Leaning into things

 

There was a moment when I was walking back from Lucca Railway Station when it finally hit me how extraordinary the trip I was undertaking really was. Bouncing up and down the UK by train and bus is one thing, but travelling across Europe alone is another task altogether. There are times when I doubt myself. Imposter syndrome, for wont of a better phrase, definitely applies.

There are days when it feels the cricket writing is far from the standard needed, and I will be asked to leave the press area. Although I nearly brought my ECB accreditation with me, it is that much a part of my travelling plans, so it can't be going too bad.

Sometimes, when you have done something way out of your comfort zone, it takes a while for the emotions to reset themselves and return to the safety of Lucca's renaissance city walls, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

This morning, I settled into my new surroundings, walking around the abovementioned walls and then just wandering around after being happy to get lost and find my way again. After a few days of sitting on trains and coaches, it was good to stretch the legs.

Lucca is a well-lived old place. The narrow streets somehow accommodate pedestrians, cars and bicycles and while it takes a while to get used to traffic appearing from all angles, you get used to it quickly.

The decision to go to Pisa was a last minute one knowing it was only the tower I wanted to visit and with limited time to visit the other places it felt like the right time. The leaning tower is one of those curious things but arent the only towers that lean as the towers in Bolongia reminded the world earlier this year when there was fears that they could topple.

These days the reason it seems people visit Pisa is for the photo opportunity that it offers and which James Acaster humoursly mocks in his Netflix special. I took my snaps and made my leave. It did feel good to be in a place that while famous many people will never get the opportunity.

It might have been for that reason that I couldn't stop sobbing. It defiantly wasn't tears of sadness even though I was thinking of friends. It was definitely unexpected and I'm still a loss as to why it happened. 

Everyting in Italy seems so big, the building tower over you and you feel so small. That may be part of the reason behind the churches which seem more imposing than their English counterparts. 

While that is the case this is the right trip at the right time and there is still so much to look forward to. Tomorrows job is to find out how to catch a bus and not get lost in the hills around Lucca as I venture in search of Irn Bru and ansestors.

Lucca where I am

There was a moment of realisation when I sat down on the edge of the Pizza San Michele with the ornate facade of the Chiesa di San Michele in Foro at my back; I realised that I had made it! From as early as I could remember, my dad talked about his great-grandad from Italy. It made my dad as happy as I remember, and the regular cooking of spaghetti in a big pan; we were definitely not a "spag bol" family. 

Hearing about Italy for as long as I can remember always felt like somewhere I should visit. Today, that finally came true. Family can be complicated; people move and fall out of contact, and life gets in the way. So I don't know a lot about my dad's family, his dad dying when he was young, and my grandma being always a little on the bonkers side of things.

Looking into the family tree, I had at least found a cousin of my dad's, and she has guided me in the right direction for this trip. So, with a sense of calm excitement, I left Bellinzona well-rested and ready for another long leg to Lucca.

My time in Switzerland was too brief, but I was ready to resume my travels. The train to Milan was another comfortable journey with modern double-decker trains, air conditioning and stunning views across the Alps and then down through Lugano and Como before arriving at Milano Centrale, a busy station full of bustle and action.

From Milan, the scenery was rather drab, and the overcast weather didn't help. When I made the reservations, I needed to find out where Firenze was, but it made sense when I found out it was Florence. Once there, things picked up again even if the speed of the trains slowed down; having grown accustomed to the fast trains that zoom across Europe at 300 km/h, the Trenitalia Regionale go at a more gentle pace, a bit like travelling home from London only for the Robin Hood Line service back to Mansfield feeling like an eternity to deliver you home.

In some ways, this feels a little like a homecoming; although I would never dare to say that I was even remotely Italian, knowing I share ancestors with this part of the world feels unique, and I can't wait to retrace some of their footsteps.

I have until Saturday morning to explore and see what I can discover about my family connections and myself. This will be the start of something fun and exciting. There is Florence to visit, and a photo opportunity awaits at Pisa. 

Now is the time to rest up and digest the Ravioli al Pomodoro and tiramisu that one of the Australian guests at the next table described as the best she had eaten on her trip.

