Festival Game 3 v West Coast Rollers

Friday March 27, 2015

The third and final game was against the West Coast Rollers, a lively bunch of lads who enjoy their cricket nearly as much as our boys do.

I arrived at the game after the Township tour just in time to see Gibbo batting for the last time….and running.

and playing on!

Don't need these any more.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak……knees that have only just held out, finally breaking down.

Here’s Graham, our one handed bandit. He’s the player who broke his finger before he left home; he’s played all 4 games one-handed and not done too badly!

Bowling again.

Tricked another batsman with a googly.

Ouch, shouldn’t have run so far….or so fast….or not at all.

This is the one thing you never want to see waddling across a cricket field – a DUCK……

Game over; tour over. Dissecting with Wayne.

While the paella cooked we finished off the last of the wagyu biltong.

The organisers provided Personality of the Day medals for each team to present to a member of the opposing team at the end of each day’s play. Gibbo won for today’s game.

Personal tally of 33 runs and 1 wicket and 3,000 beers.

The teams swapped mementos – the Rollers gave the boys a cap each; the boys gave the Rollers a QCC pin.

The paella was delicious, the drinks were cold, the fines were funny and the night was a great one. We finally all wandered across the field like browns cows, heading for the bus and back to the hotel, tired but happy – no waiting for a Frank or Julian tonight; it was just Team QCC on the bus. We all ended up in the drawing room having drinks and coffee on our second last night together. No-one wanted to go to bed. One more night after this and we’d split 4 different ways and head off to other places.

Langa Township

Friday March 27, 2015

Friday morning I went on a tour to Langa, one of 15 townships just outside Capetown. On the way we stopped at District 6 Museum for a short history lesson.

Sheep heads; they're called "smileys" because as they dry out the cheeks contract - and they smile.

Beer brewed from sorghum/maize. It was very frothy.

A supermarket.

We went inside a few houses and met some men living in a hostel.

Laundry day.

The little guy on the left was saying "cheese". The children were extremely well behaved; no-one moved off their chair.

Local hairdresser.

Local chemist.

On the way out our guide took us to one of the oldest areas in the township. I've only ever seen glimpses of township living on tv, usually in a news grab. In reality, it's sobering stuff.