Faith in Humanity

Some of the cricket kit Project Front Foot have provided for refugee teams in Normandy

This week, a van from Project Front Foot arrived in Caen and mes’ garage was filled by loads of cricket kit, equipment and clothing, for the refugee cricket teams in Caen and Avranches: bats, pads, gloves, helmets, boxes, lots of cricket clothing including cable-knit sweaters, all donated by various bodies and people in the UK. There are even some junior/Kwik Cricket bats and other bits and pieces.

It all arrived on Thursday and this morning mes and Julia, the social worker for the refugees, have gone through it all, making inventories and dividing it into two equal parts for the two groups.

They are keeping back some extra-warm stuff for refugees who arrive this coming winter and also a bag full of brand new tops which will be prizes in the cricket tournament they’re going to be organising this summer.

Mes and Julia with just some of the kit
This photo is from Thursday evening, before everything was sorted through

Today, the kit began to be distributed. If you want to see what a happy refugee looks like, see the next photograph.

With all the shit going on all over, and my faith in humanity being sorely tested, this story has kept me together in recent times and I have the utmost respect for everyone involved, from mes and Julia to the donors in the UK, the players in Normandy and elsewhere, but especially for Front Foot Forward, who have been doing this stuff for fifteen years.

They started off in the slums of Mumbai (or Bombay, as Ravi would have said) and this next picture is of them doing just that:

This is their website. Please do look at it:

https://projectfrontfoot.org

You can also get more up to the minute news on their Facebook page (if you can face Facebook). It’s https://www.facebook.com/projectfrontfoot

I’ll either post more photos up here or below the line. I want to get this out now, so will not fiddle around any more.

394 thoughts on “Faith in Humanity”

  1. Live cricket from Sophia Gardens. Cardiff UCCE made 206 all out, four wickets for Jamie McIlroy, two for Mason Crane and two for Zain ul Hassan. Cardiff UCCE’s top scorer was Asa Tribe, who’s just turned twenty and is from Jersey. He’s now part of Glamorgan’s first team squad.

    Disregard the image below. It is today’s match, not the bore draw against Yorkshire back in September.

    Billy Root’s opening, and Ingram’s playing, as is Newport and Ireland’s Will Smale.

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  3. A fascinating Ronde van Vlaanderen today (though not greatly exciting). It occurs to me that Mathieu van der Poel is the Shane Warne of cycling. Not as a player, but as a commentator, when Warne was always talking about risking losing to win. MvdP just goes for it whenever the opportunity presents itself (and has a team devoted to his goals): today from 45kms out, last week from even further. Then it’s up to the other riders to do something about you, rather than vice versa.

    Tadej Pogačar is the same, and Wout van Aert could be if he changed teams (though he’s currently injured). That’s why we’re experiencing a golden age of cycling.

    (Apologies to non-cycling fans)

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    1. Earlier in the race, I thought van der Poel looked a bit heavy legged when people were attacking on the climbs and he seemed to be struggling to follow. The commentators made the same point. But I was completely wrong, and he was just letting the other riders either waste their energy (Pedersen), or chase down breaks on his behalf (Jorgenson).

      VdP has said that he now makes up his mind to attack when the opportunity presents itself and trusts himself whatever the outcome having regretted not doing so in the past.

      You’re right that it wasn’t exciting, but sometimes you just have to admire someone at the top of their game.

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    2. The women’s race was more exciting, although the final result was a little predictable once it was certain the three leaders would stay away. There’s no way Niewiadoma was ever going to beat Longo Borghini in a sprint.

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      1. I was watching on the France TV website which had no commentary. A new experience but a very agreeable one! The noise of the crowd on the Oude Kwaremont was hair-raising, and the chaos on the Koppenberg was amazing. Didn’t have time to hang around for the women’s race but feel so bad for Niewiadoma – so often the bridesmaid.

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        1. The women seemed to negotiate the Koppenberg rather better than the men – only Kopecky of the favourites had to get off and walk, whereas in the men’s race, apart from van der Poel, Jorgenson and Pedersen, most of the rest of the riders slipped and slid to a halt and had to continue up the steepest section on foot.

          Niewiadoma is unfortunately handicapped by her total inability to sprint. The commentators were remarking on her not having won a (road) race since 2019, but having finished on the podium many times since. At least she didn’t collapse over the line in tears as she did when finishing fourth at Strada Bianchi.

          Unfortunately, on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, van der Poel was audibly booed by a small section of the Belgian crowd, much as happened at the cyclo-cross races in the winter. And there was also some liquid thrown at him – hopefully beer and not the other yellow liquid which has been used in the past.

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  4. I see that today is 1 April. My current employer has obviously decided to milk the occasion:

    https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-holorider/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=01APR24%20-%20Ribble%20HoloRider&utm_term=Geo%20-%20UK%20Only

    That’s the last of the cycling comments.

