City Supporters Enjoying The Cricket

Last updated : 28 February 2009 By Martin Wheatley
Coventry City supporter Martin Wheatley reports from the cricket in Barbados.

Its 8pm Friday night in Barbados where we have seen two days of great cricket in a fantastic ground with an estimated 8,000 English fans.

If our experience is anything to go by, then they are all having the time of their lives and I am finally able to say I have seen England play away for the first time and an ambition has come true!

It's so easy to mix with other supporters - we have linked up with a Baggies and Blackpool fan and their is no football tribalism whatsover - everybody out here has come to support the England Cricket team and they are doing so passionately!

There are supporters here from just about every league club you could mention as well as non-league including some Torquay fans who were quite keen to say they had been beaten by the eventual cup winners wishing us all the best! - might be hoping for a small miracle there but hey let's dream!

The residents of Barbados have been as friendly as you could ever hope for.

We went into a bar after Day 1 for 1 drink before getting a taxi back to the hotel and stayed four ours leaving not in the best of conditions but we were put into a taxi by the locals we had been talking to, they negotiated the fare and made sure we got back! - They love talking Cricket and Football although predictably the football talk is all Premiership and the Top four dominated but My mate Ian who I have travelled with and I tried hard to convert them into Sky Blues fans with some small success! - maybe I should stay longer and set up a CCFC supporters branch in Barbados?

I have met quite a few Sky Blues fans so far from Spon End, Allesley Village and Bedworth, special mention to Grev from Nottingham, originally from Rugby who is a mad keen Sky Blues fan and just to prove it he was carrying with him a mini Sky Blue Sam which goes with him everywhere! -

Grev is hoping to get a ticket for the Chelsea game but because he has been in Barbados he could'nt get to the Birmingham or Blackburn games and admits he might struggle. If anybody knows Grev, please help him!

Also, special mention to Lee Ward from Hinckley who is a Coventry Mad and Covsupport reader and contributor to GMKonline - Lee is from Hinckley and will be in Trinidad for the next test so will miss the quarter final but he was keen for me to get his name mentioned and to wish the team all the luck in the world next week. No CCFC flags spotted but I did see a Leamington FC flag today.

All in all a fantastic experience so far, great weather, great people and two great days of English batting which cant be said too often, I suspect it might be a draw but that cant take away from the experience so far.

Good luck to the team for Saturday and Wednesday and Ill see you next Saturday!!

Warwickshire's Tim Ambrose was 76 not out when England declared on 600-6. Ravi Bopara made 104 to go with Andrew Strauss' 142 and Cook's 94 and Collingwood's 96.

West Indies closed on 85-1.