Photo compliments “De Posse Stand”
As the holiday home experts in Barbados, our expertise is all about creating exceptional Barbados vacations; including guiding you on local events and iconic activities. This includes – how to have a great outing at a cricket match, have conversational knowledge on the game, or as most of us do, simply enjoy the action packed outing – with friends and family. For the cricket experts, who already know all about the sport, we’ll tell you how cricket has evolved in Barbados, from low key to super entertaining!
The History of Cricket
Cricket at Kensington Oval began in 1881 and the first international match was held in 1895! In January 1930, the first test match between the West Indies and England was played and ended in a draw. Cricket is reputed to be the world’s second most popular sport after football. It originated in the late 16th century in south-east England. Cricket in Barbados is played at the iconic Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. This famed venue has been graced by legends such as the great Sir Garfield Sobers and Brian Lara – the latter widely acknowledged as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting have also played at Kensington Oval in the 2007 World Cup Final to a tune of 20,000+ attendees. In 2019, England faces the West Indies for a Test Match on January 23-27 and for two One day International games on Feb 20 & 22.
Photo compliments “De Posse Stand”
The Exciting Evolution of Cricket
Let’s talk about the excitement and the atmosphere of the game. Historically, people attended cricket to actually watch the game. Switch over to cricket in 2018 – the sport has evolved significantly! Nowadays cricket in Barbados is a colourful sight with music, drums and yes, carnival–style cheerleaders! There’s food, camaraderie and live sports right in front of you. Now that’s a winning combination! Veteran entertainer Mac Fingall is a regular at cricket, and is supported by a troupe of colorful musicians playing steel pans, trumpets and drums, keeping the crowd entertained. There’s an explosion of culture as thousands of fans equipped with horns, flags and conch shells, fill the air with lively sounds. Enter “De Posse Stand”. This is the liveliest stand at cricket! Bring your own cooler and enjoy non-stop vibes. Expect to dance, sing and even take a selfie with a stiltman or a giant M&M – you decide! Some of Barbados’ most popular entertainers such as Mikey Mercer, Lil Rick and Faith perform to the delight of the crowd. There’s food galore – macaroni pie, hamburgers, hotdogs, barbecue pigtails and Chefette (the premier fast food restaurant in Barbados) and lots more! Serious cricket enthusiasts can enjoy a professional game while being surrounded by even more excitement and of course, possibly inebriated loved ones. If you prefer, you may be able to rent a Corporate air-conditioned box which also has a walk out balcony to easily view the action. Also available are the regular stands, apart from the De Posse stand.
Cricket 101 – Conversational basics
The conversational bits. In a nutshell, they are 2 teams of eleven players each. A formal game of cricket can last from an afternoon to several days. A One Day International is basically when the match is completed in 50 overs, while a Test match can take up to five days to complete. The game is played in successive innings – one team bats with the aim of scoring runs, while the opposing team fields and attempts to bring an end to the batting team’s innings. After each team has batted an equal number of innings (either one or two, depending on conditions chosen before the game), the team with the most runs wins. That’s it! Click the link to realbuzz.com to see some of the most common terms you should know.
As 2018 is winding down, think of your adventure for 2019. Build your vacation around an experience, try something new. We’ve put together a vacation rental availability list for your Barbados cricket holiday in 2019 for both One Day Internationals, England vs West Indies, and Test Match, England vs West Indies. Click on the images below to view available Barbados vacation rentals.
Come for the cricket, stay for the fun! whether beachfront or just nearby, Blue Sky Luxury has something for everyone!
We at Blue Sky Luxury love providing you with the best information to ensure that you experience the finest Barbados holiday! If you didn’t find what you’re looking, you can reach any of our experts here. Or, for any information on car rentals, activities or restaurant bookings, contact us here. We always enjoy hearing from you!
