Refreshers in Corfu – September 2017
The Refreshers went to the enchanting island of Corfu this year for their annual summer outing. A UNESCO World Heritage site, cricket has been played in Corfu Town since 1820 when the British Navy stationed a garrison on the island in pursuit of their post Napoleonic sea campaign against the French. Latterly it has become a popular destination for English cricket clubs seeking late summer sunshine and warm Greek hospitality. 
Following the usual last minute shenanigans (can/can’t come…) the tour got off to a perfect start on the roof terrace of the Cavalieri Hotel in the Old Town. Views of the Old Port and its smattering of super yachts, the Old Town and its bustling little streets and hundreds of swifts wheeling in the warm orange sky made for an inspiring Thursday evening for those able to make it in time.
After breakfast on Friday (best taken at one of a thousand little cafes through the old town) the individual characteristics of the tourists became manifest. Joe and Harry Spurr took our host’s recommendation to visit Agni and its beach-front restaurants on the north east of the island. Cayford and Andrews joined them on a couple of very dodgy looking rented scooters. Edward Faulks had been planning a visit to Albania but changed his mind at the last minute when he recalled a happy time in a previous life involving the beaches of North East Corfu. He organized a nostalgic return visit on his own but when the Hornbys and Rachel joined him and his grumpy taxi driver, something got lost in translation and they soon found themselves turfed out at the nearest beach on the other (west) side of the island. Oliver Wise kept out of the burning sun, engaging in cultural pursuits, while the Dumonts set off on a highbrow walking tour of the Old Town.
Friday’s dinner was a splendid Greek affair at the Pergola Taverna dominated by two amplified guitarists playing traditional Greek songs three feet from the table with scarcely a break until 11 pm at which point, no conversations having been heard or remembered, Charlie Hale and Richard Warlow had arrived and soon were leading a delegation to the sea front night club.
Saturday involved more leisurely breakfasts in the old town and a spot of shopping, and, somewhat against the run of play, a cricket match – but not before 3.30, to allow the fierce Hellenic sun to cool its ardour. The venue was the new home of Corfu cricket, an attractive ground by the Gouvia marina just north of town.
We lost the toss and fielded. The oppo seemed evenly split between Corfiots and itinerant Asians, at least one of whom was wearing the Pakistan National kit. The Refreshers comprised the usual suspects (below) and our own ringer, the son of a friend of the Pres who happened to be on holiday in Corfu at the time. All seemed well for the first ten overs and we held them to 60 for 3. During the second ten however, the said Pakistani cut loose and rattled up 66 not out in about half as many deliveries. Still, 147 was only 7.5 per over and with a batting line up that included Dumont, Cannon, Faulks, Spurr and Warlow, what could possibly go wrong?
A lot, as it turned out. Six run outs and stumpings, for a start – it turned out that the Pakistani was not just an aggressive bat but also a lightning quick keeper whose arm lashed out with the speed of a chameleon’s tongue whenever any passing prey (i.e. hapless Refresher) happened to present an opportunity. Secondly, apart from Dumont’s punchy 33, no serious run-scoring was committed by the tourists. We fell about 40 short, which in T20 is a country mile. We awarded their captain and said Pakistani a cap and tie each, which particularly tickled the Pakistani to the point that he succumbed to the President’s one useful cricketing contribution to the weekend, namely to invite the said Pakistani international to play for us on the Sunday. Victory guaranteed, we thought, particularly as the said cricketer (by name of Rauf Raman as we eventually discovered) promised faithfully to score a century for us – if he turned up.
Another splendid dinner (at the Bougainvillea Taverna) was followed by trips to the nightclubs and for some, more drinking on the famous roof terrace.
The inevitable slow start on Sunday morning was of no concern as we knew our new man was going to score a century and help us coast to victory. This match was to be played on the famous Old Town Square, first used in 1820 by the British Navy (see above). The ground is utterly charming, a bit rough in parts (4WD recommended) but, and this proved our nemesis, the game is played with a spongy super ball – apparently to reduce the casualty rate amongst the bemused café goers who, when not wandering across the outfield, sit under the trees some 40 yards from the astro turf strip wicket.
We lost the toss again, and again fielded first. Again it was all going swimmingly with our hosts on 64 for 3 at the10 over mark. With two teenage girls batting at numbers 2 and 3 we had an inkling that our hosts may have reversed the batting order, a suspicion confirmed when the (Sri Lankan) Greek National Coach came out to bat at number 7 and was joined by another sub-continental firebrand by name of Mohammed. When the President’s one over went for 35 (think Stokes and Carlos Brathwaite in 2016) it was clear that we would be chasing a handsome total, and so it proved – 164, we having dropped the bouncy ball at least half a dozen times. Never mind, we had our own ringer who had promised us a century, so all we had to do was stay with him while he delivered on his promise
. What followed was arguably the Refreshers’ least impressive moment of all time (think Charge of the Light Brigade). Rauf scored 102, as promised; next highest score was extras with 30 and thereafter Richard Warlow with 11. No one else reached double figures, and although Rauf propelled us to within 10 of the required total, no one could stay with him until it was too late.
So our cricketing highlights of the weekend were probably limited to Tom’s innings and a good running catch from Charlie Hale on the Saturday, and on the Sunday another good one from Faulks, a quite spectacular one at silly mid off from our ringer and the magic moment – a lazy pull shot from the oppo number 8 which landed once and then bounced clean over Charlie Hale’s head as he came steaming in from the boundary. We dropped at least half a dozen catches with the bouncy ball (you catch it in your hands and it just bounces out until you have mastered the technique). Spurr, Cannon and Faulks bowled quite well – it was our batting and fielding that let us down.
The cricket (or at least, our cricket) must quickly be forgotten but the Corfiot hospitality will not. Nikos, Annabel and Alexandros Louvros looked after us wonderfully and the Hellenic Cricket Federation flourishes; another team of tourists is due this weekend and an international tournament will be staged later in the month. It will be the warm days and nights, Joe Cannon’s immaculate organization, the Cavalieri roof terrace, swimming in the clean waters of the old Port and above all, the warmth of our hosts that will be remembered with affection for many years to come.
