The Mallorca Cricket Club

The Mallorca Cricket Club. Archive photo. | H. CARTER

Frank LeaversPalma29/01/2020 09:57
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I’ve received some very good news from Rob Hughes, the Hon Secretary of the Mallorca Cricket Club. After a number of years of enforced inactivity, the island’s cricket club appears to have secured a ground on which to play cricket. Readers may remember that the MCC were obliged to leave the cricket ground they inhabited for many years in Magalluf because the land owners wanted to develop it as part of a grand scheme to redevelop that part of the municipality of Calvia. Ironically, the supposed development never took place and the land has remained idle ever since. Nevertheless, since that time, almost five years ago, the club has sought unsuccessfully to find a new home on which to play competitive cricket against touring teams primarily from the United Kingdom. During this period, the club has attempted to continue to play cricket on various municipal football pitches with limited success. However, the club’s committee has doggedly pursued other alternatives across the island to no avail, as cricket by its very nature demands quite a large tract of land to meet its unique requirements.

THE BALEARIC CUP IN EARLY MAY

Happily, through the hard work and persistence of a small group of people, it seems that once again, formal (i.e. proper) games of cricket will be played on the island. Indeed, the club had to forfeit hosting the Balearic Cup between themselves and Menorca CC and Ibiza CC the last time it was their turn to host - and because of a lack of a ‘home’ ground found it very difficult to play any cricket at all. However, I am happy to report that after a number of years of frustration, Rob Hughes and his colleagues have confirmed that the Balearic Cup 2020 - will return to Majorca. In a statement the club announced the following - “Mallorca Cricket Club is proud to announce that the annual Balearic Cup inter-island cricket competition will be held in Majorca this year, after a break of four years - over the weekend of - May 8, 9, 10 . It will be the first competitive cricket match held in Majorca in that time. The ground is in Cala Millor and after various conversations with the local council, Sant Llorenç, and help from the Cala Millor hotel association we have secured a local and suitable football ground on which to hold the tournament. We have also been advised that we could use the ground each weekend. The long term view is that we could have visiting teams over to play cricket for the ‘back-end’ of this year, followed by a full season of fixture bookings in 2021.”

TERRIFIC NEWS

This terrific news will be greeted warmly by many island based folk who enjoyed watching, and perhaps occasionally playing cricket on the island in the past. Rob Hughes has promised to keep me up-to-date on any further news or developments and I intend to keep readers updated as to progress of this year’s Balearic Cup. Furthermore, over the next couple of months I will let you know times - dates and hotel accommodation details if you should wish to go along in early May to watch some really good competitive cricket. For further details email - rob14hughes@hotmail.com

LANGUAGE LESSON LACUNA!

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Cricket is back on Majorca

You may remember that I have been occasionally reporting upon a tortuous saga regarding Spanish lessons in the municipality of Andratx. A Bulletin reader alerted me to the fact some time ago (early September 2019) that she had been left waiting day-after-day outside the designated council building with other potential language students whereupon nobody ever turned up to teach them anything! After a number of days my correspondent gave up and contacted the council to claim her money back for the course that …never was! The cost of the course was around 100 euros; an amount not to be sniffed at I think you’ll agree? To cut a very long story short, my contact is still waiting for her money back. Apparently, after being put-off on a number of occasions via the phone, she decided to go to the council’s offices to seek both an explanation and demand her money back. When somebody could be bothered to talk to her, she was told that if she wanted her money back (remember, from a language course that never actually happened!) she would have to wait until - “Mid February at least” i.e. almost six full months after she paid her hard earned money to improve her Spanish language skills. P*** up’s in Breweries anyone?

WHAT IS IT WITH MAJORCANS AND FIRE?

I make no apology for returning once again to a long-held gripe of mine that reaches fever pitch at this time of year. What is it with Majorcans and fire? Every winter fiesta on the island, seemingly has at its very heart - Fire! Not a problem at all if its part of the culture, so who am I to grumble and make sniping asides? Over the past couple of weekends, social media has been full of clips highlighting the fun and frolics to be had a local fiestas. Indeed, only last week in this very column I celebrated one that I had attended in the small town of S’Arraco, but that local gig is as nothing compared to some of the big ‘burn-ups’ that occur in larger towns across the island at this time of year. Apparently, at some of these fiestas, where burning torches and fire crackers (or worse!) are de-riguer - people are subjected to gangs of youths throwing fireworks with clouds of sparks and pieces of burning material lighting the night air. I read that organising councils, in the true spirit of Spanish Health & Safety, advise that attendees at their fiestas might wear all-covering headgear and… wait for it - goggles, yes goggles! What about covering yourself in a wet sack? Or, perhaps setting yourself on fire - just like a medieval martyr? By the way - I might have mentioned this once or twice before, but the Cricket Club’s annual Bonfire Nigh bash (a very safety conscious event) was made impossible by demands for H & S standards that municipalities don’t even pretend to try to maintain themselves. I wonder why that might be?

frankleavers@hotmail.com