A train with a view

 I have taken the long way around certain aspects of my life. It took me far longer than most who attempted to graduate from university. It took me in directions that, although it felt like a disappointment at the time, led to some of the most lasting and meaningful friendships I could have ever wished for.

It is the same with my travelling aspirations. I have travelled to the UK many times, mainly watching cricket or exploring other interests, but the chance to visit Europe has just arisen. That is partly due to being stupid with money and busy with different aspects of life.

So, when the opportunity arose, I finally decided to take it. A year of semi-planning and saving, and now I’m away. I could have easily gotten to Italy, my chosen destination, and a flight to Florence or Piza. I would be ready to explore the region that my great-great-grandad was from before he emigrated to England. 

It’s not that I am averse to flying; that is how I travelled to Belfast as a child with my mum and sister. It is just the long way round, which feels the most apt way. It has helped that shows like Race Across The World have shown what is possible and have come up with some trips to access parts of the professional cricket circuit that have had others questioning my sanity. A slow trip down through France and Switzerland became the obvious choice.

This would feel like a luxury once you take a six-hour coach trip to Edinburgh, where you have no legroom and nearly fall off the coach because you have no feeling in the lower extremities.

The lure of interrailing across stunning countryside would always do it for me. The South Downs may be a special place, but imagine watching the Alps glide into view, and it is enough to make the Long Man of Wilmington want to weep.

It didn’t disappoint. After crossing the channel in the early hours, with the lights of Dover and Calis twinkling at each other, the coach journey into the grotty Bercy station was plain sailing. The bus station wasn’t the kind of place you want to be in the middle of the day, let alone before sunrise on a Sunday morning.

Paris was a means to getting to the good stuff, and it is the type of place to visit with company rather than alone. So we will meet again.

I did take the opportunity to visit a cheese shop, albeit closed at the time, for a photo opportunity with ‘Fromage et ramage’ in the background.

Gare de Lyon is a large station, and while I have visited many in the UK, it took a while to figure out where the trains went.

Two euros later, to visit the toilet, one euro for my bag and another for me, and we were ready to watch the rolling hills of France wizz by at speeds of nearly 180 miles an hour.

Once the Swiss border came into view, things got interesting. Something is fascinating about mountains—not enough to climb to their top, but how they have marked the landscape and continue to look out over the people who live in their shadows, affecting their daily lives.

Changing trains in Basel and Zurichhase made me curious about a country I don’t think I have thought about much. Travel does broaden the horizons.

Bellinzona was chosen more by luck than design, as Lucca, the proper destination, felt too far away to finish the job in one sitting. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is worth a visit of its own. A town in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, it offers a clean and tidy vibe that if I wasn’t so tired and in need of sleep, I would have explored more.

 

Once I knew I would visit Italy, switching it up on Duolingo and learning some Italian would be great. So far, nothing has come out every time I have reached for the right thing to say. Even though I know the right thing to say in a couple of interactions, I have been able to make a sound. I hope it changes in the coming days, or it could get awkward.

We shall see. Tomorrow, I will finally arrive in the region of my ancestors and have the time to find out more about them and, just as importantly, myself.

Day 96: Welcome back Sarah Taylor

 There is not much surprises me about Sarah Taylor, the former England Wicketkeeper and World Cup winner who has achieved everything in the game. When you consider the issues she has had with anxiety, then it is all the more remarkable.

When she was announced as Sussex wicketkeeper coach, it was the next logical step. She is world-class in her field, and for some of her knowledge and skills to be shared made sense. It has also seen a pattern of Sussex inviting former players with a passion for the county to fill the coaching spots.

There was always the prospect that Taylor may play again as she was only officially retired from international cricket a few appearances for Sussex may have been on the cards.

To see Taylor named in the Welsh Fire squad for the Hundred is pleasing. With Matthew Mott captaining and the likes of Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney, on the same side, will be exciting for the team that will be playing their home games at Sophia Gardens this year.

Days until the start of a new season

There is a buzz around for the start of the County Championship; on Thursday, 18 teams have a chance of winning the top prize in county cricket.

By the end of that first day, we will start to form a picture of who will stand up and be counted. It will be early days; there will be groups of fans from one or two county seasons that will lower expectations.

