Wednesday 27th July – Australia v Sri Lanka Day 2 First Cricket Test
Well the weather is okay today so it is off to the cricket for day 2 of the test match. My driver was running a little late because he grabbed a last minute fare down into town. Nevertheless I wasn’t too late in picking up Shane and Rhoda from Perth who have been gracious enough to share the day and the tuk tuk with me. We arrived at the stadium at 9:55 and to our chagrin the game had started at 9:45 and Steve Smith was dismissed just before we took our seats. It was a good morning for Sri Lanka as they took a couple of early wickets before Marsh and Voges consolidated the innings with a 50 plus partnership.
After lunch the fall of wickets continued and we were all out for 202. Nathan Lyon added a few timely runs to nudge us over this psychological barrier. There was 30 minutes before the tea break which meant our fast bowlers could really have a go at them. Hazlewood claimed the first wicket to have Sri Lanka at 1 for 6. That was all she wrote as the rain started to fall immediately after the wicket fell. Shane and I ordered a couple of beers in an effort to wait out the rain. It was to no avail as the days play was abandoned at around 3:45. I had preempted the state of play and our driver showed up at 4:05 and took us back to Kandy. It looks like I will get to use my day 3 ticket after all. Shane and Rhoda are moving on tomorrow but we may catch up on day 1 in Galle.
Tonight I have invited my driver out for dinner and the location of course is the Garden Café. It was another decent meal which set me back the astronomical sum of Rs 660 ($6).
Thursday 28th July – Australia v Sri Lanka Day 3 First Cricket Test
Well I still can’t believe the irony that the cost of the entrance fee to the cricket is eight times cheaper than my tuk tuk ride which got me to the game on time to watch the first over of today’s play. Australia soon had an early wicket and Sri Lanka was reeling at 2 for 6. We were looking the goods when Mathews departed with the score now 4 for 86. The sun was shining and the pitch was drying out which made it a little easier for the batsmen. Mendis was riding his luck and playing a gem of an innings.
Lunch game and I spent Rs 150 on a chicken burger and Rs 100 on a chocolate cornetto. At this rate I will be able to stay in Sri Lanka for another six months, only joking Alice. Play started again and it was all Sri Lanka with Mendis scoring his maiden test century. Our bowlers were looking fatigued but finally Marsh achieved a breakthrough just before tea to have the opposition at 5 for 203.
After tea Mendis carried on and passed 150 in what was arguably his finest innings. At only 21 years of age he maybe the next star for a team that had seen so many star players recently retire. I thought we would see a full day’s play today but just before 4:00pm the oval was shrouded in darkness due to thick grey rain clouds. We did manage another wicket in this session before play was halted at 4:00pm. It was Sri Lanka’s day with the score at 6 for 282 and Mendis not out on 169. There was nothing left for me to do other than to call my driver and return to the hotel.
Friday 29th July – Australia v Sri Lanka Day 4 First Cricket Test
At this stage I am not sure if I will go to the game today. It has been raining this morning but at the moment although overcast it is not raining. The weather report is predicting thunderstorms after lunch so even if they do start on time which is fifteen minutes away it may not be worth the effort to attend. I will keep an eye on the Cricinfo live summary as well as the weather to determine what happens today.
The rain did come down again but play eventually got underway around 11:00 only to be interrupted by another shower. They took an early lunch and managed to get a session of play in. Australia eventually removed the Sri Lanka tail enders and ended up with a score of 353 with an overall lead of 267. Australia started shakily losing Warner cheaply and at stumps when bad light stopped play at 2:59 we were not in a good position at 3 for 83. If Australia is to win this match then one of the team has to score a big hundred.
My decision not to go to the game today seems to have been justified as there were less than 40 overs bowled for the day. Instead I decided to get some exercise by walking to and from the centre of town. It was a pleasant walk as I found a path that led to a road that led to the lake. There is a decent walking path beside the lake and from that point it was only a ten minute walk. After checking out a few places I stopped for some lunch and a juice. With lunch over I wandered around for a bit and found the vegetable market which seemed to be located on the roof of a parking lot. The veggies looked good but the rubbish and filth that was laying about left a lot to be desired. Nearby I found a shopping mall with brand name stores and cool air conditioning. I didn’t buy anything but both tourists and local were trying a few things out. The fifth floor is a work in progress but I don’t think it will be long before the food court is open
It was getting dark and it appeared that a storm was imminent. I fast tracked it back to the lake and the steep climb back to the hotel. On the last section of the path I saw something on the edge slither amongst the long grass and rubbish. I tentatively walked over and on closer inspection saw it was a 1.5m Cobra (I think). There was never any doubt that I would give this customer a wide berth. A few minutes later I was safe on my patio and enjoying a cold beer.
