I have posted up a load of photos from the last couple of seasons mostly drink related or of Swahili sticking his tongue out so it would be nice if the rest of you could fill it out with some actual cricket pictures and i’m sure there is the odd gem or 2 from the social side lurking out there as well!

This is no way replacing the all conquering blog, all info will be posted here as normal, we are just updateing our social profile for the coming season.

So there you go, get involved (if you can) and make sure you post a picture or two!

Wat’s that you ask? “Blazering”- Acquire Basher’s Blazer… Wear Blazer… Find appropriate (or inappropriate!!) location and strike a pose (funny face, Captain Morgan stance, thumbs up, beer in hand watevaa!!!) and click away… The more exotic the location and pose the better!

Take a pic in ur Blazer at the local Kedi Store, on the Metro, in the Bar, in Cranky’s office, heck even in the Loo!!! Just dont forget to post it on the blog! But here lies a challenge to the Bashers- I know many of us travel all over the place so it would be great to see how far and wide the Basher Blazer can travel (I’m takin it to Japan next weekend!)… Wat wud be even cooler is finding some random person (preferably a hot babe!!!) to don the Legendary Basher Blazer and gettin a pic of it (Pat the Dog lead the way earlier this yr!!!)

SO ??? Challenge accepted!!! (Yes it’s been a slow day at work!) Let’s see how far we can go with this… U may never know- it mite become the new internet FAD…

Examples to follow (look up Xiamen Blog!).. Get Amongst it!!!

Parrot making friends on the plane!

Cranky launching bombs into Taiwanese waters on the beach this morning!

The ground is set and ready for action!

Ride em cowboy!

Just got back from the island with silverware in hand. The Coke Bashers won! Beating Pudong Power in the last game of the day which was the tournament decider. The Kooka Bashers won the Basher on Basher match on the last ball by 1 run. Lumberjack and more pictures to follow! Great day!

See more here http://www.cricket.or.jp/cricketforsmiles/?lang=en

One just coached the IPL winners, what can the other do?

1. Filthy and Shears had not made it home to their loving wives (Fei and Squeaky contacted me about good divorce lawyers the following Monday)
2. They had paid for their lavish accommodation (floor/chair) in various ways. I personally would like a refund from Shears as his services were as good as his bowling, extremely disappointing! Sinbad & the Korean mentioned something along the same lines about Filthy.
3. Birdshit was still not happy with the hotel service and was wearing two different shoes.
4. A lot of the bashers looked in good shape and therefore had not gone rural enough the night before.
5. The Castle Bar is a real sh*thole

I can’t really remember the bus ride to the NCG, but there were stories of a Jihad being put on Filthy the night before at Castle bar and only the intercultural skills of Sinbad saved the situation escalating into a riot.

Once at the NCG, we saw the Connery shield glittering in the sun waiting for the victors of the day to raise it in triumph. The Bogans heroes were well organised and had started on the Bloody Mary’s already. Maybe they thought preparing for the game in Basher style would help them break their impressive form of never winning a game. They would soon be disappointed as they faced the might of the Camel bashers.

Bugs and the Korean batted through the innings impressively and our mighty bowling attack demolished them with ease and set up a Basher vs Basher plate final. The prize on offer, a disco ball which had been redesigned for easy transportation by getting smashed during the night.

Before the game began, there was a bit of chaos as some “cake” had been consumed by various anonymous persons. This lead to Filthys shoes being taped to the goalposts, Cranky attempting to steal the Connery Shield and Shears talking about his Nanjing glory days, AGAIN!

Filthy then tried his best to imitate a Bollywood superstar when one of the “south asian” teams won and joined in their group hug jumping up and down for joy. They seemed to accept him into their ranks and his Jihad from Castle bar was finally over.

Then it was time for the big teams to rumble! The Camel Bashers began the game with a good knock from Bugs and the Korean again and then Omega and Swahili finishing off large. The final figure to win the smashed up disco ball was 69, hell yeah!

Bugs opened the bowling by being absolutely smashed for 6 by Shrek. This held up the game for the next half hour while the ball was searched for in nearby North Korea. Bugs responded with a blinder next ball and Shrek was caught by me brilliantly on the fly. Filthy then tried his best to impersonate Shears batting form for the bashers last year and got out second ball.

Then came the defining point of the game! After I bowled a great ball, Cranky closed his eyes and swung as hard as he could, somehow he connected and the ball went flying to Omega. Knowing how much they love each other, I thought this was going to be my day of glory, but it was not to be. Omega feebly dropped a sitter and then it dribbled over the boundary for 4 runs. This then was followed by my bowling getting smacked & Cranky (C*NT) finally having to retire. The last over came and Birdshit tried his best, but Shears (also a C*NT) hit the winning runs with 2 balls to go. They celebrated like little girls and skipped off the pitch holding hands.

The fine session that followed was absolutely random and I would say that the “cake” that was going around had something to do with it. The prizes were handed out and the Bashers met up at Jimmy’s for some final beers and pizza before heading to the train.

On behalf of everyone a big thanks to Hammer and everyone else involved for organizing an awesome weekend. Also thanks to Jimmy for his hospitality and bringing the BBQ so we had something to soak up the 60 beers we each drunk.

Can’t wait for the Nanjing 6’s 2012! Let’s get RURAL (no luxury hotels next time Hammer!)