I’m hoping for a few surprise packages this season. With the two-division format rested until at least next year, a few of the less fancied counties could prove a point or two. I would, of course, like to see Sussex play well. I don’t think they have a chance of winning the whole thing, but I like how the club is being run on the field and would love to see that represented in results.

Day 94: The fantastic four

 

After defeat in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, there was some deep thinking in the Australian women's camp. It was clear that while they had world-class players at their disposal, there was still something not right about the team's balance.

With the Women's Big Bash League in its early stages, there were some signs that the depth in which Australia would start to dominate the ODI format in the last few years. That they have gone on to break the record of consecutive wins are testament to the set-up and captaincy of Meg Lanning and the coaching of Matthew Mott.

Four players have played in all 22 games of Australia's unbeaten run they are.

Alyssa Healy

Healy has been one of the top keepers in the game for a while now. With her aggressive batting at the top of the order, she allows her side to make consistent starts. Before the 2017 Ashes, she said she would "bring the bitch back." Part of the fall out from the World Cup earlier that year was that Australia was getting too soft as a team.

Rachael Haynes

At the 2017 World Cup, Haynes only made the team when Lanning was injured and found herself in the side as replacement captain. Since then, Haynes has been part of the side with merit. A reliable middle-order batter and fantastic fielder, Haynes is irreplaceable.

Ash Gardner

A big-hitting all-rounder Gardner is the type of player that every side in the world wants. She hits the ball a long way and can be destructive on her day; add in her spin bowling, and you have a player for every occasion.

Given how often she has suffered from concussions, it is remarkable she has played a part in every game of this run.

Beth Mooney

Mooney is a player that has taken the game away from you without you realising. A consistent and unfussy player who plays fantastic cricket shots. Mooney is also an excellent wicketkeeper, and if not for Healy being in the side would have been behind the stumps.

Day 92: Hopefully see you soon

 

I don’t know what it is about cricket grounds, but you get a certain feeling at a great venue. It could be history, knowing that you are following in the footsteps of great players. Having played at Queens Park, Chesterfield, you realise how much of a privilege knowing that the likes of WG Grace, Don Bradman and Dominic Cork have all played there.

It may be how each stand has been built separately and over different periods of times, whereas with other sporting stadia like football grounds, there is a more uniform approach. Knowing that Brammall Lane used to host test cricket always intrigued me, and I wish I could have seen it in action as a cricket ground.

The closest you get these days to a cricket match being played in a football ground is at Burnley, where the grounds are next to each other.

At Headingley, I have made a mistake on more than one occasion of nearly walking into the rugby ground. I’m not sure if that is possible these days, though, with the new stand at that end of the ground.

I like to wander around a new venue or an old one, for that matter. To see the crowds fill in, find a second-hand book table or just get a feel for the place. They are places where I feel at home. However, I have had the pleasure of calling them the office on occasion. Which again, I know how grateful I am.

I cannot wait until I can enter a ground with fans in. They make sporting events so interesting, as there are genuine characters amongst them; in particular, cricket loses something when there is no one to see it—the gentle hum of background chatter or the smarting of applause for a moment of brilliance.

Hopefully, that won’t be too far away.

Day 91: April is here!

April is here. It means that there is only a week until the cricket season starts. To say I can’t wait is an understatement. I have my copy of Wisden and The Cricketers’ Who’s Who. I plan the games I would like to be at and the players I want to see in action. That, I guess, is still up in the air as we don’t know when we can be back.

I want to write about it, which means I have some serious research to do in anticipation of the first round of County Championship games next week. I want to get to know the players who I will be writing about. I want to know their stats when they scored their last century or took a load of wickets. Maybe find out what they average against each team and how that can encourage their side on to victory.

This all adds to a larger picture. If I can get that across in the space of 500 words, then all the better. It won’t be easy, but I will be working hard to write entertainingly. I have always had nagging doubts about whether I am good enough to write for many people.

I have always wondered how players can perform to large numbers of people, which seems more straightforward. I have played in front of tens of people and that is easy to focus out most of the time; you get lost in the moment, and I would imagine that in the middle, where 25,000 are all cheering, it is easier to focus out the individual calls.

If I take the approach of is this something to read? Then I can’t go too far wrong. If no one reads, that is okay, but it will make the road easier if they do.