Bashers. It's Shanghainese for Cricket

Cricket Clubhouse in Shanghai 1939

Now here is a decent clubhouse befitting the gentlemen of the Leisure. Steps leading down from the bar for the batsmen to wander down on their way out to the wicket, bar properly stocked and waitered as well as decent seats to watch the proceedings from.  I can just see the likes of the Jag, Latex, Loose and Mouse sitting in the club house, blazered up,  guffawing at the proceedings on the field whilst they suck on a big fat cigars and snap their fingers at the waiter to bring over another rather large gin and tonic.

The two teams in the photo are my company Swire (Taikoo) and HSBC (Wayfoong). For just over 60 years they played an annual fixture in Shanghai until 1949 which to this day probably still makes it one of the longest running local cricket fixtures.  Also the first annual rugby match between these two “Hongs”  was played in 1912. So guess what….. as next year is 2012 it is time to mark the centenary of their first rugby game with both a rugby and cricket match between the latest generation of Taikoo and Wayfoong including what will need to be a few ringers (any Marco Polo Club members out there?).

I have also been given a lengthy press article from 1914 which gives a detailed history of the first 50 years of Shanghai cricket. When I get the time I’ll transcribe it and post it. I could not help noticing that a certain Major Turner was also a prominent figure in the early years of cricket in Shanghai, another Turner between the Wars and a Turner after the 2nd World War so clearly there has been a Shrek  or two before Basher #1

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It seems that the first all Chinese cricket match took place in 1901 between the Rest of China and the politically incorrectly named SCC “Coolies” ……although unforunately the article does not provide clarity as to whether the SCC Coolies were the forerunners of the Hot Dogs.  One suspects they might have been.

Scotland v England at Cricket (In Shanghai)

As the Battle of Auckland looms next week when Scotland hopefully give England a good kicking at rugby, I was pleased to find out that Shanghai is also no stranger to such sporting fixtures. If you have looked at the rugby shirts on the wall at the SRFC you may have seen the rather splendid Shanghai Scots shirt from the 30′s. Simon Drakeford who is writing a book on the history of the SRFC/Shanghai Rugby recently sent me some photos of the mighty all conquering Shanghai Scots Cricket Team from around the 1860′s to 1890′s that took on the Shanghai English and beat them regularly. Clearly now it is my mission to restablish this fixture and obviously one lesson I can take from the current England cricket team is that in the modern era one can be very flexible  on the eligibility rules.

Xiamen Tour 2011

———————UPDATE 2————————-

Ok boys and girls, lets get this moving. We need to start getting flights and hotels nailed down. If you haven’t posted your interest below already do it in the next week.

You just need to cover the flights up front and then everything else is settled up when we’re down in Xiamen. Flights are just under the 2000rmb mark right now.

Don’t really need to say again how good this trip is but i will anyway!

The guys at the Bogans are literally as wet as an otters pocket about this weekend and have good numbers committed already so we need to man up and commit.

Its basher time!

———————UPDATE————————-

I am just bumping this back out to everyone to remind you that we need to start getting firm commitment for this tour so we can work on the travel and accommodation. Please add to the comments if you are up for this great tour!

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Its back, the bashers event of 2010 is shaping up to be bigger and better than last year!

The Typhoons have confirmed Saturday 29th October for their Sixes. A 6 team event (inc two Bashers teams and the Bogans) and Bashers also been challenged to take on the Typhoons at Baseball in a special challenge and a offer of 30 over game on the Friday for anyone wanting an extra day on Gu Lang Yu. Also this co-incides with Xiamen’s end of year beach ALL NIGHT Halloween party on 29th.

The hotel will be Asia Gulf although possible option to stay on Gu Lang Yu on the Friday night in one of the cool hotels there, garden party in the grounds of one of the old houses  and slowly drift into the land of Zen as most people on the island do on a Friday. Saturday lunch option for the Geishas at the Swire house like last year. Families welcome.  As usual Typhoons superb hospitality the whole time.  If Bashers want their own blimp flying high above Gu Lang Yu need about a months advance notice.

Also Sinbad will receive his honorary Typhoons award for still being the only person from Shanghai in any sport that has drunk through the night with the Typhoons on their turf.  Travel logistics definitely not my area so I think Latex will start sorting out things out with Committee etc although Dags offer of a plane charter sounds interesting with Cranky and/or Woodstock at the controls.

Please note interest below and we will get things in line over the next month or so.

Leisure v Hot Dogs (real match report). Apologies for the one sent out after a few rounds of shots.

Leisure faced an entirely new look Hot Dogs team who used modern technology and our club captain’s ignorance of the rules to thwart us. We were also not helped by the Dulwich Security Gestapo who refused to allow us access to the toilets….