    On a more relevant note, the county championship starts on Friday and Lancashire are at home to Surrey. From this week, I’ll only be working Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays as I wind down my working life, so will in theory be free to attend. Having looked at the weather forecast for Friday – 10-12 degrees, frequent showers, winds gusting to 30mph – I think that’s unlikely. However, it will be a tempting option in the months to come. I need to look at the fixture list and start planning.

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        1. Have you not heard of ‘cakeism’? Or read the Daily Mail comments sections?* Everything is <b>still</b> the fault of Brussels.

          *I would feel very sorry for you if you had.

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      2. I hope the weather in Belgium will have improved by then. It looked pretty wet and miserable in Flanders yesterday. Although probably nothing that a big plate of Waterzooi and a Trappiste can’t remedy.

        But I think you might have dodged a bullet by not being at Old Trafford, shivering in the stands or dodging the rain in the labyrinth of passages underneath. At least, that’s my experience of the place in poor weather.

        One time, after about half an hour’s play and after a first inspection had been put back for the second or third time, I took a tram back into Manchester for 3 or 4 hours before heading back when I was reasonably confident that play would restart. I think I saw about 2 hours’ play in total. Not an experience I’d like to repeat.

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        1. yes, I made the decision to accept the gig when the long range forecast for OT was abysmal. I wouldn’t be that surprised if the whole 4 days were rained off.

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          1. Of course, the Met Office forecast is now looking better by the hour and it looks like we might have a warm, sunny start to the season whilst I have to get to Manchester airport at 4am.

            FML.

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      1. Indirectly, Marvin Gaye is one of the reasons I post more often BTL.

        I saw this comment about best songs about the London Underground, and laughed so much, I started to get engaged on the BTL chat. I’d had the mesnilman account for a few years, but only really to like, and say ‘yes’ on political stuff. This comment got me to see more possibilities.

        https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/jan/09/london-underground-best-songs#comment-20490539

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  6. We are 14/16 in D1 of the H2H fantasy league.

    I have a D2, and a D3 ready, but if you want to square up to Andy Bull and Rob Smyth, this is the last shout before I open it up on The G pre-season Lancs jinx-up…

    CricketXI code WUEUHKQK

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  10. Following on from earlier correspondence about linseed oil, I have spent a happy Bank Holiday refurbishing my 28 year old son’s Newbery Kudos2 cricket bat. Removal of toe guard and face sheet followed by using a sharp blade to scrape off tacky residues, with coarse sandpapering of the toe and finer for front, edges and back. Couple of thin coats of linseed oil (turns out I quite like the smell in the afternoon as well as morning). Then glueing new toe guard, cut to size and shape, followed by attaching new face sheet with reinforced edging and tape for a secure fit. So far so good, but then this morning I foolishly decided to replace the old grips without the cone that son forgot to drop off with his bat, instead using the old plastic bag trick I previously discovered on YouTube and had successfully deployed in past. Utter shambles this time, requiring desperate remedial measures to get the rather abrasive spiral grip in right place. Thumbs, fingers and palms are wrecked and I appear to have lost my fingerprints! I’d say never again but tbh it’s the high water mark of my otherwise entirely vicarious pleasure in following cricket these days …

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  13. Attention those in Scotland!

    Free event in Glasgow on 24 April

    Featuring Curtley and Richie performing with their band, Spirited.

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  15. This makes for sad reading. When the question of leaving New Road came up earlier in the year I was quite dismissive of it, but seven floods in one winter is unsustainable. I still don’t know where a new ground might be, given that it would I think have to be at Worcester, and my very big concern is that trying to find the money for a new ground might do for the club entirely (ie we might go bust). Not the happiest way to welcome the new season.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/68723665

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    1. Very sad indeed. My youngest son’s partner started at Worcester CCC’s New Road Aquatic Centre on Wednesday, sitting in the same office as Ashley Giles, and overheard some of the Earnest discussion surrounding that briefing.

      Apparently the groundstaff operate on a minimum nine week period from last flood clearing to the ground being fit for play, and with the latest incursion over the Easter weekend that implies they might just be ready in time for the start of the T20 fixtures, which are obviously important for revenue … assuming no further floods.

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      1. If it came to it this season, I would like to think that either, or both, of Glammy and The Bears would lend their grounds to Worcestershire, and allow them to play home T20s there.

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  17. Attention those in the north east!

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  20. Not mentioned in the ‘G’s 5 to look out for, but a young player I really rate on the basis of a few late season appearances is Gloucestershire’s Joe Phillips. If anybody is scrambling around with their fantasy team and looking for a bargain – young Joe at about 30K is an absolute snip.

