Sunday, March 18, 2007

Bats out of Hell in Jamaica

What a surreal experience I had on Saturday night - and I don't mean the magic leprechauns inside my head jumping up and telling me to down another pint of porter at the end of the rainbow.

I never thought I’d spend St Patrick’s night in an Irish pub in London with the punters fixated on a cricket match in the West Indies! Even weirder is the fact that Ireland won against a major test-playing side - in a rare sporting event where tricolours and red hand of Ulster flags were waved by people supporting the same team. Has to be a good sign! I can imagine the headlines: "Pakistan knocked out by Paddystan on Paddy's Day". I've never been a big cricket fan, but have to admit I enjoyed this match. There's still time for me to be converted.

5 comments:

Lady Fotherington-Smethers said...

Yes, I thought the cricket was watchable for once!! Wonder if there are any Irish theme pubs in Pakistan - or Pakistani theme pubs in Ireland??

Antonio from Italy said...

Not to mention that Ireland won against Italy in a rugby match in Rome during St Patrick's Day :-)

CW said...

Indeed Antonio, but it still wasn't enough for Ireland to win the 6 Nations. Italy played well though and had a good tournament overall, so I think there's a bright future ahead for Italian rugby.

Liam G said...

If you think that it doesn't get weirder check out the letters page of today's Irish Times www.ireland.com/newspaper/letters/2007/0321/index.html#1173880660417

I've never heard a cricket match described in quite those terms before:-)

CW said...

Very odd indeed, Liam. I've reproduced the full text below for the benefit of readers. It's like something you'd hear on "It ain't half hot mum":

Madam, - I am a blue-blooded Pakistani with a lot of love of your countrymen. I lived with an Irish in New York and also had the pleasure of being another Irish's room-mate in Washington. You deserved every bit of the victory in Jamaica. You played for the love of the game and the love of your country. I would gladly have the behind of my country brutalised by the Irish any day. Perhaps this way some of your qualities can rub off them. - Yours, etc,

ISFANDYAR KHAN, Islamabad, Pakistan.