Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2017

14 twitter: @scloverssociety Sheffield Cricket Lovers’ Society After leaving YCCC my first overseas tour in my role as Head of Team Communications for the England Cricket Team was eventful and one of life’s experiences. As we arrived into Dhaka International Airport at the beginning of October, the much anticipated high level security operation swung into place and we were at the centre of the action. There must have been over 150 Special Forces Military personnel who amassed together at the hotel gates, the roads were closed off, as Dhaka fell silent. It was such a contrast from the usual hustle and bustle and the noise of screaming vehicles of all shapes and sizes and their loud horns which constantly sound all day and every day. This was a very different Dhaka. The sounds we could hear were the sirens in the distance, which grew louder and then the hotel, the Raddison Blu Blue Watser, came into view in the darkness, lit by the flashing lights of the lead vehicle packed with armed guards and a large police and military presence within the hotel grounds this was unlike any other cricket tour the players and management had ever been on. We were greeted at the hotel by the dozen or so contingent from the British media. England team managing director Andrew Strauss and ECB chief executive Tom Harrison led the party off the bus. Strauss spoke on arrival, “here we go” very much the theme and thrust of his interview saying it was important that the administrators were not staying in their office back at Lord’s, but they were here too, immersing themselves having made the decision for the players to come. Like with all tours, once the team had settled into their new surroundings, the focus quickly shifted to the cricket and preparing for what was to be an intriguing and difficult ODI series against Bangladesh – arguably the most improved side in international cricket. Their record at home was up there with the best; winning their last six series and only losing three of their last 17 matches on Bangladeshi soil. The security operation passed its biggest challenge ahead of the first One-Day International. The team and our entourage, which included an ambulance, fire engine, replacement bus and members of the media, were whisked the 15 or so kilometres from our hotel to the ground on the outskirts of Dhaka at a speed that must have been the envy of those stuck in familiar heavy traffic coming in the opposite direction. Road blocks were common throughout every journey with thousands of bystanders watching the 20 vehicles weave their way through the suburbs. It was like being part of a Head of State Convoy. The level of organisation and security implemented by the Bangladesh authorities was unprecedented. The presence inside the ground was hardly discreet — police with guns at every entrance point to the stands and marksmen on the roof of the stand featuring the dressing rooms and presidential hospitality areas. Even stewards were at their most alert. The playmakers took it in their stride and in front of a partisan capacity crowd at the national stadium – they showed no fear with an aggressive performance, winning the first game comfortably by Danny Reuben is the key... Communication