CPL 2017 UPDATE BY Dev Govindjee

TUESDAY 15 AUGUST 2017

It has been a long time since I sat down to write an update- so much has happened and so many countries visited over the past 12 months that I fear I shall not be able to do justice if I attempt to recall them all- safe to say that recently I have visited Qatar, Hong Kong, Nepal, Uganda, Kenya, The Netherlands & Jersey since December 2016 and now am in the Caribbean doing my 3rd CPL (Caribbean Premier League) tournament.

My schedule of travel has thus been totally frenetic and these appointments do not always come well in advance –so there has been a terribly stressful period of getting Schengen Visas and USA & UK Visas all sorted out in time for me to get to the various destinations –thankfully these hurdles have been negotiated and I now find myself sitting on the balcony of the lovely Royal St Lucia Resort on another glorious Caribbean morning with time on my hands- time enough to realize that many have requested updates and many others have indicated that they have missed hearing from me- for the others- well just read and enjoy or send me a short note indicating otherwise and I shall refrain from taking up your time.

My 2017 CPL schedule excited me as I have on my previous two visits to the West Indies missed out on getting matches in St Lucia- this time it was included- firstly though I had to complete a European U19 Tournament in Jersey ( first visit there) in the Channel Islands ( more about that later) and thankfully completed matches there on the 1 August allowing me to fly directly to London & Miami to be in time in Fort Lauderdale for the start of my CPL matches on 5 August. Had a hectic double header of matches there on the Sat & Sun and on Monday 7th it was a chartered flight out of Fort Lauderdale for 4 teams and match officials directly to St Lucia.There were long delays due to overloading of luggage ( cricket kit) so finally 4 hours later we departed and it meant getting to the hotel ( an 90 min drive) only around 8 pm – in time to spend a bit of my birthday out having supper with the umpires.

The island/country of St Lucia is absolutely beautiful- fantastic resort where we are staying so a walk directly onto the beach - idyllic conditions for doing whatever you feel like- a short walk into Rodney Bay where there are enough pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and shops for the satisfaction of the many tourists who come to enjoy what is on offer.A few days ago we arranged to travel around some parts of the Island and visited the iconic Pitons ( two cone-shaped mountains) as well as visiting the Sulphur Springs nearby and having a delightful Mud Bath.

With the CPL matches here all scheduled to start either at 5,6 or 8 pm, it does leave many hours free to get to enjoy new places- also got to Castries which is the main harbor town where passenger liners dock fairly regularly bringing the many tourists who enjoy being in the Caribbean.

This update was started on Sunday and it is now Tuesday- Our 4th and final match here at the Daren Sammy Stadium is at 6pm and then we prepare to leave St Lucia for an equally beautiful island called St Kitts & Nevis.

Last night a local passionate cricket-loving family invited the match officials to their home- a beautiful evening spent with them and some friends they had invited and to listen to so much of what life is like on these Caribbean islands –their love and following of cricket down to their knowledge of even the match officials was astounding and we were made ot feel really special by them all- hoping that one of their daughters plays for the West Indies one day.

Sunday 20 August

Yes- it is clear that the days are going by quickly and this update needs to be sent out before it is time to return home- so, from beautiful St Kitts on this reast day let me briefly update- have had a few matches here- my third visit to this magnificent island where the Port Zante region in the downtown Basseterre comes alive when the regular ocean liners dock-a few days ago two docked at the same time so it was a good time to be there and once again experience the buzz tha this brings with it- tourism is what the island survives on and the shops do a good trade- I have made some good friends in many places and here I have friends who own a jewellery store and my weakness for watches is well know to them and yes, I have bought another one!

I also have a couple who take me around to see new places so this afternoon they shall once again do that.

Some CPL matches start at 9pm for maximum TV exposure in the sub-continent- that does mean that if there are any rain interruptions then the extra time allowed pushes the cessation times way beyond midnight! Really should not complain as we do have free days and also match days are free until we leave for the venues.

From St Kitts the next stop on Thursday will be Barbados- looking forward to my 2nd visit to Bajan territory and from there it is play-offs and finals this year in Trinidad.

Until the next update

Always

Just

deV

Dev travels to Bangladesh

THIS IS MY FIRST UPDATE FOR 2016 AND IT COMES TO YOU FROM THE PORT
CITY OF CHITTAGONG IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH WHICH
IS PLAYING HOST TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL’S UNDER 19 WORLD CUP.

THE EVENT IS INTO IT’S 11 TH EDITION WITH THE FIRST ONE HAVING BEEN HELD IN 1988 AND HAS BUILT A REPUTATION FOR BEING THE LAUNCHING PAD FOR THE FUTURE STARS OF THE GAME.

THE 19 DAY TOURNAMENT OFFICIALLY GETS UNDER WAY ON WEDNESDAY 27TH AND THERE WILL BE 48 MATCHES PLAYED ACROSS 8 DIFFERENT VENUES IN BANGLADESH.

THIS IS MY FIRST EVER VISIT TO THIS COUNTRY SO HOPEFULLY I SHALL OVER
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS BE ABLE TO CONVEY TO YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT I
SHALL EXPERIENCE BEARING AT THE OUTSET THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A TIGHT SECURITY BLANKET PLACED AROUND THE EVENT AND THAT OUR MOVEMENTS HAVE UNDERSTANDABLY BEEN SERIOUSLY CURTAILED.
I LANDED IN DHAKA ON SUNDAY EARLY EVENING AFTER FLIGHTS FROM PORT ELIZABETH VIA JOHANNESBURG & DUBAI .

THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OTHER ICC MATCH OFFICIALS WHO LINKED UP IN
DUBAI FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SO WE WE WERE ALL MET AT THE HASRAT SHAHJALAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN DHAKA WHERE
SECURITY OFFICERS AND LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ENSURED OUR BRISK PASSAGE THROUGH CUSTOMS & SECURITY THEN INTO
BUSSES FOR THE JOURNEY OF ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE CITY WHERE WE CHECKED IN AT THE PLUSH LE MERIDIEN HOTEL.

THE TIME DIFFERENCE OF 4 HOURS MEANT THERE HAD TO BE SOME
ADJUSTMENTS MADE AND AFTER THE USUAL UNPACKING AND SETTLING IN IT WAS NECESSARY TO GET IN SOME SOLID SLEEP AS MONDAY & TUESDAY SAW US ALL BUSY AT THE WORKSHOP IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT.

IT IS SOMETIMES NOT EASY TO EXPLAIN WHAT GOES INTO ORGANIZING SUCH
A MAJOR WORLD EVENT BUT YOU COULD PROBABLY WORK THIS OUT BY
THINKING OF THE LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE PUT IN TO PLACE TO BRING 16 TEAMS INTO THE COUNTRY – ADD TO THAT ALL THE MATCH OFFICIALS AS WELL AS OTHER PERSONNEL AS WELL AS ICC STAFF MEMBERS.

IT BECAME EVIDENT FROM THE TIME WE GOT HERE THAT THE GOVT HAD
SPARED NO COST IN ENSURING THE SAFETY OF ALL THOSE AT THE
TOURNAMENT SO SECURITY IN THE FORM OF ARMED GUARDS AS WELL AS PERSONAL SECURITY OFFICERS FOR OFFICIALS AND TEAMS HAS BEEN GIVEN PRIORITY .

AFTER THE WORKSHOP ENDED IT WAS TIME FOR THE VARIOUS MATCH OFFICIALS TO SPLIT UP AND MOVE OFF TO THE VARIOUS CENTRES WHERE MATCHES WOULD BE PLAYED.

20 OF THE MATCHES SHALL BE LIVE ON NATIONAL TV AROUND THE WORLD SO POSSIBLY YOU SHALL CATCH SOME OF THEM ON SUPERSPORT OR WHICHEVER SPORT CHANNEL YOU WILL BE FOLLOWING THE CRICKET ON IN YOUR COUNTRY.
THE LE MERIDIEN HOTEL IN DHAKA WAS OUTSTANDING AND THE TIGHT
SCHEDULE MEANT THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME TO EVEN GET TO SEE MUCH
ELSE- HOPING THIS SHALL BE CORRECTED WHEN I RETURN THERE FROM CHITTAGONG ON 3 FEB.

FLEW ON WED FROM DHAKA TO CHITTAGONG ON US BANGLA AIRLINE- A SHORT 40 MINS OR SO HOP OVER TO THIS 2ND LARGEST CITY IN BANGLADESH.
THE 45 MINS DRIVE FROM THE SHAH AMANAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BROUGHT HOME THE REALITY TO ME OF WHERE I ACTUALLY WAS AND HOW PRIVILEGED SO MANY OF US ARE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

THE POT-HOLED, CONGESTED ROADS TOOK US ALONG PATHWAYS THAT
SADDENED ME IN SO MANY WAYS- WE HAVE MADE SO MUCH PROGRESS ON SO
MANY FRONTS AND YET HUMANS ARE SUBJECTED TO SUCH CONDITIONS OF ABJECT POVERTY AND HARDSHIPS IN SO MANY COUNTRIES.

AMIDST THE FIGHT FOR DAILY SURVIVAL LIFE CARRIES ON AND
EVERYWHERE THERE WERE THREE-WHEELERS OVER-FILLED WITH PEOPLE
GETTING TO OR COMING FROM WORK, UNKEMPT CHILDREN SCROUNGING
AROUND ENORMOUS RUBBISH DUMPS ALONG THE ROADSIDES, RICKSHAWS
PULLING ALONG HEAVY LOADS OR CYCLE-RICKSHAWS FERRYING PASSENGERS
ALONG BUSY PATHWAYS- EVERYWHERE THERE WERE COLORFUL TRUCKS
AND BUSSES – PEOPLE AND MORE PEOPLE – CONTRASTED EVERY NOW AND
THEN BY AREAS WHERE MODERN SHOPS COULD BE SEEN AND FINALLY UPON ARRIVING AT THE NEWLY OPENED RADDISON BLU HOTEL, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN – OPULENCE AND LUXURY!

THAT JOURNEY JUST HUMBLES ONE AND MAKES ONE AUTOMATICALLY RESORT
TO A PRAYER OF THANKFULNESS AND AT THE SAME TIME OFFERING PRAYERS FOR THE DOWNTRODDEN AND THE INDIGENT.

PRIVATE CLUBS ARE IMPORTANT IN BANGLADESH- VISITORS WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW EXPENSIVE CERTAIN LUXURIES ARE AT INTERNATIONAL HOTELS SO
LOCALS OF A CERTAIN STANDING WOULD INVITE SPORTS PERSONS TO THEIR
CLUBS WHERE THEY CAN ENJOY MEALS AS WELL AS REFRESHMENTS AT CLUB
PRICES! THESE CLUBS ARE WELL RUN AND HAVE IN SOME CASES TOTAL
SPORTS FACILITIES AS WELL FOR THEIR MEMBERS- NOT SURE HOW EASY IT
WOULD BE TO BECOME A MEMBER BUT I DOUBT IT WOULD HAPPEN UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN HIGH PLACES!

