mobilic
03-12-2007, 07:19 PM
The opening ceremony
01.10GMT - And so it is. As the fireworks erupt overhead, and the shimmering dancers shimmer their way to the exits, it's time for the first act of the ninth World Cup to draw to a close. And you know what? I rather enjoyed that. The Caribbean has started its 50 days of festivities in grand style. Now it's time for the on-field action to begin. Join us here at Cricinfo for live and unrivalled coverage of all 51 matches, starting with West Indies against Pakistan, from Sabina Park, Kingston, on Tuesday.
01.05GMT - "Wonderful world, beautiful people," sings our Jimmy, as the flags of the host nations are paraded on the outfield. And now all the cast are on the field as well. I sense a grand finale is brewing.
01.00GMT - Here comes Jimmy Cliff, a modern-day reggae star, joined on stage by Tony Rebel and Dwight Richards. "People," they declare. "Let's get together and show our power all over the world." Word.
00.55GMT - The stadium lights have all gone out. No, don't worry, it's deliberate. There's a special guest being beamed onto the main stage. If it's Jamaica, no party is complete without Bob Marley. Here's Redemption Song, and Three Little Birds, as sung - live - by his former backing singers, I Three. They complete their medley with the words: "Let's get together and feel alright." And you can't say fairer than that.
00.50GMT - It's carnival time now - lots of silver and blue booty-shakers from Trinidad and Tobago, and some vast great king and queen costumes. Huge great floats with big teeth and wings. Mildly scary at this time of night. There are all doing a conga round the pitch now, singing "Cricket is my passion, it is in my veins..."
00.48GMT - We have a veritable riot of colour on the pitch now. St Lucia's contribution are nothing short of techicolor yetis - "pitchipatchi dancers" I think they are called.
00.45GMT - Bollywood has long since tuned out, but here's a little Indian music to change the mood. Lots of Asian influence throughout the Caribbean, of course, especially in Trinidad and Guyana. And lots of Chinese influence in the building of these stadia. Now we've got lots of "plantation girls" all dressed in white on the outfield. Very elegant too, as a clarinet player serenades them all. "What a pretty array of parasols."
00.40GMT - A fine and catchy tune comes to an end. So let's have some fire-eaters to pass the time between songs. That didn't take long - I guess there's only so much fire you can eat. Lots of "winged runners" now run onto the field. "They look like butterflies, so many different colours too," says the voiceover. I think they are getting a little jaded. "This represents the freedom that wings give you." Ah yes, that'd be it.
00.35GMT - "Everybody come and celebrate," sing the singers, as the outfield turns into four shimmering circles of dancers. Nice choreography if you can get it. All the islands are getting name-checked in verse. "If you know what I mean, then scream."
00.30GMT - We have 2000 yards of yellow fabric now lying on the outfield, representing "the rays of the sun". Glad we cleared that one up. Meanwhile up on the stage, lots of lovelies in very un-PC cricket garb are strutting their stuff. I thought they did away with mini-skirts for cricket around the time that England last won the (women's) World Cup.
00.25GMT - One-hundred-and-eighty drummers give way to the choir. "Cricket Lovely Cricket" they all sing lustily. As well they might. That volcanic theme is still in evidence, lots of red-and-gold shimmering going on on stage.
00.20GMT - A chap blows a conch-shell. That used to be the sound that summoned slaves to the fields, now it's inviting everyone to come and join in some serious fun-and-games. Some volcanic theme going on, as the players "flow down from the stage like lava". The African drums on display are being given their own "yard style".
00.15GMT - There are stiltwalkers on the outfield! The groundsman will be doing his nut ... it's just as well the Trelawny Stadium has done its bit for this tournament. And what a good bit it has done too. In fact, they are stilt-cricketers. I've never seen a man on stilts run into bowl before. Quite a good, loose-limbed action. Got to be careful of over-stepping.
00.12GMT - Here's Sir Garfield Sobers, and the Ninth ICC Cricket World Cup has been declared officially open! And there go the fireworks, bursting against the night sky, as the cricketers leave the field and the performers take the stage once again for "an exciting display of energy".
00.11GMT - Here comes Steve Bucknor to give the umpires' pledge. I can honestly say I thought, until he opened his mouth just this second, that he was a mute.
00.09GMT - The players in front of the podium are starting to sway from leg to leg now. The trooping of the colour, this ain't. Here's Brian Lara to speak for the teams. "What a great honour," he begins. "We promise we shall play to the best of our ability, respect the laws, observe the rules, commit to highest standards of sportsmanship. To all the cricketers, may the best team win, and to all the visitors, may you witness one of the greatest supporting spectacles."
00.04GMT - Brace yourselves. It's Percy Sonn. "The West Indies must rank as the most idyllic and stunningly aesthetic cricket-playing country in the world," announces the President of the ICC. Gosh, try saying "stunningly aesthetic" when you're drunk ...
00.00GMT - Right, it's dignitary time. Here's Ernest Valentine-Banks, vice-president of the WICB. "This is what they thought was mission impossible," he intones, as the "best World Cup ever" is promised from the podium. "We have overcome the constraints of nine sovereign states, in the most ambitious event ever untaken by the collective Caribbean."
