Great Scot September 2018 Gt Scot_154_September_online | Page 56
Sport
TOP LEFT: BOYS LINE UP FOR THE ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE AT DULWICH COLLEGE PRECEDING OUR GAME. ABOVE LEFT: BOYS POSE IN THE DUNES OUTSIDE
DUBAI ON OUR EVENING DESERT SAFARI. ABOVE RIGHT: ETON AND SCOTCH TEAMS POSE WITH THE BATTY SHIELD, CONTESTED IN THEIR TWO-DAY MATCH
AN
UNPARALLELED
CRICKET AND
CULTURAL
EXPERIENCE
During the Term 2 holidays, 26 boys and four staff travelled to
England for three weeks of cricket and cultural experience.
The trip began in Dubai. On the first day we were given a great tour of
the vast, luxurious and in many ways strange city of Dubai by our brilliant
guide, Chaminda. We visited the markets, the tallest building in the world
and the largest mall in the world.
The next day we trained at the International Cricket Council academy,
tuning our skills before the matches. The fantastic facilities and coaching
were really used to good effect, as the boys trained intensely while
supporting each other as a team. That night we drove out into the desert,
rolling through the dunes in the four-wheel drives, feeling that we were
going to flip countless times, to eventually reach an oasis where we had
a much needed rest and food. There we saw some traditional dancing,
camels and an amazing sunset while sand-boarding down the dunes.
On arrival in England we went straight to Windsor, which was still
covered in royal memorabilia following the royal wedding only a few
weeks before. Here we toured the magnificent castle and attempted to
see the Queen in her residence, as well as playing against Eton College.
The history of the school was extraordinary with many bizarre traditions,
as we found out in our tour before the first day’s play.
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Dulwich College was next, where we were fortunate to play two
exhibition matches for the school’s foundation day celebrations. It was
truly a fantastic experience, beginning with a ceremony, followed by the
day’s play which was interrupted by one of the best lunches of the trip, in
the company of Old Alleyans (former pupils of Dulwich College) such as
Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party.
A tour of Oxford followed, where we learned about the third oldest
university in the world and got a sneak peek into life as a student. We
also travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon, enjoying a tour led by William
Shakespeare himself, or at least that’s what our guide wanted us to believe.
The final school game was against King Edward’s School in
Birmingham, which was a fantastic day and a great opportunity to
see some friends who have been made through the Scotch and King
Edward’s School exchange program.
Next we returned to Windsor, to be the only school for the entire
year lucky enough to play against the Royal Household Cricket Club.
With an amazing backdrop, we took in the history and magnitude of the
experience, though I dare say it only sank in a few days later. It was truly a
once in a lifetime experience.
For the second part of the trip we were based in London, where we
took day trips to play Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club, Esher
Cricket Club, and we had a game at Arundel Castle, as well as having a
training session at Lord’s, with a tour before the session.
The second half of the trip also allowed us to explore London’s iconic
areas such as Notting Hill and its Portobello Road, Leicester Square and
Camden Markets, and to see a twenty20 match at the Oval in which
Joe Denly scored 100 and took a hat-trick — the first man to do this in a
twenty20 match. The results of our matches were: played 14, won nine,
lost five (across two teams).
Many thanks to my fellow Year 11s and Year 10s who made up the
touring party, to Mr John Prior for leading the tour, plus Mr Warren Pratt,
Mr John Murphy and Mr Steve Maddocks.
HAMISH JOHNSTON —YEAR 11
Great Scot Number 154 – September 2018