Rain can be a pain, if you let it
Guyana - Somehow New Zealand’s Ross Taylor managed to say, without a hint of irony: “We never know, it could rain in this next game.”
It was hammering down so hard outside the windows of the team hotel that we could barely hear the young batsman speak.
New Zealand, who arrived from Antigua on Tuesday, were supposed to be training at the old Bourda ground the following morning. Not a chance.
Unless they get a chance to train, it could be a long stay in Georgetown for the Kiwis, who do not play another game in the World Cup Super 8 until facing Ireland next Monday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith spoke this week about the difficulties of “keeping the intensity high in Guyana” before their next match against Bangladesh on Saturday.
And if the weather is still like that early next week, the fun will start. New Zealand and South Africa both expect to leave Guyana with points in the bag against the smaller sides. They could end up sharing them, making the permutations for the semi-finals available to spreadsheet experts only.
At least, as we found during South Africa’s interrupted match against Ireland, the drainage system at the new stadium keeps the delay between downpour ending and play starting to an impressive minimum.
As the puddles get deeper outside, Taylor and his team-mates have already broken into the stack of DVDs they bought in St Lucia at the start of the tournament. The 23-year-old is still waiting for the senior pros to relinquish Blood Diamond so he can watch it.
Bangladesh followed a similar itinerary – head to training ground, head back to hotel – although they managed to get a fitness session in the gym.
Coach Dav Whatmore, who had probably already had enough of fielding questions about the vacant position in India, begrudgingly gave a few minutes to the press (although he always gives his time, no matter how begrudgingly).
It went along the lines of, “I don’t know what you want to talk to me for – we haven’t got a game for four days.”
Your seasoned Guyana correspondent reckons they shouldn't be so downhearted.
Rather than huddling in his hotel and railing, I found a sheltered balcony in Georgetown’s premier sports bar, Windies, with a decent wi-fi connection and the England game on the telly. Rain? What rain?
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Somebody help me. I am so confused by anything written by Mr Gough. What exactly is the topic here? To think that 91ȱ actually hired him!
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He's a well known fool mate. His predictions last season had an all northern C&G Trophy Final. Obviously shown his research skills aswell.
I don't tend to read anything written by him.
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Hi Martin I really am enjoying your blog both the good and the bad. You are our newest celebrity it would seem. The more I read the more settled into Guyana u seem to be. And after the kind of rain we got today u barely even mentioned it....was so looking forward to your review of that.
This is one of out biggest holiday and party weekends. We have the Regatta, the Rodeo and the the Easter Kite flying on the Seawall. Try to catch at least one of those if you can. That'll give u some real Guyana flavour. By the way I saw lots of people telling you to have 10year old rum, lol.......try the el dorado 5 year, now that's a rum.
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The man's got a sense of humour.....a British one but he has one.......lol. Btw I really do love the Brit dry humour, but it takes getting used to.
Nice shot of the Windies Balcony, careful that Laptop doesn't get wet, or we may not see much more of this blog. I can see that was taken today. We are an amazing country dont let The city fool you. And we did come out in our numbers to support the Waste Indies (not a typo)
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If only the england captain and opener could have scored 3 runs we may have won
time to go i think
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Just a thought. I noticed that SriLanka bowled a five ball over in this game. The extra ball could have made the difference. Should the third umpire have noticed this and should the extra ball have been bowled at some time?????????
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Marty Marty... Another report on the weather. Let's blame this on global warming. I hope you are enjoying your stay in Guyana nevertheless. coulda warn you Guyana does make a lasting impression on visitors. Did you manage to try cook up rice, pepperpot or our roti and curry (Not like that watered down Jamaican stuff or oily Indian & Pakistani curry).
Anyway, how about that Bopara.. like the old saying "he went to the wicket a boy and came back a man". What a finish! Would have been snatching defeat from the jaws of victory for the Sri Lankans.
Now Marty, I know that the weather is a bother, especially since you are there for cricket, but hopefully the rain would stay away and you can enjoy some of the kite flying this weekend.
Annad is right on about the rodeo etc. Don't know why the administrators did not arrange for Rodeo, the Best Auto Racing in the Caribbean and the Bartica Regatta (speed boat racing). By the way, Auto racing in Guyana is more exciting than NASCAR. None of that round and round all day for 1 race.
Enjoy.
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Jack, You just have.
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Goughie, seems you've taken a bit of stick during your time in Guyana - don't let it phase you. Enjoying your blog and the discussion it has prompted. Bit disappointed in everyone taking things so seriously. You get criticised for saying it rains a lot - what are you supposed to do - lie? Some people are never happy unless they've got something, or someone, to gripe about.
Hope you've stuck some money on the Black Caps as at the moment they look like the only team who may be able to derail the Australian juggernaut.
Hope to see you in NZ next February.