WE WENT TO THE UTTARA CLUB IN DHAKA AND LAST NIGHT WE WENT TO
THE CHITTAGONG CLUB WHICH IS SITUATED A WALKING DISTANCE FROM
OUR HOTEL. EXCELLENT SETTINGS AND CUISINE OF A GOOD VARIETY ON
OFFER- NOT TO MENTION THE BEERS OF OFCOURSE FOR SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES.

WED AFTERNOON WE DID THE VENUE INSPECTION – THE MA AZIZ STADIUM
CAN BE SEEN FROM MY ROOM AND ABOUT 30 MINS AWAY IS THE MAIN ZAC STADIUM- IMPRESSIVE STADIUM WHICH HAS HOSTED MANY INTERNATIONAL MATCHES IN CHITTAGONG.

THINK BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF THE CONTRASTING SITUATIONS OF BANGLADESH – THE PEOPLE ARE WONDERFULLY WELCOMING AND WARM IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH US.OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS THERE WILL BE WARM-UP MATCHES FOR THE TEAMS EVERYWHERE- THEN WED THE OPENING MATCH TAKES PLACE HERE IN CHITTAGONG- DEFENDING CHAMPIONS SA PLAY THE HOSTS BANGLADESH AT THE ZAC STADIUM- THIS WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE AND MY FELLOW MATCH REFEREE GRAEME LE BROOY WILL BE OFFICIATING ( NEUTRAL).

UNTIL MY NEXT UPDATE MY FONDEST GOOD WISHES AND AS USUAL, ASK FOR SOME RESPONSE OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

ALWAYS

JUST

DEV

International Cricket Match Referee, Dev Govindjee travels to the Caribbean

The Hilton Hotel
Bridgetown

Barbados

Tuesday 23 June 2015

It is almost a week since my arrival to Barbados to be a part of the Caribbean Premier League Cricket event which has 6 Franchise Teams playing across the 7 different Islands ( Countries) of the West Indies.

My flight path after leaving Port Elizabeth on Wed 17th took me on a BA flight to Johannesburg then to London Heathrow- having left ORTIA at 9.30 we landed around 7 a.m. ( London time) on the 18th – this was an anxious flight as I had to make sure I got from Heathrow to Gatwick in time for the flight to Barbados- fortunately I had arranged on internet for a cab to be waiting my arrival not knowing how long it would take through customs & passport control- the God’s were with me as the flight got in earlier than expected and I managed to exit in another hour to be met by the cab and within another hour I was at Gatwick- even had time to shower in the BA lounge and after a change of clothes it was a much more relaxed 8 hour flight into Bridgetown Barbados where the time is 6 hours behind that of SA.

Naturally the body clock needed to adjust and a week later this is still in rather chaotic mood and the waking hours have been virtually anytime – thankfully I can manage on clusters of short deep sleep so the waking hours finds me working.

Barbados is 21 miles long and 14 miles wide and the Island Map called “Ins & Outs of Barbados” gives the reader the following welcome message :

“ Welcome to Barbados- a safe, friendly island colonized nearly 400 years ago by the British & declared a proud independent nation in 1966.

Barbados is beautiful & everything is within easy driving distance. Taxis enthusiastically ply their trade , it is safe to walk anywhere & people will happily give you information.

Enjoy your stay!”

Not sure how many other countries can include a Welcome message such as that ?

My first two days were taken up on meetings and venue inspection of the beautiful Kensington Oval Cricket Ground- scene of the 2007 World Cup Final and also where Rihanna in 2011 sang for the 1st time in her home country!

Did manage on Friday morning to do a long walk with Mick Martell ( the Australian umpire who forms part of my PCT) – we left the hotel and walked along the stunning Carlisle Bay – the Hilton forms part of the South Western corner of the Island of Barbados. The beautiful beach went on forwever with warm water which eventually forced us to take our tops off and in our walking shorts jump into the stunning Caribbean Sea!

By Saturday everything was in place for the opening match of this tournament with the Barbados Tridents playing the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

There are two Playing Control Teams (PCT) – I have an umpire from Australia , Guyana & Trinidad with me as well as a 4th umpire who is local.
The other PCT has been based in St Lucia.

The opening match went very well and we had no issues to deal with as the Barbados Tridents captained by Kieron Pollard defeated the Guyana Amazon Warriors captained by Denesh Ramdin- the sold out crowd gave me an idea of what enjoying cricket Caribbean Style is all about.

Sunday we ( the PCT) arranged for the taxi to take us on a 5 hour Island Tour.
This was just special as she took us along the stunning coastline from the hotel- each “suburb” is referred to as a Parish so from St Michael Parish ( where the Hilton is) we traversed the Island through St Thomas, St James, St Peter until we got to the northernmost point called North Point in the parish of St Lucy. We had made stops for photographs at various places of interest starting in the downtown Bridgetown centre at the Independence Square with the magnificent Parliament buildings and statues of Nelson and one dedicated to the two World Wars.

We found the journey fascinating as explanations given about the early history, the work on plantations of cotton and sugar cane, the unique Chattel Houses- wooden in construction and many colourfully painted- they were raised from the ground in order that the plantation workers could move these homes onto new land when they had to work at a different cotton or sugar cane plantation.

We also came across staggeringly expensive erf with views to the coast and modern Condominiums – a unit in one of these was bought by Rihanna at a discounted price ( as she is Barbadian) of around USD 25 Million.

Wonderful Marina developments where the rich & famous have their yachts and catamarans parked as if they were cars outside a home !

