CRICKET – The Reza Hygiene Bahrain Awali Camels, also sponsored by Bahrain Rugby Football Club, are on the road again, and this time it is a big one.
Thirty years ago in 1995, an intrepid group of 12 Awali cricketers set forth on their first-ever international tour. The venue was South Wales.
Pentyrch and Old Monktonians CC were the first-ever opposition, and despite a superb innings of 80 by Chris Ranganathan, the Camels lost. They then drew with a mighty Bridgend XI, and won their first game at Tondu CC, where veteran medium-pacer Steve Turner famously bowled 15 overs unchanged uphill to stifle the home team’s run-chase.
All of this was a long time in the past. Three decades later, the Camels are returning to where it all began – in South Wales with several of the original tourists.
‘Trundler’ Turner, ‘GP’ Guy Parker, and Keith ‘Gulleyman’ Veryard will all be donning their Camels shirts, while appearances by Mark Seaman and Akhtar Hussain are eagerly expected.
Over the 30 years of touring all over Wales, England, and Ireland – not to mention one epic tour to Brazil – well over a hundred players, all Awali or ex-Awali cricketers, have turned out for the Camels. With a team average age of 57, the squad will need plenty of stamina for the six-day, six match itinerary.
Doughty left-hander Huw Caffrey has the honour of captaining the first game at the county ground of Pontypridd on Sunday.
The captaincy will then be passed on to Charles Forward for the big return game to Pentyrch, where Forward famously scored a chanceless century in the last encounter.
Camels will need to be at their best to beat Tondu CC, where the locals have sworn to repeat their rare victory the last time the Camel train passed through.
The fourth match is at Barry Island, where the Camels might dream of a visit from Gavin and Stacy while taking on a Barry West End XI determined to avenge the narrow loss in their only meeting to date.
On Thursday next week, the Camels travel to Hopkinstown – a new venue where they can expect a warm ‘Valleys’ welcome.
The last fixture sees the Camels return to Cowbridge to face the Panthers Women’s XI. The hardball outfit don’t care a hoot for the Camels’ daunting reputation as a team that rarely loses and has never lost a final tour match in 30 years.
After five gruelling games in five days, the Camels survivors will have to summon up all their remaining strength and be ‘Reza’ sharp.
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