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High commissioner fetes cricketers

Published:Friday | March 25, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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British High Commissioner Howard Drake (right) greets Sergeant Mark Lee (left) of the British army. Looking on is Captain Ryan March.
From left: England captain James Hildreth meets Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert and fitness trainer Gibbs Williams. photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Jamaica's technical director, Jimmy Adams (left), raps with England Lions coach Mick Newell.
British High Commissioner Howard Drake (centre) and Jamaica Cricket Association President Paul Campbell (left) listen keenly to Guy Jackson, England team manager.
Jamaican batsman Marlon Samuels (left) may be telling England Lions spinner Adil Rashid how he plans to hit six sixes off him in one over during the match. We're not joking, he actually said it.
President of the St Mary Cricket Association, Derrick Worrell, jokes with association secretary Jeanette Rose-Bryan (centre) and Lynn Ballard of the British High Commission.
Juliet Wight (left) of the British High Commission lymes with Marcia Gunning.
England Lions coach Mick Newell (left) talks cricket with Mike Fennell and RBTT head Minna Israel.
They say fast bowlers are supposed to be tall. Matthew Buck (centre) and Andy Carter (right) got the memo whereas Danny Briggs contents himself with being a spinner.
The lovely Altoria Davis takes a break from greeting the teams.
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Barring bad weather, Jamaica and the England Lions team should be battling at Sabina Park as you're reading this.

But before the game between the leading teams in this year's West Indies Cricket Board four-day competition bowled off, both teams were guests of the British High Commissioner at his Trafalgar Road residence on Wednesday evening. High Commissioner Howard Drake, an admitted cricket lover, quipped that he wouldn't bring up the West Indies' dismal performance against Pakistan in the World Cup earlier that day, especially since England had Sri Lanka come Saturday.

He congratulated Jamaica and England Lions on performing well in the tournament, with the Lions (sort of like the country's 'B' team) acquitting themselves quite well in Caribbean conditions. He also opined that the Lions' participation showed the strong links between Jamaica and the United Kingdom - ties that will be strengthened at next year's London Olympics.

Jamaica Cricket Association President Paul Campbell thanked High Commissioner Drake for his continued support of cricket in the island. But he hinted to the Lions that the hospitality meted out at the reception would not be mirrored on the field of play.

The players spent the evening getting to know each other and also a little gamesmanship, predicting the match's outcome.