More Photos courtesy of Harbhajan from the Bogans:

This just covers day 1 for the Camel bashers, day 2 is being made up by Swahilli because no of us have any idea what happened apart from something to do with a glitter ball (not to be confused with Gary glitters balls)

The Camel Bashers squad assembled outside Shanghai Railway Station to catch the 06.12 train to Nanjing. Special mention to Captain Latex, who had spent the night trying to stop the Xiamin boys from tearing our sponsor apart, while also weakening our rivals by getting their first graders smashed (clarification: first grade cricketers), safe in the knowledge that we had a player to spare and he could strategise from the pavillion for the first game.

Choosing such an early train, which stopped at every industrial wasteland along the way, was rumoured to be for the convenience of one unnamed player who had other obligations for the day. The journey was uneventful other than Filthy absconding to attend a wedding (dressed in Bashers blazer and tie), some geriatrophillic behaviour from Sinbad and Latex, and the first signs of Long Dong’s narcolepsy.

Escorted into the ground over two hours before our first game, we took in the rural splendour of the playing facilities – long grass and bamboo growing in the outfield, lethal metal flags as boundary markers, and a concrete structure that looked like a serial killer’s lair at deep square. Soon Swahili joined us to complete our squad, having travelled on Friday to be fresh for cricket, and having fertilised some of the gardens around the oval with regurgitated Jägermeister.

The two trophies were on display in the pavillion – the Connery Shield looked great, but it was clear that both Bashers squads immediately took a shine to the Glitterball Plate, and set about ensuring we would bring some disco ambience to the Members’ End.

We batted first in our opening match and compiled a score in the mid 50s. Top scorer was Swahili, Omega also chipped in, Bugs came and went for a duck (his form improved remarkably once Babs arrived), and a few others chipped in a run or two. The Korean did not bat.

The total could have been enough had there not been a travesty of justice in the first over bowled by Omega when a thick edge was held at the wicket by Korean. Our appeals fell on deaf ears and, despite great bowling by Birdshit and some good work in the field by Swahili, who threw himself around the boundary and took a catch when blinded by the sun, we dropped too many and they reached the target in the last over.

In game two we bowled first, and the highlight of the innings was Made In taking his first wicket of the tournament when the batsman didn’t read the second bounce and spooned it up to square leg. The rest of the bowlers did a good job and we restricted them to a score of around 50.

Apparently there are some nuptials over in Pommyland which some people are getting excited about, and that may explain the ridiculous number of royal ducks recorded during the weekend. Omega decided to show his allegiance to the crown to begin our innings, leaving Swahili to hold up one end while wides and other batters chipped away at the score. Made In came in and hit his first ball of the season for six, then got out next ball, so it was left to Latex and Birdshit to polish off the rest of the runs, which they did with ease. The Korean did not play in this game.

One and one, so a victory would send us to the shield round, while defeat would mean we had a chance at the Mirrorball. We batted first and, with Swahili batting down the order after gorging himself on CJ’s magical vegan cake, Omega and Bugs opened and lasted till almost the end, setting a good target in the mid 60s with their contrasting but complimentary styles. Korean did not bat.

We took the field full of optimism and Latex brought himself on to open the bowling, hoping to unsettle the openers with his rarely seen chinaman deliveries. This tactic didn’t pay dividends and after one over they had almost a third of the runs without having laid bat on ball too often. Latex did redeem himself somewhat with a well taken outfield catch, but we weren’t able to restrict them and ended up headed for the plate round, with only the never-victorious Bogan’s Heroes standing between us and a possible final against the Just Beer Bashers.

We cabbed in to Nanjing’s most expensive hotel, a convenient hour’s walk from Jimmy’s bar, happy enough to be in the lap of luxury. Well, some of us were happy. Birdshit immediately started to build goodwill for the team by demanding a free bottle of Champagne because the check-in process was taking too long. “Okay” said the uncomprehending and cowering check-in worker, seemingly thinking that agreeing to any demand would at least placate the bibulously belligerent laowai.
“Okay?” replied Birdshit, briefly thrown by having his unreasonable demand agreed to. “Make that three bottles of Champagne! By the pool!” There was no Champagne by the pool.

A few altercations with the hotel staff later, and a delay due to Made In and Long Dong discovering that showering together doesn’t always save time, we were on our way to Jimmy’s for the fine session, Macau for a great dinner, and then back to Jimmy’s for more drinks. Come midnight, our numbers had dwindled to Sinbad and, perhaps because the rural setting inspired memories of woolshed parties in Aotearoa, the full contingent of five Kiwis, including Filthy who had rejoined the tour before dinner.

After witnessing a victory by the Chiefs, next stop was Castle bar, a high-class club across from our hotel. After the rest of the group had drifted across the road, there are reports of Filthy and Sinbad almost restarting hostilities in the Kashmir, but I can confirm that they arrived back at the hotel unscathed at 6, which meant Sinbad’s attempt at the record for longest non-coke-assisted bender ended at 45 hours. It also meant that Filthy, who had decided to forego the expense of the 5 star hotel, did not make it home to his wife. Perhaps he was upset at the revelations about Sneaky’s relationship with one of the original Bashers, or he was making up for the fact that he had missed the day’s fun, or was acting out because nobody bid on him in the player auction. Possibly, as he claimed, he was looking after Sinbad. Or maybe he felt like spending the 8RMB he had skimmed off each return ticket and sensed a chance of a free buffet breakfast. In any case, 24 hours after leaving Shanghai, all Bashers were safely ensconced in Birdshit’s all-time favourite hotel, and ready for day two of the tour.

More to follow when Swahilli can be bothered.