You're Just a Fat Chris Kamara! (Northern Ireland National Football Team)

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Northern Ireland National Football Team
Date:	02/08/04 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Just a Great Day Out

Disadvantages: You may hate cricket

This was the anniversary pilgrimage to Lourdes?or was that Lords? As it turned out, we ended up in Birmingham. Always one of THE highlights of the year is the trip to the cricket to see the England national team play and this year proved just as eventful as times gone by. The West Indies were due in town and after a trouncing in the first Test, everything pointed to another England win in the second Test. The first day had seen a good score posted by the England boys and with Freddie Flintoff still in on 42 not out, things were set fair for a fine day what with the weather forecast for hot and sunny.

The day started quietly enough with me wandering around to my mate, Ron?s gaff. Ron looked a bit bemused at my Tesco carrier bag; a pensive look on his face as to the potential luggage I was taking with me. Then again, Ron wasn?t part of the usual cricket crowd. Peering in all nosy like, he discovered that I was armed with factor 35 sun cream (my good lady takes no chances!), a pair of glasses and a single Gala apple for health reasons. Well, I?d ended up paying for my bro? and his mate?s ticket so I expected free reign of their cool box when we met up with ?em at the ground.

Jerry?s taxi pulled up at Ron?s at 7.30ish as planned and off we went. Picking up Tony and Pete, we become the ?Northampton Five? as we made our way to Northampton train station. Everybody, it seemed, was curious to discover the contents of my carrier bag and the fact that there was a single apple provided the platform for an ongoing joke throughout the rest of the day. The thing was, with all the potential rubbish we?d be eating, a well placed apple seemed a great idea to me but then history is written by the winners and those who take their own supplies rather than a single apple.

The 8.06 to B
;irmingham arrived promptly at 8.06 and off we popped to dear ole? Brum. Within seconds of sitting down, Jez reached into his cool box and triumphantly, plucked a bottle of champagne out to celebrate the day. Needless to say, this was greeted with much whooping of joy (if you haven?t whooped, you?ve never lived). Now I started to feel guilty about the apple. A few plastic cups later and one was feeling tres mellow and ready for the all-day breakfast ensuing within the near vicinity of New Street Station.

Damn that café! You?d have thought they?d have been geared up for the flurry of cricket followers wanting to start the day with a not so healthy breakfast but this just wasn?t the case. With a raffle ticket system in place, orders were coming out at random, ultimately delaying our arrival at the ground. Eschewing the taxi rank due to the horrendous queue, we jumped on a bus and eventually met my bro? and his pal at 10.30ish. By the time we?d made it through the usual tight security cordon aimed at preventing beer smuggling terrorists into the ground, we?d missed the first quarter of an hour and, consequently, Freddie Flintoff?s half century (will my bro? ever forgive me?).

Oh well, the £30 tickets for the Eric Hollie?s Stand proved a hit. The view was great although we were adjacent to the big video screen and so wouldn?t be seeing any of the action replays that day. You have to hand it to Warwickshire CCC, they?ve done a fine job on this part of the ground and even better news was the fact that beer was easily accessible with just a short wait to get the first round in at 11am.

The first session proved explosive with Gerraint Jones and Freddie proving an explosive combination. Freddie showed a good deal of maturity with a more measured approach whilst Jones used the cut shot to good effect to record an impr
essive 74.

Of course, the day belonged to Flintoff. Crashing his way to 167, he hammered seven sixes in the process, one particular strike nearly ending up in his dad?s lap in the top tier of one of the stands. Three sixes in one over left Omari Banks wondering what day it was and able support from the rest of the tail meant England could declare on 566-9.We even got to see the unlikely sight of Steve Harmison - considered a rabbit at the end of the batting line up - cart one of the fast bowlers for six.

England?s declaration meant the Windies facing a few overs before tea and an on-fire Matthew Hoggard almost immediately sent both Gayle (7) and Smith (4) packing before the consummate Brian Lara and Sarwan came to the crease.

Throughout the carnage, the festival atmosphere meant a great time was being had by all. With the usual plethora of fancy dress (everything from nuns to Supermen) gave a huge splash of colour to proceedings although I couldn?t spy too many West Indian supporters in the crowd, which was unusual for Edgbaston. One particular chap had a Bradford City footie shirt on and looked like he?d had a few by mid-afternoon. To chants of ?You?re just a fat *Chris Kamara" he revelled in his new found nickname and decided to gently taunt the rather attractive Powergen ladies. On their latest sortie along the front of the stand (accompanied by a cacophony of wolf whistles) Mr Kamara lookalike appeared to be trying to dance with them although the fact that his shorts were nearly around his ankles revealing a rather disturbing view of his bottom had the crowd in stitches.

By the time the after tea session had started, the majority of the lads had retired to the pleasant beer area just outside the stand. With the sun beating down and some very appealing tables, chairs a
nd a much called for sun shade, the temptation to sit and chat (and drink, of course) meant that we missed most of the final hour or so. During that time, my bro? + pal disappeared to an early cab along with my two newly acquired sun hats purchased for me and bro? (mine being for my hols in Crete for Lordy?s sake). After a panicked call on me moby, I was reassured by the occupants of the speeding cab heading for the outskirts of Brum that my hat would be returned to me on Tuesday.

The rest of us left the ground just before close of play, strolling the couple of miles into town on Shank?s pony. The walk did us good although the consternation amongst some of the lads at accidentally stumbling upon a gay part of Birmingham was quite funny (no probs for me being in touch with my feminine side..or something like that )

Our arrival back in Northampton signalled a further incursion into town, another round of beers followed by a curry at around Midnight. The day was long, much beer was quaffed, the cricket was great, let?s do it all again next year!

What have you learned from reading this apart from what a naff writer I am? Well, you already knew that but given a chance, go to the cricket for the day. It really is a great day out with lots to do for everybody and an atmosphere second to none?.even including the footie! (OMG ? did I really say it?s better than the footie?)

Thanks for reading

Marandina is now on holiday in Crete until 19th August!

Links: Second day review at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/39 40909.stm

Full scorecard at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/fds/hi/statist ics/cricket/scorecards/2004/7/65 48/html/scorecard.stm

*Curly permed ex-footie player who is now a presenter on Sky Sports.

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