Wansteadium

Last week we reported on the start of the tour of Jamaica by Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club, in aid of the Courtney Walsh foundation. The tour has now finished, but not without the team ending up in prison.

Club captain Arfan Akram reports:

“Monday 18th was one of the most amazing experiences for the group as the morning was spent at the Bob Marley Museum which was then followed by playing a cricket match against the prison inmates at Tower Street Prison, in one of the most dangerous prisons in the world. There were a few hundred inmates watching and the whole experience started anxiously but ended with much mutual respect between the inmates, guards and members of W&SCC. The Inmates batted first in a cage cricket match in a 15 overs affair match. The prisoners scored 187, with opener Mr. Linton scoring a mammoth 140*. The Herons were never really in it, and eventually lost by 30 runs. Some say losing was the safest way of escaping alive.”

A couple of days later, during which the team faced the bowling of Walsh himself, they headed for a T20 game in Negril. Akram continues:

“In typical Jamaican style, we arrived at 10.45am thinking the match would start at 11am, to be told that we were to have lunch before the match and the match will start at 1pm. So we went to [a] beautiful beach restaurant, Jack Sprats, and had lunch. We were also not told that current West Indian cricketers Jerome Taylor and Darren Powell were playing and opening the bowler, oh and also the match was being recorded for the National News. It’s fair to say we came second in a two horse race. The Treasure Beach Pirates scored 160 for 8 with Fayyaz Khan the pick of the bowlers getting both Jerome Taylor (stumped Jay Williams) and Darren Powell (caught first ball) out. Both dismissals were shown on National News TV. The Herons sadly didn’t bat as well, eventually all out for 72. However the hospitality and amazing location was definitely worth the visit.”

He added:

“The tour to Jamaica has been one of the greatest experiences, not many people can say they have played a game of cricket against prisoners in one of the most dangerous prisons in the world, let alone sit and talk to the inmates. This tour really could not have happened without the support of Michael Finlay from Ark Build Plc and Courtney Walsh. The Courtney Walsh Foundation really does go direct in to the community and work tirelessly giving positive change to those that feel have been forgotten in society.”

Courtney Walsh said: “I have visited Wanstead & Snaresbrook CC a few times in recent years including two amazing fund raising dinners and having had first hand experience of watching the amazing work they do in the local community gave me so much delight knowing they will be supporting the Foundation. I am now even more delighted that all 26 touring members have had an incredible time. Having spoke to most of the team, it really does please me that they have had such an incredible experience whilst in Jamaica. For me they are not the only ones who will have lasting memories, they touched so many hearts of those less priviliged in Jamaica these young people will never forget the visit. Already the visit has given me much motivation to continue the great work the Foundation does. I genuinly thank all the tourists and all the partners that have made the tour happen, we at the Courtney Walsh Foundation are honoured and touched and I hope our relationship continues for many years ahead.”

Wansteadium reader Marian Temple (whose gardening exploits we covered here) writes:

This must be the best kept secret though why anyone would want to keep it secret is beyond me. DID YOU KNOW that our local Odeon cinema now shows all sorts of interesting stuff live from the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and the Royal Ballet? Phew!

Ticket prices range from £10 to £20ish, a fraction of the price you’d have to pay to be there at the theatre, not to mention the air fare to New York.
On the Menu until June are
Royal Opera House
Mon 29 April 19.15 Nabucco
Mon 27 May 18.45 La Donna Del Lago
Mon 24 June 19.15 Gloriana – Benjamin Britton
Royal Ballet
Thurs 28 March 19.15 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The National Theatre
Thurs 23 March 19.00 Alan Bennet’s “People”
Thurs 16 May 10.00 “This House”
New York Met Opera House
Sat 2 March 17.00 Wagna’s “Parsifal (whoops! A long one 5hrs 40 mins – take your sandwiches)
Sat 16 March 16.00 Francesca Da Rimini
Sat 27 April 17.00 Handel’s GiulioCesare (Julius Caesar to you andme)

Live does mean live so you are sharing the experience with people sitting in cinemas all over the world with the added bonus that if somebody faints on stage, you’re going to see it. On second thoughts, maybe that’s not a bonus. A definite bonus though is that you have a chance to see stuff that’s booked up till the end of the run like Alan Bennet’s play “People”. The other thing is that you get so much more than just the performance.

