Bashers in KunLunQi, Inner Mongolia

Bashers Cricket in Inner Mongolia

“Hi, I’m Richard, do you want to see my underpants?”

What better way for a Basher to greet the Million Tree Project representative Heather Wigmore on arrival at Kun Lun Qi, Inner Mongolia, a town of 50,000 in one of China’s poorest areas  The Bashers trio of Parrot, Pusher and Woodstock had just traversed 200km of arid zone, invigorated by fresh air, sunshine, blue skies, and a third place at the Frank’s Place pub quiz the previous night. Parrot was understandably euphoric after making up severe deficiencies in his  underwear ensemble during a snack stop on the way from TongLiao airport.  The Bashers faced a busy few days in the desert, and it was not the time for wardrobe malfunctions.

Heather, of course, was not phased.  She’d seen the Bashers in action at the quiz night which sponsored 250 trees for the Million Tree project and sponsored the journey of Parrot and Woodstock to assist in planting them  The hotel staff observing weren’t quite so sure, but checked us in and served a robust lunch to set us up for the afternoon.

And what an afternoon!  The Bashers headed deeper into the desert, armed with cricket bats, balls, pads and stumps, bound for a school of several hundred primary school students still oblivious to the thrill of cricket and the enthusiasm of Shanghai Cricket’s Premieres.  Straight off the bus, and it was time to get the swarming schoolkids warmed up with football led by Scotland’s most famous cricketer in China, Ainsley “The Pusher” Mann, and kangaroo hops from Richard “Parrot” Yates eager to push his new jocks to the limit.  As more children poured out of their classes, we took to the sports ground for a coaching clinic.  Several hundred observers were now watching us impart some of the finest Basher skills to a coaching group of around 70.

First off was throwing and catching practice which the class took to with great enthusiasm. As their little red cheeks got redder with exertion and excitement, we split them up into bowling and batting groups. Paul ‘Woodstock’ Howard put the bowlers through their paces, while Pusher and Parrot revealed some of their deepest batting secrets at the other end.  The top performers were given Basher’s caps and selected for the game to follow, a contest which had all the excitement of a Bashers-Devils face-off. It only took a few balls for everyone to understand the flow of the game, and from there, the crowd’s cheers got louder and louder for every new cover drive, leg glance, and outright tonk.  The Children of Genghis Khan naturally needed a warcry, and by the end of the session, the shout of “Bashers!” was the clear call to arms.

It’s a great feeling being surrounded by enthusiastic children watching your every move, and eagerly taking on each new activity.  These kids do it tough everyday, with the callouses, scars and weatherbeaten skin to prove it.   As we left the school, each of us was surrounded by dozens of chirping youngsters on their way to the next class, yells of “Bashers” interspersed with “Bye-Byes.”  To be able to provide them an afternoon out of the ordinary, and the exposure to a sport we love was a very rewarding experience for us all. Along with some snacks and school gear we left behind a cricket bat and balls, so when we return as promised, China’s newest Bashers will no doubt be ready to put up some serious competition.

The plan for such a competition is already taking shape.  Bashers do some of their finest work over a beer or two, and such was the case in Inner Mongolia.  As we enjoyed an exceptionally fine barbeque in KunLunQi, the local constabulary introduced themselves with a few “ganbei’s.”  A case of beer later and we were hatching plans to take over the local stadium for a cricket tournament, and create the town’s first “Basher’s Bar.”  Such co-operation could not go unrewarded, and so the ranking cop of KunLunQi was inducted as a Basher with appropriate ceremony, somewhere in between the BBQ, the drive home in his brand new Accord, and an impromptu game of cricket in the hotel corridor. He shall be known as “Fuzz” and he’s now our go-to guy in NeiMongGu.  No-one does guanxi like the Bashers.

Bashers Planting Trees; KunLunQi, Inner Mongolia

The Million Tree Project is planting trees, and hundreds of thousands of new poplars are now growing in KunLunQi as a result of their efforts. The eldest saplings are several years old and established.  Already the grass is growing back underneath their cover, the soil is being held together by their roots, and the wasted flow of water through formerly barren ground is being regulated and balanced by their growth. The new forests are attracting animals and literally changing the face of an impoverished district.

To see this regeneration first hand is quite a revelation, and it’s why the Jane Goodall Institute Shanghai regularly invites sponsors to participate in physically planting trees.  Three members of Shanghai’s premiere cricket club, the Bashers, took such an opportunity to witness how their donations to the project are being implemented.  Ainsley “The Pusher” Mann was the instigator.  His company SCMC is the biggest supporter of the Million Trees Campaign, and offsets its carbon emissions by planting vast forests of poplars.  Supporting him were Richard “Parrot” Yates and winner of the Bashers Million Trees Quiz raffle, Paul “Woodstock” Howard.

The first surprise after the fresh air in KunLunQi is the quality of the food; simply outstanding.  Hearty, flavoursome, fresh and delicious, it’s just the sort of energy needed to sustain a day of tree planting. Suitably fuelled, we joined Ainsley’s Swire management team and the leaders of the Million Trees Campaign for the hour’s journey to the young poplar forests.  The surrounds are dirty, dusty, and covered in plastic bags, but as we arrive at the site we can sense a change, and see that barren land is now being covered by rows and rows of trees.

Some of the local farmers have been going since early morning, so we’re eager to join in and get our hands dirty.  The task is quite straightforward: dig a hole, place a sapling in, add soil and water; repeat a few hundred times.  Looking around at the thriving forests from previous plantings is plenty of motivation to power on, even as the back starts to get a bit stiff.  There’s plenty of cheerful banter from city slicker execs, the group combines to right a tipped water truck, the farmers take pleasure in correcting the technique of laowai novice planters, but after just a few hours we’ve planted our rows, and a few hundred trees are taking in the northern sun and already starting to grow.  It’s such a simple, earthy activity, but so rewarding because the benefit is clear.  Trees are going to grow here, and the land will improve.  As the area transforms in coming years,  people with good sense will see that the change needs to be sustained.  Hopefully they will take on the responsibilty of tending their environment rather than exploiting it to oblivion.  As we took a horse-drawn cart to another of the 33 sites that Million Trees is planting, we saw signs that this is happening;  a stand of growing trees, a fresh field of planted saplings, and ground cover where previously there was dust.

It doesn’t take a scientist to explain what has happened in this part of the world, nor does it need a climate doomsayer to predict a result that has already been achieved here. Verdant grasslands are now dust bowls and sand dunes because they have been abused for decades by overstocking. Chances of natural recovery are nil because the trees have been cut down to supplement dwindling farm area and incomes. The damage is horrific, yet the solution is self-evident:  reduce the animals, replace the trees, and give the earth a fighting chance to heal itself.  Shanghai’s Basher’s Cricket Club is doing a good thing by being part of that recovery.  As the transformation continues, the Bashers of the future will be able to visit Inner Mongolia and enjoy the shade of tall trees, the grasslands, and the wildlife that gave the region its heritage.

For an awesome presentation on tree planting in KunLunQi go to Jonah Kessels site at www.jonahkessel.com and look under “Multimedia.”  Jonah’s a great photographer, but has a lot to learn about drinking BaiJiu with local farmers.

Many thanks to Ainsley and Swire for arranging and sponsoring the trip, and to the Million Trees team; Heather, Alex, Meghan and ZZ for taking such good care of us in KunLunQi.  Information on participating in the Million Trees Project can be found at www.mtpchina.org.  Also, take ten minutes to read “The Man Who Planted Trees” by Jean Giono, because it so neatly illustrates the awesome result that a small but sustained effort can achieve.  It’s a delightful short story widely available on the web.