It seems like only yesterday that the Kensington Oval was alive to the sound of the “Fields of Athenry” and the Kensington stand was hiving with leprechauns and green shirts as the Ireland team played the game of their lives against Bangladesh. It was surely the second best day in Irish cricket’s climb up the international cricketing ladder, and only surpassed by an equally unforgettable sensational result against Pakistan a short time earlier.
The Ireland supporters captivated the Caribbean on their 2007 World Cup fairytale ride and sitting at the Oval today watching the England batsmen take full advantage of a beautiful batting track, highlighted what we have and other teams don’t. The England team certainly brought big support to the Oval and the perimeter of the ground was adorned with a motley array of England flags with football teams named thereon, but what a dull lot when it comes to entertainment on the terraces. No passion, no singing, no dancing, no conga line, and as for the party stand, it looked like a morgue for most of the day, that is until the beers got into a few of the fans. Even then an attempted Mexican wave and the Barmy Army theme song never got off the ground. The only excitement came from a few scantily-clad Virgin Atlantic and Digicel promotion girls. Where is Roy Torrens when you need him?
The cricket was good, and it doesn’t get much better for the Poms when their new captain wins the toss and then hits a century with a mighty six over the Kensington Stand. Yes, that brought the fans to their feet, as did Monty Panesar carrying drinks out to his tiring openers, but what has happened to the Barmy Army these days? There was a time when the Army provided lots of entertainment at the Oval, matched only by calypsonian Macfingall and a bevy of Caribbean ‘musicians’ of every shape, size and tone. It made the Oval a cauldron of noise and frenzy, but in the modern arena with its wide expansive spaces and broader ambience, much of the old atmosphere has gone. We still have a few Barbadian musicians in the Kensington Stand, but nothing like the condensed atmosphere of the old Oval.
But don’t blame the ground! It’s the fans.
If anything theIreland fans showed world cricket how to enjoy the game on the terraces, with or without the ‘Black stuff.” They were a great advertisement for the sport and cricket needs more and more of it to bring the fans back, and make every match a fun day out.
The first day of the Kensington Oval test match did have an Irish presence as former Eglinton professional Henderson Wallace was a member of the radio commentary team and ‘spotted’ former Bready stalwart Leslie Jack in the Hall and Griffith Stand. Hendy’s eyesight is obviously still good, but I’m convinced he had some inside knowledge on that one!
The day was also Sir Everton Weekes’s 84th birthday and during the day former Belfast Telegraph sports editor and the doyen of football journalists, Malcolm Brodie, was trying to contact him to convey best wishes from Belfast, and all his many friends in Northern Ireland. Malcolm and Sir Everton are good friends, and isn’t it great that these two seasoned sporting legends still take the time to enjoy each other’s milestones?
During the lunch interval Sir Everton was honoured alongside a small number of other West Indian Cricket Greats for his deserved inclusion into cricket’s Hall of Fame. It was a nostalgic occasion on a ground that has seen some wonderful cricket from the world’s best players for over 100 years.
And there were plenty of cricket celebs everywhere as the West Indies versusEngland test match at the Oval attracts many of the former superstars of both teams.
Botham, Boycott, Gower, Hussein, Atherton, Greenidge, Garner, Richards, Sobers, Weekes, Haynes, et al.
What a pity they don’t have a Blarney Army on the terraces to make it even better!
Clarence Hiles
Editor from a sunnyKensington Oval, Barbados.
Thursday 26 February 2009