Mouse and Woodstock being smarter and more experienced than the rest of team and knowing that Dulwich was an alcohol free zone turned up at the Camel a full hour before departure to get on the lash. Latex however did not pitch up nor did he return on the bus with the team. There is clearly a new Mrs Latex in his life and quite rightly the lovestruck Latex has placed his new love’s school homework supervision as a higher priority. (more…)

Sichuan School Sports Day 2011

As usual given the total lack of interest from the hieracrchy of Shanghai Cricket (except Bashers) to support the school in Sichuan outside help has been organised. Last time Japan Cricket stepped up to the plate. This year both the Xiamen Typhoons and the Chengdu Pandas have committed resources to drink Zhou Hua dry and help organise the sports day for the kids.  The visit will coincide with the October rugby fest in Chengdu on Oct 15th. We will hit Zhou Hua on the 13th and the do the sports on the 14th. Pat Man from Xiamen and I are bringing our kids. Although this is early notice don’t complain you did not know the dates…. Wayne, Pat Man and Bundy Boy are already confirmed.  Any Basher with a business in Chengdu (Dipso) and who has a property in Chengdu (Dipso)  is highly encouraged to come along.

One small complaint from Pat Man re the cricket event in late October.  He rightly questions the Bashers PR team. Last weekends rugby event was a huge success but on the front pages of the Xiamen newspapers and on the TV interviews the girls rugby players were featured.  Xiamen press is big in athletic young ladies rather than baldy captains/Presidents so the question is whether or not the Bashers will provide the Xiamen public with what it wants needs to be addressed.

Also note that Pat Man is working on the Xiamen Typhoons signing up to Million Trees and playing rugby in Ku Lun Qi next April.
UPDATE (by Latex)…… I think this is all the Xiamen public need!

Introducing Mei Hua – 1st Chinese national player to play for Bashers.

Gents. This Sunday there will be a lady wearing the baggy blue. China’s most capped cricketer, former national team captain and bowler of the tournament  at the recent Asia Games will be turning out for the Leisure.  So if you are out at the SRFC on Sunday it would be great if you could come and welcome Mei Hua to the club.  She currently coaches a couple of the local Universities and next Monday starts work at the SRFC working on our Sport For All programme.  Her first ever cricket match was 5 years ago against the Scottish Women’s team that famously beat the Bashers (Woodstock and Leppa should remember that game) but since then Mei Hua has moved up in the cricketing world.  Prior to becoming a cricketer she was javelin champion and could launch a javelin around 60m a skill that could come in very handy. She elected to join the Bashers because she heard there was another girlie called Loose playing for us.

Japan Earthquake Cricket Appeal – Cricket For Smiles

Following the Earthquake in Japan, the Japanese cricketers lead by Ema Kuribayashi are doing what they do best and that is trying to bring a smile back to the faces of the people impacted by the Earthquake particularly the kids. Between July and December this year they plan to introduce 25,000 kids to cricket in the Earthquake impacted areas by holding fun coaching clinics somewhat modeled on our own Sport For All programme in Shanghai.  They need equipment and some cash but again true to form they are not asking for a lot.  They would like as many cricketers around the World to wear the “Cricket For Smiles” iron on patch on their cricket shirts with each patch been given in return for an RMB 80 equivalent donation.  
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SRFC Update

Preceding the SRFC’s official Grand Opening on Saturday there will be a SRFC Board meeting this Thursday. So if any Bashers whether they be Ctte, Life Members or regular punters want feedback on anything or have issues they want to raise by all means let me know directly and I’ll try and respond (does not have to be limited to cricket).  Develpments going on SRFC that currently have some impact on cricket are:
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Xiamen

A. Logistics
Those that are coming down with the main party and leaving with the main party you have a bus to pick you up to an from the airport. The rest of you (Lady Dick, Tara, Sinbad, Birdshit, Stats and Oscar) that are making your own way the following link has the hotel details.
http://asiagulfhotelxm.chinahotel.com.cn/
If you are arriving later on Friday probably best to go to the Londoner Bar directly 伦敦吧 Guanren Lu (behind Marco Polo Hotel) 官任路 . Taxi drivers all know Marco Polo. Londoner is the block behind it as you walk back from the lake. Suggest the ladies ask Sir Dick to hump all their bags as he is getting the bus.

B. Money
Birdshit has a little windfall in his ticket price and Mrs Pusher now owes him a small refund. Sinbad shortchanged Mrs Pusher who is very upset and muttering something about Indians and Pirates. Omega’s tickets were a little more expensive as the group booking had already been made. Jaguar and Parrot are serious debtors.

Gear.
Leaving everything to club captain to organise….stumps, balls, scorecards etc etc

For those on the 2pm flight Friday see you at the airport around 12.30-12.45pm.