Of course I had to make a stop at Sandy Lane – the five star beachfront resort close to Holetown in the St James Parish - this is where Tiger Woods chose to marry Erin Nordegren in 2004.
The list of celebs who have stayed at Sandy Lane is worth googling!
From Oprah to Elton John, The Onassis clan and even RVP of soccer fame.

We were thrilled to come across three club cricket matches- stopped at one to visit the clubhouse and chat to the people there- it was also interesting to note British tourists who hire cars as it is quite easy to get around, stopping to also enjoy the Village Style cricket matches- the Sport in the Caribbean is unbelievably popular.

We stopped for lunch at one of many little quaint restaurants and then proceeded to continue our 5 hour trip which at times was through some lovely tropical warm rain.

The evening we took another cab to a sports Bar called Bubbas- huge screens in a beautiful setting where naturally Cricket was being shown and we watched a bit of the 1st match of the other group- in St Lucia – sadly rain affected that match and it could not be completed. The St Lucia Zouks ( with Kevin Petersen) playing the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel who have Kallis in the line-up.

Yesterday ( Monday) Mick Martell ( Aus umpire) & I went into the downtown city centre- about a ten minute drive from the hotel- spent many hours taking in the atmosphere- clean, neat shopping lanes, closed off streets to allow walking only, the Marina with the famous Chamberlain Bridge spanning the Careenage. We enjoyed lunch at the Marina Restaurant & Bar at the Bridge House- lovely view across the bridge and good food- rained heavily while there so many tourists moved into the restaurant frpm the balcony seating areas.

We managed to do some shopping as well- the Caribbean Islands ( countries ) all have their own currency with a different exchange rate ! Things are very expensive because of our weak rand and that has always got to be taken into account. Two Barbados Dollars = 1 USD .

This morning took a walk on my own around the hotel and found the George Washington Home- interestingly this is the only city Washington had ever visited outside of the USA!
Had some coffee at the Barbados Coffee Shop – the slogan read “ Just another day in Paradise” and I thought – how fitting!

It is now 1 pm and time to get ready for tonight’s 2nd match – the Barbados Tridents play the Jamaican Tallawahs . This brings Kieron Pollard ( Tridents) up against Chris Gayle (Tallawahs) – so the toss is going to be interesting – with two towering figures alongside me- both metaphorically & literally speaking!

So on that note my 1st Caribbean update comes to an end- This is the first of a 6 week outing – from here I shall move to St Kitts on Saturday for my next group of matches- shall let you know all about
St Kitts once I have settled in there.

Always

Just

deV

To view Dev's travel photos, simply click on the link below

https://www.facebook.com/dev.govindjee.5?fref=ts

International cricket match referee, Dev Govindjee visits Ireland

DUBLIN – update

Friday 5 June 2015

MY VISIT TO DUBLIN FOR THE ICC INTERCONTINENTAL CUP MATCH BETWEEN IRELAND & THE U.A.E. WAS ONCE AGAIN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

ARRIVED IN DUBLIN VIA JHB & LONDON LAST SATURDAY to REALLY FOUL WEATHER WHICH HARDLY CHANGED AT ALL- HAD A FEW FREE DAYS DURING WHICH TIME I DID SOME VENUE INSPECTIONS AND ALSO POPPED INTO THE CITY CENTRE WHICH I HAVE VISITED A FEW TIMES BEFORE BUT WANTED TO SHOW THE UMPIRE FROM INDIA WHO WAS ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO IRELAND.

THE MATCH GOT UNDER WAY UNDER GLOOMY SKIES ON TUESDAY WITH THE PROSPECT OF IT BEING WASHED OUT A VERY STRONG ONE- BUT THEN AGAIN, THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE WEATHER HERE PROVED ITSELF ONCE AGAIN WITH SKIES CLEARING, RAIN STOPPING AND PLAY GETTING UNDER WAY – PLAYED LATER THAN THE SCHEDULED CLOSE- LIGHT IS NEVER A PROBLEM AS SUNSET HERE AT THIS TIME CAN EASILY BE AROUND 10 PM!

THE HOTEL ON THIS TRIP WAS VERY CONVENIENTLY SITUATED- THE HILTON AIRPORT DUBLIN HOTEL IS ABOUT 15 MINS FROM THE AIRPORT AND PROBABLY THE SAME DISTANCE FROM THE MALAHIDE CRICKET CLUB WHERE THE MATCH WAS SCHEDULED TO BE PLAYED.

OVER THE PAST 4 DAYS THE PLAYING CONTROL TEAM WENT OUT EACH EVENING TO EXPERIENCE THE CUISINE ON OFFER IN THE VICINITY AS WELL AS IN MALAHIDE WHICH IS ONE OF THE UPMARKET AREAS OF DUBLIN.

ACROSS FROM THE HOTEL IS A TESCO – THIS OPENS 24 HRS A DAY SO THAT TOO PROVED CONVENIENT FOR THE ODD PURCHASE.

DURING THE PAST FEW EVENINGS WE HAD MEALS AT THE NOBLE HOUSE NEAR TO THE HOTEL- THIS WAS A SPECIALIST THAI RESTAURANT. I ALSO VISITED A LOVELY COFFEE SHOP CALLED INSOMNIA WHICH FORMS PART OF THE EUROSPAR FRANCHISE- DELIGHTFUL THE WAY THEY MADE LIGHT MEALS ON ORDER- ONE COULD CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF FILLINGS AND HAVE A WRAP OR A BAGUETTE MADE UP AND TOASTED.

THE HOTEL ITSELF BOASTS A LOVELY RESTAURANT CALLED BURNELL- I AM ACTUALLY SITTING IN THAT RESTAURANT AS I TYPE- ATTRACTS MANY BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO COME AND CHAT OVER LUNCH IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR STREAM OF TOURISTS.

