using a PC or Internet radio. An iPod touch or iPad with the superb £1 TuneIn app works brilliantly as a high quality portable internet radio (using wifi) and can be used in Starbucks or wherever. An iPhone or 3G iPad can stream audio reasonably well without wifi if you have a good signal.

ABC stream cricket audio on www.abc.net.au/cricket, but this won't work for me in Indonesia. On the TuneIn app the station is ABC Specials Net 5 and this is working in Indonesia. If you are using a PC another working source with plenty of airtime from the ABC feed is http://radiosport.co.nz/ListenLive/

Unfortunately BBC TMS only works if the BBC think your PC is in the UK. A VPN (costly) or "ExpatShield" installed may give you a UK IP address. Many have succeeded with ExpatShield but it doesn't work for me as it gives me a US address for some reason.Good luck there!

Score and online text commentary

Other sources... the usual suspects are... Cricinfo, guardian.co.uk and the BBC... Or ABC and the CA webiste if you're more inclined to an Australian perspective.

On Twitter I suggest you follow @aggersashes, @aggerscricket, @ellaw368 and @east_indies, at least if you are a Pom... or follow the hashtag #Ashes to find other sources.

william.symonds@gmail.com (twitter @east_indies)

It's not all cricket on the beach in Sri Lanka

These guys look like they are preparing hard for an East Indies tour!

See the full story here and here.

Global interest grows as East Indies New Zealand fixture is confirmed

Could the East Indies be playing Test Cricket next year - well yes if the results of a recent survey are to believed. Naturally interest in the forthcoming fixture against the New Zealand Embassy on Sunday December 13th has been heightened with the news of growing support for the East Indies achieving Test status.

Would all available players please contact Will.... so far the EICB selectors have confirmations from

Riki Teteina
Scott Masson
Stephen Hipkin
William Symonds
Dick Slaney
Anthony Cottan
Malcolm Collis
Robert Baldwin
Rajeev Kapoor
Mark Jones
Marten Eddy
Mike Chick

The team will be sporting the new 2010 kit..... watch this space

East Indies complete rousing win

ROBERT BALDWIN FRUSTRATED BY A HOT CHICK

In a rousing performance East Indies dug deep to overcome the Java Jazz Hats by 27 runs after earlier slumping to 22-4. Full story will appear here....

and photos are on-line here