Chugging out of the Ankara, we passed the turn-off for Bilkent University, the nursery of cricket in Turkey. Syed Mahmud, a professor of economics at the university, has worked day and night to get us where we are and all the team were delighted to see him arrive at the Ulusoy bus station. Travelling to Corfu without the architect of Turkish cricket would have been just wrong. Thanks to Bilkent for giving him the time off. And to the Greek Embassy in Ankara for all their help with visas.
There was still more good news, in the form of Hunain Durrani, who arrived ready to join the team. His place had been approved at the last minute by the ICC, because of a report written by the mighty Clive Lloyd! We are touched by greatness. Thanks Clive.
Syed Mahmud, Turk Kriketin Babasi, stands by our kit bags in Ankara. Thanks to www.bmak.com.tr for their support.Thanks are also due to the university for the support they've given the entire team. The beautiful grass of the football pitch has been given over to cricket almost all summer and the groundsmen have helped us roll and cut what is becoming a very playable wicket. Many thanks to Director of Sports Hayri Ozkan for his dedicated backing.
And now we're off for Istanbul, where we have players, supporters, sponsors and friends but sadly no ground. The Istanbul team in our league, Desi of Istanbul, has to make the five-hour journey to Bilkent in Ankara in order to compete. One of the next stages in developing cricket in Turkey has to be finding a pitch we can use in Istanbul. So if any of the 11 million residents of that metropolis is reading this and knows of a nice, open, flat stretch of grass, please get in touch.
Here we go
Steve and Capt. Joanathan as the lovely Dilara comes out to wish us good luck.
ne iş becermişsiniz? bütün yaşlıları götürmüşsünüz , şaşırdım wallah böyle bir takıma
ReplyDeleteYou must have a great holiday. Next time you can avail affordable Cricket Supporters Tours it would be better.
ReplyDelete