THAT REMINDS ME- WHILE WATCHING THE MATCH AT MALAHIDE CRICKET CLUB, I WAS AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF PLANES COMING IN TO LAND AT THE NEARBY AIRPORT- IT SEEMED ALMOST LIKE EVERY TWO MINUTES A PLANE WOULD HOVER ACROSS AND LAND AT THE AIRPORT- I GOOGLED THE CURIOSITY AND WAS AMAZED THAT OVER 450 FLIGHTS COME INTO THE CITY EACH DAY- SUCH IS THE POPULARITY OF DUBLIN & IRELAND AND SUCH IS OUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN UNDERSTANDING THESE THINGS. WE LIVE SUCH SECLUDED LIVES AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW BUSY OR POPULAR CITIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE COMPARED TO OUR OWN ONES.

ANYWAY, LAST NIGHT WE WENT OUT TO MALAHIDE FOR SUPPER- THE INDIAN UMPIRE WAS THRILLED AS WE FINALLY GOT TO AN INDIAN RESTAURANT- MALAHIDE HAS SOME GREAT PLACES INCLUDING THE STUNNING GRAND HOTEL- SO OUR MEAL WAS AT THE JAIPUR WHICH SERVED SOME GREAT FOOD – MY THALI WAS VERY GOOD - CONSISTED OF FOUR TYPES OF VEG CURRIES WITH A NAAN BREAD AS WELL.

THE FOUR DAY MATCH COULD HAVE ENDED YESTERDAY- IRELAND NEEDED ONE MORE WICKET BUT THE UAE HELD OUT- SO WE WENT BACK THIS MORNING- ONLY START PLAY EACH DAY AT 11 AS THE DAY IS LONG AND SUNSETS CAN BE ANYWHERE AROUND 10 PM ! IT TOOK ONLY 4 BALLS THIS MORNING AND IT WAS ALL OVER- GOT THE FORMALITIES DONE AND HAD LUNCH THERE BEFORE GETTING BACK HERE TO THE HOTEL.
THE TWO LOCAL UMPIRES DROVE OFF AS THEY LIVE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF IRELAND- ONE IN BELFAST WHICH IS ACTUALLY NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE OTHER IN ANOTHER TOWN.

THE INDIAN UMPIRE SHALL JOIN ME FOR SUPPER AT 7 – WE PLAN TO GO BACK TO THE NOBLE HOUSE THAI RESTAURANT NEAR HERE – HE FLIES OUT VIA DUBAI IN THE MORNING AND I FLY OUT FROM DUBLIN AIRPORT AT 2.30 TO LONDON AND THEN TO JOHANNESBURG AND SHALL BE BACK IN PE ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

DUBLIN IS SUCH A WONDERFUL CITY AND THE WEATHER WITH ALL THE RAIN THEY GET TENDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LUSHNESS OF THE SURROUNDS – THE EMERALD ISLE TAG BEFITS THE COUNTRY AND JUST GETTING INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE IS ALWAYS SUCH A PLEASURE FOR ANYONE WHO APPRECIATES NATURE AND THE BEAUTY THAT COMES WITH IT.

NOW IT WILL BE BACK HOME FOR ONLY 10 DAYS BEFORE MY NEXT BIG ASSIGNMENT- THE TRIP TO BE A PART OF A MAJOR SPORTING EVENT- THE CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE (CPL) EXCITES ME EVEN THOUGH IT DOES MEAN ANOTHER LONG TREK OF FLIGHTS VIA JOBURG THROUGH TO THE WEST INDIES AND ALSO AWARE THAT IT WILL BE 5-6 WEEKS AWAY FROM HOME!
I FLY OUT ON THE 17TH JUNE.

ENJOY THE READ AND ONCE AGAIN THE HOPE IS THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF INDICATION AS TO RECEIVING THIS – MY NEXT UPDATE SHALL BE FROM BARBADOS WHICH WILL BE MY FIRST PLACE FOR A WEEK OR TWO BEFORE I MOVE ONTO ST KITTS AND END UP IN TRINIDAD WHERE THE CPL 2015 COMES TO A CONCLUSION- MY DEPARTURE OUT OF THE WEST INDIES IS SCHEDULED FOR 29 JULY.

ALL THE BEST AND AS USUAL

LOTS OF LOVE

I AM ALWAYS JUST

Dev

International Cricket Referee, Dev travels to Malaysia

Friday 24 October 2014

TRAVELOGUE :

It is Friday morning and I am finally able to settle down at the Kinrara Oval before the start of Day 2 of this ICC World Cricket League Division 3 Tournament here in KL.

It has been a very busy time since our arrival into KL from South Africa on Sunday evening- bearing in mind it is 6 hours later here – so by the time we had traveled from the KLIA to the Istana Hotel and settled in we were totally exhausted.

Thankfully Sunday was a free day to allow time to get familiar with the splendid hotel centrally situated with wonderful shopping malls and a myriad of restaurants available – all within a walking distance of the hotel- already it is clear that the city comes out each night to enjoy the international choices of cuisine and there is quite a special vibe that brings the city to life.

We were welcomed with a few days of heavy rains as well and this was a worrying factor- being very close to the equator KL is known for many days of rain each month- thankfully Day 1 came along yesterday and all three matches were completed without any interruptions- it is hoped that the same happens today which will then mean that the reserve day set aside tomorrow can be used for some sight seeing!

Already the impressive Petronas towers has been observed but not visited and the KL Tower is also a prominent feature in the KL skyline. Hopefully the other nearby attractions shall be visited depending on the reserve days not being taken up by playing matches affected by the weather.