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  22. Morning everyone. Having looked at the forecast today, play might just about start at Old Trafford before they go off for the first rain break. The it’s likely to be on and off at intervals through the day.

    Tomorrow is looking more promising, with fine weather, sunshine, and a maximum temperature of 18C (where has that come from?). Somewhat tempered by the 40mph wind gusts that might make things a little tricky, especially for Nathan Lyon (if he’s playing).

    I am waiting for the morning rush hour to end (in Preston, that’s about 9.10) before heading out for a short bike ride to beat the rain in my new semi-retired state. I’ll be back around about the time that Lancashire and Surrey are heading off to the changing rooms for the first time, so I expect to see you all later, resplendent in your first day finery!

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  24. Weather apart not a bad first day that. Eventually, against the odds we had play in 5 games. Thank goodness that in my final clean up of fantasy sides yesterday, I made last minute inclusions for Sam Northeast and Marcus Harris. That was some day for Sam – as the first day of his Glamorgan captaincy.

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        1. I meant ‘fares’ in the comment above. Hard these days without cricket, I miss all the chit chat of BTL. My wife rides a motorbike and didn’t have a good day yesterday. The motorbike had been cutting out a lot when she started it, and she ended up having to pay for a new battery and resynchronisation of the vehicle. Then in the afternoon, she had a medical appointment and left her motorbike outside the medical centre. While she was in there the police removed her vehicle so she is now facing a charge for having the vehicle towed away, a fine for the parking offence and vehicle parking charges for last night and today until 11 am when she was due to go to the police compound to sort things out. She was not in a good mood last night!!

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  27. Interesting photo that of Harry Brook’s grannies garden – doesn’t look like the Keighley I know (and don’t love). Well that first round was interesting lots of runs and records in the games that did play. Managed to get 2763 points with my team Playa Bravo together with an ‘acheesement award’, my fourth team, Peter Pan didn’t do so bad with 1829 points. If all the teams play in future and the rain doesn’t mess things up I might be able to muster a decent points score. Playa Bravo included Sam Northeast, Ryan Higgins (Captain), Joe Clarke and the likes of Dane Patterson among the bowlers. Joe Clarke did get a century in the Notts first innings, but for a non-wicket keeper took an amazing number of catches, something like 7, which means he must have earned almost as many points for his fielding as his batting. Playa Bravo is one of Santa Marta’s beaches up on Colombia’s north coast. Peter Pan is a shop in Neiva – as the name suggests it is a bakery. But it also keeps open all night and sells Caldo (Consomme) which for reasons best known to themselves Colombians seem to believe is good for you if you have been out late night revelling.

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    2. To misquote the wonderful (and much missed) Mrs Merton

      “So what first alerted you that the egotistical, text-messaging-the-opposition, falling-out-with-the-coach(es), Kevin Pieterson was a knob?”

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    1. I did mentally flick through my Dictionary Of Swears, romeo, and concluded that ‘knob’ was the correct epithet.

      I did consider ‘bellend’, ‘helmet’ and ‘weapon’ as well as going back to my Merseyside roots and contemplating ‘bad meff’, ‘beaut’ and ‘whopper’. Also momentarily dwelt on ‘cock’, ‘dick’ and ‘tryhard wannabe edgelord’. But ‘knob’ won the day.

      I am not, of course, suggesting that any of the phrases I spurned are not appropriate – of course, they are – but decided against anything stronger, as he’s only Kevin Pietersen, not someone far worse like Lee Anderson, Suella Braverman or Michael Vaughan.

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      1. I still like Romeo’s ‘prick with a fork’, although probably in KP’s case he is still using how to learn to use a knife and fork and hence it would not be appropriate.

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      2. I mean, he’s undoubtedly the kind of idiot who owns a Rolex, and if so it is sensible to not wear it around London – or anywhere, really – as people do nick them. But then, expensive ‘portable property’ has always been a temptation. The wedding ring thing is bonkers. I’ve lived in London for 40 years and I have never heard anyone say, not even in these End Times, that wearing a wedding ring is dangerous and makes you a target. Very glad that as I don’t have Sky, I don’t have to listen to him speaking. Absolute tosser.

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        1. It’s only certain blingtastic Rolexes that have that effect, though. Unless you expect to meet a professional gang, most haut horologie doesn’t register.

          In fact, if you *are* a professional gang, I recommend descending on Lord’s on a sunny weekday afternoon of county cricket, as the security is neglible. On the pavilion concourse . . . umpteen bog standard Rolex Oysters, a JLC Reverso Classique, ooh a Cartier Tank, hang on that’s a Patek Nautilus, is that an IWC, and ffs that’s a Royal Oak in black ceramic! And that’s just what I could see from where I was sitting, and as far as I could see, they were all quite happy getting the tube at St John’s Wood or walking down to Marylebone.

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