01.10GMT - And so it is. As the fireworks erupt overhead, and the shimmering dancers shimmer their way to the exits, it's time for the first act of the ninth World Cup to draw to a close. And you know what? I rather enjoyed that. The Caribbean has started its 50 days of festivities in grand style. Now it's time for the on-field action to begin. Join us here at Cricinfo for live and unrivalled coverage of all 51 matches, starting with West Indies against Pakistan, from Sabina Park, Kingston, on Tuesday.
01.05GMT - "Wonderful world, beautiful people," sings our Jimmy, as the flags of the host nations are paraded on the outfield. And now all the cast are on the field as well. I sense a grand finale is brewing.
01.00GMT - Here comes Jimmy Cliff, a modern-day reggae star, joined on stage by Tony Rebel and Dwight Richards. "People," they declare. "Let's get together and show our power all over the world." Word.
00.55GMT - The stadium lights have all gone out. No, don't worry, it's deliberate. There's a special guest being beamed onto the main stage. If it's Jamaica, no party is complete without Bob Marley. Here's Redemption Song, and Three Little Birds, as sung - live - by his former backing singers, I Three. They complete their medley with the words: "Let's get together and feel alright." And you can't say fairer than that.
00.50GMT - It's carnival time now - lots of silver and blue booty-shakers from Trinidad and Tobago, and some vast great king and queen costumes. Huge great floats with big teeth and wings. Mildly scary at this time of night. There are all doing a conga round the pitch now, singing "Cricket is my passion, it is in my veins..."
00.48GMT - We have a veritable riot of colour on the pitch now. St Lucia's contribution are nothing short of techicolor yetis - "pitchipatchi dancers" I think they are called.
00.45GMT - Bollywood has long since tuned out, but here's a little Indian music to change the mood. Lots of Asian influence throughout the Caribbean, of course, especially in Trinidad and Guyana. And lots of Chinese influence in the building of these stadia. Now we've got lots of "plantation girls" all dressed in white on the outfield. Very elegant too, as a clarinet player serenades them all. "What a pretty array of parasols."
00.40GMT - A fine and catchy tune comes to an end. So let's have some fire-eaters to pass the time between songs. That didn't take long - I guess there's only so much fire you can eat. Lots of "winged runners" now run onto the field. "They look like butterflies, so many different colours too," says the voiceover. I think they are getting a little jaded. "This represents the freedom that wings give you." Ah yes, that'd be it.
00.35GMT - "Everybody come and celebrate," sing the singers, as the outfield turns into four shimmering circles of dancers. Nice choreography if you can get it. All the islands are getting name-checked in verse. "If you know what I mean, then scream."
00.30GMT - We have 2000 yards of yellow fabric now lying on the outfield, representing "the rays of the sun". Glad we cleared that one up. Meanwhile up on the stage, lots of lovelies in very un-PC cricket garb are strutting their stuff. I thought they did away with mini-skirts for cricket around the time that England last won the (women's) World Cup.
00.25GMT - One-hundred-and-eighty drummers give way to the choir. "Cricket Lovely Cricket" they all sing lustily. As well they might. That volcanic theme is still in evidence, lots of red-and-gold shimmering going on on stage.
00.20GMT - A chap blows a conch-shell. That used to be the sound that summoned slaves to the fields, now it's inviting everyone to come and join in some serious fun-and-games. Some volcanic theme going on, as the players "flow down from the stage like lava". The African drums on display are being given their own "yard style".
00.15GMT - There are stiltwalkers on the outfield! The groundsman will be doing his nut ... it's just as well the Trelawny Stadium has done its bit for this tournament. And what a good bit it has done too. In fact, they are stilt-cricketers. I've never seen a man on stilts run into bowl before. Quite a good, loose-limbed action. Got to be careful of over-stepping.
00.12GMT - Here's Sir Garfield Sobers, and the Ninth ICC Cricket World Cup has been declared officially open! And there go the fireworks, bursting against the night sky, as the cricketers leave the field and the performers take the stage once again for "an exciting display of energy".
00.11GMT - Here comes Steve Bucknor to give the umpires' pledge. I can honestly say I thought, until he opened his mouth just this second, that he was a mute.
00.09GMT - The players in front of the podium are starting to sway from leg to leg now. The trooping of the colour, this ain't. Here's Brian Lara to speak for the teams. "What a great honour," he begins. "We promise we shall play to the best of our ability, respect the laws, observe the rules, commit to highest standards of sportsmanship. To all the cricketers, may the best team win, and to all the visitors, may you witness one of the greatest supporting spectacles."
00.04GMT - Brace yourselves. It's Percy Sonn. "The West Indies must rank as the most idyllic and stunningly aesthetic cricket-playing country in the world," announces the President of the ICC. Gosh, try saying "stunningly aesthetic" when you're drunk ...
00.00GMT - Right, it's dignitary time. Here's Ernest Valentine-Banks, vice-president of the WICB. "This is what they thought was mission impossible," he intones, as the "best World Cup ever" is promised from the podium. "We have overcome the constraints of nine sovereign states, in the most ambitious event ever untaken by the collective Caribbean."