Saturday 30th July – Australia v Sri Lanka Day 5 First Cricket Test
It was raining when I woke up early this morning but after breakfast it started to clear up. There appears to be enough sunshine out there to ensure we get a result. My faithful tuk tuk driver delivered me to the ground just before 10:00am. I didn’t have to hurry to my seat as the covers were still on. At 10:45 play started and we were soon in trouble when Voges knocked one back to the bowler. Smith and Marsh were playing okay and while they were at the crease we looked like we could chase the total down before tea. My thoughts of victory were short lived as Marsh, Smith and Starc were all back in the pavilion just before lunch. Smith was the only Australian player to score more than 50 and ironically this was the second top score of the match.
After lunch Lyon quickly departed and then O’Keefe struggled to the wicket nursing his torn hamstring. It was only 1:15pm and although it is dark, rain does not look imminent. Can anything save the Aussies. Ironically the partnership between Neville and O’Keefe where they only scored 4 runs in 29.4 overs, itself a record of a different sort nearly saved the match. They made it to 3:00pm but unlike the other days the rain stayed away. With their dismissals Sri Lanka went 1 up in the series and thoroughly deserved their victory. The Aussies will have to improve their technique against spin bowling if they are to be any chance of winning.
Back in Kandy it was a change of venue for dinner as I could not do another curry tonight. It is a bit sad but I had a burger, chips and a beer. Now that is what I call a healthy dinner.
Sunday 31st July – Slow Train to Ella
I was up nice and early this morning as I have to be at the Kandy Railway Station at 8:00am to try and purchase a ticket to Ella. My first priority was to have a decent breakfast as I have no idea on how appetizing the food on board will be. It was another good breakfast at the Sandamadala Inn with a truck load of fruit. I squirreled away the bananas so I could snack on them later. I enjoyed my stay here and would recommend this place for a Kandy stay. My bill came in at Rs 35,413 ($315) for six nights, a beer and a load of washing.
My favourite tuk tuk driver had me down at the station just before 8:00. There was already a good sized queue so I knew there was no chance of a second class ticket. The line was moving reasonably quick and when my turn came I understood why. The only tickets available were third class standing and cost Rs 240 ($2.15). I said goodbye to my driver and found a pot to pass the time while I waited for the train which was due to depart at 8:47. As the time got closer I could see that standing would mean standing for the majority of ticket holders like myself. The train pulled into the station bout ten minutes late and as the passengers were alighting I seized the moment and jumped on board. Using my big backpack as a mini battering ram I was able to secure a seat next to three Sri Lankans. There was room on the overhead racks for both my bags. Sometimes it pays to be like the Chinese and elbow your way into a seat.
The train departed about 15 minutes late but that is not a big issue as the trip is scheduled to take around 6.20 hours. We were not long into the journey when the first of the hawkers came through the carriage with his basket of cold fried savoury goods. It did not take me long to purchase a deep fried concoction that was a little dry for my taste buds. A couple of hours into the journey and we had lost a few of our Sri Lankan brothers which meant that most of the standees now had a seat. That lasted for about thirty minutes as we had an influx of passengers at a stop in the middle of nowhere. My space has been invaded by a Hindu family of five.
At least I can see the magnificent scenery through the window which is why you undertake this 130 km journey. The trip takes you through the hill country of Sri Lanka and it is dotted with small villages and tea plantations. There are also plenty of small waterfalls, pine and second growth forests. After all the recent rain and there has been more today the landscape is very green. As we approached the high point of the journey the clouds ended up below us nd blotted out the landscape.
When we reached the highest elevation of the trip I was surprised by the number of Chinese who boarded the train for a short tourist trip. They looked disappointed when they realized that they would be standing for the remainder of the trip. The train was now full and the Chinese who had jumped on full of smiles now looked tired and irritable. The reason was that for the past hour the train has been stationary at the station. It is only a one track line and we had to wait for a train coming up to pull into a siding so we could pass on the way down. There was a big cheer when we finally got underway again. We pulled into Ella around 4:30pm which meant that we were about 1 hour 10 minutes late. I was amazed at the number of tourists who disembarked as I remember there were only a small number when Alice and I did this journey in 2012. Exiting the station was a bit of a nightmare as there was a diligent station master and assistant collecting tickets. The only problem was that they were funneling this mass of people into a small choke point. It was made worse by the fact that they had closed half the gate so you had to leave singly. My verdict of the journey is that it is a great trip but don’t go on a weekend and only go if you have reserve seating in any class.
I had a rough idea where my hotel was and knew that I could not walk there carrying my large backpack. I also knew the tuk tuk fare was Rs 200 but surprised when the driver quoted 400. With a laugh that implied I know that you are fleecing me I accepted the price and jumped into the speedy three wheeler and headed off to my accommodation. My budget hotel has the quaint name of Lucky Star Ella and sits on a ridge overlooking Ella Rock and The Gap. The king size bed looks very comfortable and with the curtains open I can gaze out over the valley. There is also a small patio where I can stretch out and just relax. I decided to stay at the hotel for dinner and enjoyed roasted chicken (I ate it) with vegetable noodles and a small desert. That was washed down with a cold “Tiger Black” beer that they had put into their refrigerator for me. After such a long day on the slow train I was ready for bed nice and early.
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