I have been most impressed by the high degree of professionalism displayed by the hosts- The Malaysia Cricket- their offices are here at the Kinrara Oval and it is clear that they run a very good organization.

I have now visited 2 of the three venues and all of them are outstanding- the pitches are well prepared by competent Curators and the outfields in lush condition with the venues all having the necessary facilities necessary to host international matches.

Catering here is certainly another aspect worthy of mention- with the Asian population forming a vital cog in the Malaysian whell, there is always an abundance in Indian dishes available- even the hotels have Indian cuisine served during breakfast!

The local match officials appointed as reserve umpires and D/L managers ( Duckworth – Lewis for the uninitiated!) are top class in the execution of their duties- it is evident that taking pride in what you do is a hallmark of their character.

Daily transport and logical issues have been quite special with attention to detail making sure there have been no lapses for officials or teams.

Well, before I get too caught up in the cricketing issues, let me get this update off – as an aside- Diwali is a public holiday here and was observed on Wednesday. The hotel as well as public places and malls had beautiful décor with lamps and lights forming the central theme for this auspicious Hindu occasion.

Hopefully I shall send off a 2nd update before flying out on the 31st- there has now been a change of plan and I shall be staying over in Jhb to attend a workshop of CSA on Saturday next and be on duty at the Wanderers on Sunday 2nd where the triple-header of the Ram Slam event will be played.

Until then may I send good wishes in the hope, as usual, that there shall be news in the form of a response-


Take care always

Just

deV

To view all of Dev's stunning photos, log onto his facebook profile:
https://www.facebook.com/dev.govindjee.5?fref=ts

Dev travels to Zimbabwe

International cricket match referee, Devdas Govindjee shares his travel experience to Zimbabwe with all the blog readers. Dev was recently in the African country for 4 one day international cricket matches between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. I was joking with Dev, that he has in fact become a travel correspondent for this blog.I am so blessed to be acquainted with such a wonderful human being who loves to impart and share his knowledge and experiences with the rest of the world. Read on to find out more in his words.

Bulawayo Zimbabwe Wed 23.07.2014

Greetings on another beautiful morning in Southern Africa – it amazes me that I have been in this city for over a week already and that I only have two more days here before the flight back to PE via Johannesburg.
I had trouble getting my previous update through so this time I am not taking any chances so have opted to send this as an attachment in the hope that it shall be read with the same enthusiasm as all previous mails sent out.
Let’s dispense with the cricket part of the trip so far- after all that is the main purpose of my being here in Zimbabwe.
The 1st of 4 One Day Internationals (ODI”s) took place last Thursday with the 2nd one on Sat and yesterday the 3rd was played – all at the historic Queens Sports Club.
Zimbabwe had comfortable wins in the first two match but Afghanistan came back with a vengeance yesterday to record a pulsating win chasing down the required 267 with the 2nd last ball of the match which was hit for a 6 with only one more batsman left to bat.
It was a significant win as one has to bear in mind Zimbabwe has Test playing status whilst Afghanistan are part of what is referred to as an Associate playing nation. Both teams will play in the World Cup in Feb next year which is jointly being hosted by Australia & NZ.
Afghanistan do have ODI status in World Cricket so these matches are fully fledged Internationals.
With the series now still wide open and Afghanistan with an opportunity to level matters, the final ODI tomorrow takes on new significance.
Trust you have survived all of that!
The trip to Zimbabwe has been totally different than my normal cricketing trips- I did mention that I have close family here as well as friends – this has resulted in a flood of invitations to join families for meals or snacks etc – in between all of that and during the free days ( as matches were played on alternate days) Johan Cloete ( my friend and umpire from SA) and I have frequented every coffee shop and most of the restaurants in this city- the close proximity of most places to our hotel makes this possible and where necessary the designated transport has always been there for our convenience- they have however hardly been called into duty because of all the trips we have made with the family members.
Today we are using our transport (with the appointed liaison and security officer) and leave at 9 this morning for Matopos – this is about 30 km away and has much significance for any South African who has an interest in History like I do- it is the final resting place for Cecil John Rhodes who we all know played a significant role in
Southern Africa- his Cape to Cairo vision was a colonial expansionist dream an in the process he not only made contributions in road and rail links but left a lasting legacy in the field of education where even today the now Rhodes-Mandela scholarship is a prestigious one which only the very best of students receive.
Looking forward to visiting Matopos as the rock formations in the region have been well documented over the ages.
Naturally I am excited by the photo opportunities the trip to Matopos shall present and shall use my fb pages to display.
On Monday Johan and I played a round of golf at the Bulawayo Golf Club- the Zim Cricket Union kindly planned this for us- I have not played in a long time so it was a timely reminder that I should get back onto the golf course- not so much for the playing but more for the wonderful opportunity it affords the casual golfer of just walking along the fairways and taking in such healthy fresh air in open countryside. The body did of course take a bit of a beating and required much rest to regain normal functions!
Bulawayo is just so quiet and devoid of traffic and congestion and everything else thjat we normally associate with major African cities – this made the daily presence of our two BMW police cars and the manner in which they blared their sirens and blocked off poor startled pedestrians and the slow driving local commuters was so amusing- but protocol had to be observed and three minutes later we would in any case reach our destination either way!
Until my next update from PE – or it might be from Zambia – I remain
As always

Just Dev

Bond Nyaota & Gary Nyumbu (ZCU) were on hand to meet Johan Cloete and myself at the newly revamped airport in Bulawayo upon our arrival yesterday at noon.— in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.