I don’t know a lot about opera and I’ve always been put off by the price. Local live broadcast gives me a chance to sample more. I was especially interested in operas I’d never heard of. So it was that I went to see Maria Stuarda which turns out to be by Donazetti a vaguely familiar name.

Maria Stuarda is Italian for Mary Stewart, Mary Queen of Scots and the opera was based on the tussle between her and Queen Elizabeth the First. With such characters, the drama’s guaranteed. I was given with my ticket a sheet of info. with the plot and what happens in each scene so I was fine with that. The opera was in Italian but with subtitles so that was ok too. We started with an interview with the director. Then had a look to see the orchestra tuning up in the orchestra pit. There was a brief and enlightening conversation with the costume designer. Then the opera began. Wonderful music, soaring voices, fabulous stage sets, I was hooked! During the interval, there were more interviews with the main singers (you’d think they’d need a rest!)

All of this, SO interesting, giving you a real feeling for how the production had been put together. It was a wonderful experience for me and one that I shared with eleven other people. That’s right, there were just twelve of us in the cinema to see such a wonderful performance. Now why would the audience be so thin? It might just be because the publicity the Odeon is putting out for these live broadcasts is pretty thin. I think it is on their website but not very easy to find (you have to fight your way through popcorn offers first). How sad for our community if we missed out on having such world class productions just a short bus ride away for the lack of publicity. If we don’t use it, we’re likely to lose it. We must let the Odeon know
that we really do want this stuff. Their telephone no for booking is 0781 2244 007.

Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club has embarked on a tour of Jamaica which has led it from training with youngsters, playing under the gaze of Test match umpire Steve Bucknor, and a maximum security prison.

The tour, which is in support of the Courtney Walsh foundation, has so far seen not much cricketing luck, with the first three games being won by the home teams. But there’s been plenty else going in. Captain Arfan Akram writes: “En route to the airport the Coach Driver managed to get the team through security at the National Cricket Stadium ‘Sabina Park’ and the head grounds man ‘Mr Charles’ was only welcoming for the team to walk the sacred pitch that had the greatest cricketers the world have seen show off their skills.

“Friday was the Tourist Day. Juliet Gordon from Ye Old Jamaica Tourism picked the group up at 7.30am to start our venture to “Appleton Rum Factory”. Having learned how all 5 brands of the Appleton Rum range was created from sugar cane to bottles on our shelves the group then moved to YS Falls to experience the natural beauty. After the lunch the group were entertained on a boat at the swamps of the Black River Safari, an interesting experience watching a crocodile less than a metre to you and in the wild. The team then spent the evening mingling at the Wyndham Hotel with former England Cricketers Devon Malcolm, Phil Defreitas and John Lever who were all in Kingston representing “The House of Commons/Lords XI” for a short tour.”

Today, Monday, the team will visit the Bob Marley Museum followed by an afternoon match against Tower Street Prison against the prison inmates inside one of the most dangerous and high security prisons in the world. The match will have more than 1,000 prisoners watching and eight snipers patrolling and looking after the team. Since the Courtney Walsh Foundation includes a young offenders project, the players and coaches will get the opportunities to talk to the prisoners and help with their rehab.

Wansteadium will bring further reports from the tour.

© Geoff Wilkinson who writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “I was sitting in the car last week with the rain beating down. I noticed the effect the approaching car headlights were making on the windscreen. With the raindrops in focus it looked like a good picture possibility to me. So here it is.”