The Lyceum Alpinum Cricket Tour to Goa, India

A culture shock, a climate shock, an inspirational charity and a new international record for the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz Cricket Team!

With previous successful cricket tours already completed to Dubai, Hong Kong, England, South Africa and Barbados, given the estimated 250 million cricket players, not to mention millions more fanatical supporters, the next obvious tour destination for the Lyceum had to be India. But in such a huge country, where would we go? With its coconut palm fringed beaches, 5 star hotels and exotic reputation, Goa was quickly chosen as the students' favourite. Goa is India's smallest state and, due to centuries of Portuguese rule, it is surprisingly soccer not cricket that is the number one sport. Even so, we were sure that our four planned games would prove to be a tough challenge in more ways than one!

Training with some of India's future superstars

No amount of training or practice can fully prepare you for sport played at 32^◦C and close to 100% humidity, let alone a sport like cricket with games lasting 4 hours or more! All of our games were due to be played at the Panaji Gymkhana in Goa’s capital city Panjim, and one obvious sign of the hardships yet to come greeted us as we entered our changing rooms. Over 50 litres of bottled water had been provided for us, enough for more than 4 litres per person. Was this our supply for all 4 matches? No, this was just for 1 day! By the end of our first match, an uneventful defeat by 110 runs against a strong team from the Bade Sports Club, all 50 litres had been consumed and, saturated in our own sweat, we felt like we had spent the day in a sauna.

Six days into our tour we played our second game and mercifully we felt we were starting to acclimatise. Unfortunately, our team was weakened as opening batsman Nic Hahn was out injured with a badly twisted ankle. Thanks to some economical and aggressive bowling from the Gamesmaster, ably supported by Max Welte, we were able to limit our opposition, Bhatle Sports Club, to only 120 runs from their 25 overs. An excellent 46 runs from Mr Harding, plus valuable contributions from Dr Schmitt and Pascal Hegglin helped us reach our target on the very last ball of the game – an exciting way to win our first game in India!

 Despite now feeling we could cope with the heat and humidity, our third game against an adult team from the Century Cricket Club was disappointing with the bat as we only scored 94 runs from our 25 overs. We knew this would never be a defendable total, but even so, our bowlers fought hard with Jessica Rees and Alessandro Welte each taking their first pair of wickets on tour, whilst Katharina Kuenburg, Alessandro Braglia and Vincent Albrecht showed great determination and resilience in the field. The game may have been lost, however our team had upheld the best traditions of the Spirit of Zuoz.

 Game 4 was played just a few days before our return home and everyone was feeling confident and relaxed. Our opponents, Khandola Youth, batted first and thanks to excellent bowling from Nuri Sherpa, Max Welte and Marco Berchtold wickets fell fast. With Cheers of “Ale, Ale!” young Alessandro Welte produced one of the highlights of the tour taking 4 wickets for just 13 runs and Khandola were all out for only 90. At the lunch interval the excitement grew as we realised we had the chance of winning two games on tour which would set a new overseas record for the Lyceum. Wicket keeper Leon Frick and Benedict Lucas showed great determination with the bat, but ultimately it was Mr Harding (37*) and Old Boy/team trainer/entertainer Phillip Bächstädt (23 runs) who sealed the historic victory with 4 overs still to play. Even our normally quiet and shy scorer Maria Onipchenko joined in the celebrations. Played 4, Won 2, Lost 2 and a wonderful way to finish our final match.

Of course, sports tours are not only about sport. We had enjoyed the camaraderie and friendship of our fellow team-mates, we had relished the delights of the swim-up pool bar at our five star hotel, we had laughed and joked and made fools of ourselves, we had ridden and washed elephants, we had dipped our naan breads into an amazing array of spicy and flavourful curries, we had watched dolphins and haggled at market stalls that smelt amazing and diabolical at the same time. But probably most of all we had been humbled and affected by the poverty and hardship that surrounded us. Encouraged by these emotions, in our final few days we visited the Children Walking Tall charity which helps street and slum children across Goa. A truly wonderful organisation that emphasises education and attending school, it then rewards children and their families when they do. Thanks to the enormous generosity of the Lyceum staff and students we were able to donate a suitcase full of clothes, toys, stationary, basic medicines and toiletries. A fitting end to an amazing and inspirational tour to India!

- Mr Jones