      Nesbitt castle - charming and enchanting

Unusual street lamps seem to be curtsying to the impressive bronze statue of "Father Zimbabwe" Joshua Nkomo in downtown Bulawayo. — in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.


Well Cecil John Rhodes did have a vision of the CtoC - the Cape to Cairo route - at this point it shows the distance to Cairo - this was spotted on our way to the hotel. — in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

My nephew Dash Vaghmaria played for Matabeleland and Zim B - great to see this pic in the clubhouse at Queens with two legends of the game Wasim Akram & Waqar Younis of Pakistan — in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Sikandar Raza receiving the Man of the Match award at the post match presentations. — at Bulawayo Golf Club.

CRICKET WITH PLEASURE. JAMAICA - PART 1

International cricket match referee, Devdas Govindjee shares his Caribbean travel experience with all the blog readers. Dev was recently in Jamaica for two T20 one day international cricket matches. I was joking with Dev, that he has in fact become a travel correspondent for this blog.I am so blessed to be acquainted with such a wonderful human being who loves to impart and share his knowledge and experiences with the rest of the world.

JAMAICA - Sunday 16 February 2014

When the Jet Blue flight 59 touched down at the Norman Manley International airport in Kingston at around 8 pm last evening, all the passengers broke out into a spontaneous and enthusiastic round of continuous applause- this epitomized the spirit of the Caribbean as I arrived for my first ever visit to the West Indies.
Having left Port Elizabeth airport at around 2 pm on Valentine’s Day , I took the SA203 flight which was supposed to be a direct flight from ORTIA in Joburg to JFK in New York – this all changed once the captain announced soon before take off at around 8 pm that we would be heading to Dakar in Senegal – it was explained that weather conditions would not allow a flight without re-fuelling- this after about 8hrs we reached Dakar- an hour later- after re-fuelling and the usual on board security checks we were on our way- the other concern was that the USA had been having severe snowstorms and many flights at JFK had been cancelled or diverted.
Thankfully we were told that the skies had cleared sufficiently for our landing which did happen at around 7.30 am ( USA Eastern Time) on Sat 15th.
Our approach was a spectacle in itself and fortunately my camera was at hand for me to try to capture the blanket of snow that had enveloped the entire JFK airport- the runways had been cleared of all snow and ice and with temperatures below zero it was a freezing arrival into New York’s Terminal 4.
A fter customs and baggage I made my way via the overhead airport train to the next stop to be at Terminal 5 where i would check in and await my 7.30 Jet Blue flight to Kingston.
After a lovely shower and change of clothes in the Air Space lounge I relaxed and sent out some fb messages as well as enjoyed a waiting time by frequenting the terminal shops and getting something to eat .
The 3hr 30 min flight to Jamaica meant that about 38 hours had elapsed from the time i had left PE to the time I arrived at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston- having been met at the airport by the assigned West Indies Cricket Board representative.
After a lovely sleep I was awakened around 6 to the sounds of loudspeakers blaring and reggae music filling the air- down below I could gather that preparations were in hand for some or other walk/fun run and that people in big numbers were gathering in support of the event- as i type balloons have been sent into the heavens and joggers and walkers are all on their way around the area of the hotel.
I have had my swim in a lovely Olympic sized pool set in a garden area which also boasts a jogging track and two stunning tennis courts with seating areas for spectators as well.

My first match of the 3 I am doing here at the famous Sabina Park is on Wednesday so I have three days to get to see as much as i am able to- have stadium inspection as well as a pre-series meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

What am I most looking forward to on my visit to Jamaica?
Nelson Mandela inspired millions around the world- but who inspired Mandela?
Outside of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Martin Luther King jr there was one other person who played an influential role in determining the political outlook and approach of Madiba- that person was MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY- during my lecture days I spent many lectures talking about this philosopher, educator, visionary and an extraordinary charismatic leader.
A visit to the Marcus Garvey museum is high on my agenda – he spent the better part of his life reflecting on the injustices of racism he had experienced in the West Indies as well as during travels in South & Central America. I shall refrain from going into a lecture on Garvey but merely add that in 1914 he founded the worldwide movement known as the Universal Negro Improvement Association & African Communities’ League – vowing to work to change the status quo of the Black man’s lack of influences, power and wealth in the world.
Next on my agenda would be to get into the rhythm of Kingston and this would start with a visit to the Trench Town Culture yard and move on to the Bob Marley Museum- a big fan am I so this is also a dream come true to learn more about the legend – then get to have a night out at Usain Bolt’s Tracks & Records joint ( use that term with caution of course!)
Time to get this 1st update off and to get down to some breakfast- not sure what to expect of
Caribbean cuisine but lets leave that for my next mail as the Reggae sounds of “ African Queen ” come filtering through my window as the announcer congratulates the finishes of the charity run/walk.

As always

I am Just

deV

Terminal 5 at JFK airport in New York. The warm glows belie the miserable weather outside where temps were below zero with snow covering most of the airport.


Sunrise over the Blue mountains in Kingston Jamaica — in Kingston, Jamaica.

"Out of many,One People" - that's the motto of Jamaica- Across from the hotel is Emancipation Park- these stunning works at the entrance to the Park -the man and woman stare into the heavens, symbolising Jamaicans' rise to freedom.The work is titled Redemption song. — in Kingston, Jamaica.


Emancipation Park- milling with people who took part in a fund raising event today (Sunday) — in Kingston, Jamaica.


My first visit to a national stadium in the Caribbean. The very famous Sabina Park- 1st Test here in 1930. This is where Sir Garfield Sobers scored his 354 not out in a Test Match- a world record that stood for 36 years. Gregory Brathwaite and Joel Wilson the two WI umpires with me. — at Sabina Park.


