The President writes again ...

The principal business of the tour, the cricket, has begun as the temperatures soared. Even the locals are saying it's too hot to play! The SOA are undeterred and have manfully played the first two matches covered in suncream and doused with water whilst leaking fluids from every pore at the same time. A few members have succumbed to losing fluids through every orifice but let's move on. The first game was interesting. Soa won the toss and batted first. Lunn and Caunce got off to a start against a young Mallinga. In fact all the batters got a start and batted around captain Pearson, who top scored with 49, and the innings closed on a creditable 212 for 9. Charman hit the first six on tour and at the interval the mood of the team was high, as was the smell. What followed was unexpected as the opposition came out guns blazing and knocked off our 'respectable' total with disdain in about 18 overs, with the ball disappearing to all parts at high velocity and high frequency. A run out was the only Soa success...... lesson taught, hopefully learned.

The second game was a better balanced affair. Soa batted first again and reached 135 for 9 with Welch top scoring with 47. Again it was stinking hot which made it hard to bat, although once again most batsmen got a start.

The fist tour wicket was taken by James Hall and the bowlers built on this success removing 5 opposition men with Tom Scrase the top wicket taker with 2. Alas the game was lost but honour was restored.

England's T20 semi final was watched and enjoyed by the group in the evening during presidents cocktail hour and all slept well.

On we go to game 3.