To any who may have missed the process of a wonderful cricket tour to Sri Lanka and have a few seconds - check out the following. Day 17 - The Last Post. Sorry for the delay, but the night turned into day And a voyage of discovery blurred into recovery. One Warm September This final missive goes out to the team Whose faith and good heartedness realised this dream Sixteen fine fellows of the cricketing sort Who travelled for hours without second thought They were up for adventure, they were up for a laugh They were up for Sri Lanka no matter how tough In conditions so foreign from the heat to the tongue When a five over stint would burn at the lungs This team from the Bay from all circumstances Came to learn from the locals, their stances, their glances It was a team full of talent who had to face The fact we learn more when were in second place So many challenges did these sixteen lads heed The diet, the water, the spinners to read All gave us a chance to think about who we are When compared with these people from lands afar Who despite having nothing shared all that they had To play a shared passion with bats, balls and pads And as we travelled together in our THO bus We discovered these people were just like us They loved a good game and respected it too They played hard from the first ball but when it was through They enjoyed a smile and a handshake, an ice cold Fanta A quip all in jest and their own form of banter They played for the pride of their Colleges crest In some of our games the Districts best Played together in unity for a common cause For this game of cricket was opening doors It was a game of opportunity, a game of chance A hope to have their familys lives enhanced To play for their school first and then their nation Was the focus of their own determination And against this our sixteen boys were always in awe And we asked ourselves, what were We playing for? The answer again was that we were the same For mates, school and nation we played this game So they played through the tough times, they played through the heat. When the air drained their spirits and with dragging of feet The bowler would turn at the top of his mark And fling himself pitchwards and the boys would remark Cmon lads, were still here and theyd stalk in again For this ball held the hopes of a wicket and then We would all jump for joy in a moment of heaven And suddenly then it was over for this First Eleven We left the grounds, looked around and then boarded a plane We tried sleeping sitting up no matter the pain We watched listened and ate our way back to NZ With a common ambition to hit our own bed And as we awoke it seemed not quite real This sixteen day adventure that really did feel Like a stranger had lived it, and loved it, a dream For these sixteen good lads in this great cricket team But in days months and years, way down the track When our lives allow us the time to look back We will realize that yes, that was us in that place. The cricket, the people, the odd Tuktuk race And well remind ourselves that we travelled so far To come to understand in others who we ourselves are And that differences fade quickly when you come face to face With the beautiful people of that beautiful place So thank you Sri Lanka, thank you Ben, Push and Shove*, Thanks for your care, your laughter and love We will never forget you, we will always remember The dream tour we had one warm September * These three gents were our guide, driver and packer during the trip which was largely organized by their employer Total Holiday Options. This post was created by Matt Kidd, who after due consideration and out of respect for the players, the traveling parents and the supportive parents at home, shaved of his moustache. A huge vote of thanks also goes to Mr Kirk Doyle, whose good humour, enthusiasm and outright good blokeness was a cornerstone of this tour. See you in three years time Sri Lanka.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 21:49:39 +0000