The beautiful Blue Mountains form a backdrop to this unique "party" section - looks like a vessel sailing along!— at Sabina Park.

                                                              With Maureen Mutunga Rina

Cricket South Africa Awards Evening 2013

The Cricket South Africa Awards function was held a few nights ago at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. International cricket match referee Devdas Govindjee was present at the glitterati event and shared these pictures with all the blog readers.

The CSA Awards 2013 evening was a glittering function last night- moments to savour successes & meet so many in our cricketing family

The decor was stunning and the audio-visual presentations top class. Low lighting in the conference centre added ambiance to a special evening.

Popular T.V. personalities Carol Tshabalala & Robert Marawa were outstanding as program directors.

A lump in the throat moment for me when my great friend Hoosain Ayob received the CSA Khaya Majola Lifetime Award from Cynthia Majola and her son. Hoosain served cricket with distinction and is a special individual.

Congratulating Hoosain Ayob later in the evening was a special moment for me- we go back many years as players and have a mutual respect for each other- with us is Shafiek Abrahams now selector and commentator.

CSA umpires enjoying the evening . Murray Brown, Earl Hendrikse, Brad White and Marais Erasmus.

The legendary Cyril "Squire" Mitchley -now a Match Ref with CSA scorer Laura Webster 

Catching up with fellow Port Elizabethan and CSA Head Coach Russell Domingo

Geoff Dakin the former head of cricket presenting the Umpire's Umpire of the Year Award to Shaun George

The top honour of the evening Hashiem Amla getting the CSA Player of the Year Award- well deserved for an outstanding season

THE ICC WOMEN'S T 20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER TOURNAMENT DUBLIN JULY-AUG 2013. Through the eyes of the tournament referee Part 1

International cricket match referee, Devdas Govindjee shares his current travel experience with all the blog readers. Dev is currently in Ireland for the ICC Women's T 20 world cup qualifier tournament.I am so blessed to be acquainted with such a wonderful human being who loves to impart and share his knowledge and experiences with the rest of the world.

The Women cricketers representing eight countries are gathering in Dublin Ireland to take part in the ICC's T20 World Cup Qualifier- only 3 of these teams will make it into the draw for the T20 World Cup event scheduled to be held in Bangladesh next year.

Hosts Ireland will have to compete against teams from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Netherlands,Japan, Thailand and Canada for a place at the prestigious World cup event so everything points to some exciting matches starting on Tuesday in Dublin.

As Tournament Referee to the event I left Port Elizabeth on Friday and it was a smooth uneventful journey via Johannesburg and London into Dublin on Saturday around midday.

The majestic Croke Park Stadium is pointed out by the driver when one approaches the hotel with the same name. He informs me that the 82 000 seater is home to popular Gaellic Rugby and the sport of Hurling.

Within walking distance of the hotel one immediately immerses into the Irish lifestyle- the streets have so many homes with the trademark colourful doors and the flowers clustered around lamp poles makes such a pretty sight.

Getting into the Temple Bar area brings the visitor into an entirely new environment - scores of locals and tourists come to this iconic part of the city where the river Liffey glides along and the area just cluttered with brightly painted pubs each with special names- these will provide patrons with good old fashioned Irish dishes or a menu to satisfy the tastes of any visitor. 

Musicians entertain crowds inside pubs and restaurants as street corners or pavements have groups or individuals all exhibiting their own unique entertainment.It creates a buzz in the area which is just so infectious and even a teetotaler like myself would end up sitting in a bar and taking in all that it has to offer.

One could also just find a quiet spot and spend time watching the different visitors from various parts of the world and absorb the sometimes risque dress codes of passers by. With camera in hand it does become a paradise for one with an eye for that "Kodak" moment.

With the sun only going down at around 10 pm there is certainly enough joviality around not to mention litres of Guiness that will get consumed.

With the serious business of a tournament in mind it is time to head back to the hotel and take in a good night's rest- ahead there are stadium inspections, umpire workshops, technical briefings with managers, coaches and captains of the respective teams and a welcome function on Monday evening before the first ball gets bowled at The hills and the YMCA grounds on Tuesday. The morning matches have hosts Ireland playing against Japan and Netherlands playing Zimbabwe with the afternoon matches pitting Sri Lanka against Canada and Pakistan against Thailand.

For update and live scores log into www.espncricinfo.com

The centrally situated Croke Park hotel with the massive Gaellic Football & Hurling stadium across from it. That shall require a special visit during my stay here.

A glimpse of the impressive Croke Park Stadium

After settling in and a rest, time to get familiar with the surrounds.

A quiet Saturday afternoon in this part of Dublin- not so once you hit the city centre and the Temple Bar area where it buzzes!

                                       Calm and tranquil scene- just to take a moment to savour it it all

Along the walk near the hotel had to identify future eating houses- knew there would be a Curry Den somewhere.

Early evening took a short cab drive to the Temple Bar region with ICC Tournament Director David Thorley and media representative Mary - selection of places to east is mind-boggling. We chose the "yellow" establishment.Waitress of Canadian origin did mention that that the burgers did not come with "buns!"

The world famous Temple Bar !Note the young lady in the foreground attracting customers to dine somewhere. People just flock to this area and the atmosphere is fantastic with live musicians on the streets and in the countless pubs.

This flautist and his group straight out of the Jethro Tull era!

The Liffey River is central to Dublin.

Day 1 comes to an end as the sun goes down around 10 pm! Time to call it a day and relax in a quiet cosy corner of The Library at the hotel.