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England should only play Zimbabwe,Ireland,Scotland,Holland at cricket and the same sides without Holland at football,waste of television time,rather watch a side with talent not a hyped up shameful excuse for a team.
How one can call it a valiant effort,what a load of old cobblers
England does one thing exceptionally well,plays bad and loses
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10 years from now, the only reporter Guyanese would remember from this WC is Martin Gough.
If I am Martin Gough, I'd take that as a compliment. Guyanese kid because they love.
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Enjoying the blog about your experiences in Guyana. As you said, you are now a seasoned Guyana correspondent.
I can't believe the South African captain, Graeme Smith used high intensity and Guyana in the same sentence. It doesn't make sense to me because he was talking about cricket rather than "sportin" (partying)
Breado, I think Marty should realize he is becoming one of us now. The nomination for Guyanese citizenship was a start, you calling him Marty was the next step. He seems to have found the good liming spots in GT. Most likely he has had some of the local fare. In short, he is ready.
Anand, if the rain keeps falling Marty might not get to see any kites flying.
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In answer to #1, I believe this is a blog, and therefore doesn't really need a point, although in this case, it appears to be about maintaining focus and fitness over a long tournament.
And inevitably if you're writing a daily blog, you're limited as to what you can cover Alternatively Martin could give us a once a week update, and all the 'that's my licence fee paying for your holiday' brigade would be out in force complaining about value for money.
He can't win, so my suggestion is that if you don't particularly like the style or content of his writing, you exercise your right to do something more constructive with that 5 minutes each day.
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Come on Martin, I put "I don't tend". Let us be fair here.
I didn't even notice your name until somebody had mentioned you at the bottom.
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In the last over of Sri lankans innnings, I knew that the 3 extras that Sajid bowled were going to be costly, 2 wides and that stupid no ball, He bowled well yesterday, but as his control is somtimes a little bit off, wouldnt Jimmy Boy be better off with the last overs?
But much better show from England, fielding good, 80% of batting good, get Strauss in at the top and on Sunday make that arrogant idiot Aussie McGrath eat his words........come on England..
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Re: Ian Bell's dismissal last night against Sri Lanka. As the reports all acknowledge, his bat 'bounced' in the crease. This means that he grounded his bat after the ball was struck and before the fielder touched the ball and the ball subsequently hit the stumps, even though it was not grounded at the point the ball hit the stumps. My point is that, extending this situation, if a batsman completed a run and was safely in his crease, and then jumped to avoid a thrown ball which then hit the stumps while he was in the air, would he be given out?
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Has someone kidnapped Liam Plunkett, or is he injured? I cannot believe that England has played without him in recent games. If they hope to beat the Aussies they must take early wickets. If Ponting, Hayden and Gilchrist get an early start the Aussies will score 300 plus and we cant score that many. Liam Plunkett is vital to get the early wickets as he did in Australia earlier this year.
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Jack - surely you realised who wrote it by the utter tripe that you were reading?
i know many bbc "journalists" are bad but this guy takes the biscuit. i just read his stuff co i can add it to the dossier i have compiled on martin goughs sh*ttering career
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Manfred
In your later example, the person jumping to avoid the throw would be deemed not out because he is taking evasive action. Bell was certainly not doing so. In his case, once he had grounded his bat it had to remain grounded for him to be immune to being run out. Some people think once you have grounded your bat once, you are "safe" but this is not baseball!
Brian
Liam is fit and well and hoping to play again. He is writing occasional blogs for this very site. (Click on the right hand link).
Donald
Please remember that England won the tri-nations series in Australia in February! That was a tremendous achievement, and should not be forgotten.
Sean
Not so sure about how the Black Caps will get on against the Sri Lankan bowlers, old timer!
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I would like to say, the Bangladesh team is young side and will be good in the future, but the Captain should do the right thing and step down, his record as a batsman is very bad, and he should be left out of the team, give a younger player a chance, as he is no role model when it comes to batting or fielding for the younger player, he himself could learn form them.
I see no point of having a captain who is such a bad example.
I would also like to say well done to the young players and this is and will a good learning curve.
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Marty,
Any plans to party withthe Duke of York. Is he staying at the Peg or at Buddy's motel... i mean Int. Hotel?
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Marty,
Any plans to party withthe Duke of York. Is he staying at the Peg or at Buddy's motel... i mean Int. Hotel?
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Jack Byrne wrote: "He's a well known fool mate. His predictions last season had an all northern C&G Trophy Final. Obviously shown his research skills aswell.
I don't tend to read anything written by him."
>>> Not so fast, Jack me lad. Blimey ... take your frosty remarks elsewhere. We won't allow anyone to pick on [OUR] Guyanese fave: 91ȱ's own "Martin Gough" he's the main man whom we locals have come to embrace, despite a rocky start! MO "Breado" one of Sir Martin's biggest fan would like to have a word with you. Meet him outside the stadium! ; o ) Yes Maan!
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