A West Indies player Alick Athanaze’s cover drive broke through the gap between the boundary boards and a young boy took the ball from behind them. He threw the ball back onto the field and his friends surrounded him with hugs and cheers as if he had just made the game-winning catch. There may not be a lot of sunshine at Beckenham County Cricket Ground, but it’s warm.
The West Indies’ first and only warm-up match of their tour of England attracted an excited crowd and their batsmen clearly enjoyed the atmosphere as they played against a first-class County Select XI Scored 339 runs in the latter, who went into nearly 15 games without conceding a run. Amid a hectic schedule, the three-day match serves as important batting practice for the visitors ahead of the opening Test against England at Lord’s next Wednesday.
While skipper Kraigg Brathwaite missed the chance – he lasted just eight balls before pushing Josh Turner for four – Attana Athanaze, Kirk McKenzie and Kavem Hodge all had runs as he took 112 off 128 balls before leading off with a short ball. John Turner’s ball.
Meanwhile, Mikyle Louis, with a half-century of 63 goals to his name, may well have found his way into the vacant spot opposite Brathwaite. That included 16 points (four and two sixes) in a game from Josh Hull, with the 23-year-old set to become the first if Lewis does make his debut at Lord’s. Test player from St. Kitts.
But the value of this game goes beyond just the chance to adapt to British surroundings. It is also a carefully curated opportunity to re-engage the traditionally cricket-loving Caribbean community in south-east London. Asher Roberts, Kent development officer after coaching Catford and Cyphers CC, has been planning the West Indies rally for the past six months. “Everything now points to a demand for cricket in the south-east and in London itself,” he said.
The view from the folding chairs on the border suggested he was right. 800 tickets were sold on the first day, and after a gust of cold wind and scattered showers, the stands and coffee cart lines began to fill up. A lone air horn greeted Athanaze as he smashed 50 off 68 balls (he ended up getting out for 74 in a sweep). There were whistles, cheers and a raucous atmosphere of goodwill as Hodge danced around the pitch, hitting spinner Farhan Ahmed for a six and hitting a century.
Near the pavilion, Glenroy and Fitzroy attract visitors through their cricket WhatsApp group. “We know the T20 players but not many of them,” Glenroy said. “The situation in England was going to be bad for them. But then, they played them in Australia and they drew…”
Fitzroy was impressed by McKenzie, who played only three Test matches as West Indies’ number three. Scoop responded and took cover on the next delivery.
From the stands, Mercia Campbell watched with her adult children as Athanaze and Hodge put on a 138-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Ignoring cricket was never an option at their home in south London – fanatic Mercia flew in from Ireland for the tournament – and her daughter Caitlin still believes cricket holds a special place in the Caribbean diaspora .
“It brings West Indians together outside of their homeland,” Caitlin said. “There’s such a community here, so passionate and everyone talks to each other.” While her brother Joseph frets about the demise of Test cricket, Caitlin thinks the franchise’s atmosphere can help the sport connect with its Caribbean roots Reconnect. “I’ve been to a few games and it’s been crazy, it’s like the most amazing party ever. Someone like Chris Gayle is a huge star, not just outside of cricket .We need this here. Make cricket sexy again!
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Former Jamaican player Simon Jackson, who has coached in this part of England for the past eight years, said he had seen a positive shift towards the sport. “Now, with initiatives like the ACE Project charity and what Asher and others are doing, cricket is back in the community and there’s some buzz. Having a strong West Indies team here wouldn’t be a big deal. The Bad – If this summer keeps up, I think it will get bigger and stronger.
Beckenham, while missing out on the opportunity to become a first-tier venue for the women’s game, is still a site with plenty of potential – Kent is keen to become a major cricket center in a high-density catchment area.
On Thursday, 600 primary school children will be in the auditorium, with more than a thousand tickets sold for the final day of competition, where entertainment will include a steel band and dance troupe.
Meanwhile, Joseph Campbell is excited to watch his team play in his hometown. “I’m still not convinced West Indies will play at Beckenham,” he said. “I thought if I couldn’t go to the West Indies, the West Indies would come to me.”
