The tour to India

The itinerary for the fifth major OCCC tour to India has now been almost finalised and includes six matches, the most we have ever undertaken on a trip.

We leave for Delhi on February 22, where we play one match, and from there head to Chandigarh in the north where we visit a bat factory and then play a match on the second-highest ground in the world, in the foothills of the Himalayas. Then comes what we have come to know as the Rick part of the trip – relaxation and little cricket – in Goa where we only venture onto the field once, and that in a gentle game against a local brewery side.

From Goa we head to Mumbai (Bombay), a city of 13 million, for the business-end of the trip with three games in four days, including one at the Braebourne Stadium, the venue of the recent Champions Trophy final and until 1974 the city’s major Test venue. We will also be staying at the Cricket Club of India, a remarkable hotel which overlooks the cricket ground and where all Test sides used to be accommodated.

The intention is that the tour will be covered using this blog.