7th October 2012

Kabul chaos today with so many changed plans! 

Had a great evening at the BBC last night and met some fascinating journalists and aid workers. Very interesting world of people who have spent years of their lives working overseas. The BBC wants to follow our girls' cricket camp. Then a sleepless night plagued by whatever had bitten me on every inch of my skin back in Faizabad.

Kabul was gridlocked as I tried to make my way to the Ministry of Education to interview the Minister. Cars, carts, animals and people coming from every direction in a scene of jumbled chaos. We were led through a maze of security, guns, stairways and long corridors and in to the heart of the ministry. There we were told that our appointment had been cancelled because they thought we had gone back to the US ! That despite a confirmatory email this week! Infuriating and we must return another time.

On to the Level 1 coaching camp at the Kabul cricket stadium, where the MCC Foundation has funded us to run a 4 day course to train up 22 cricket coaches. 11 of them come from the schools where we have built pitches. It Is wonderful to have Phillip Hodson, who is just finishing his term as President of the MCC with us at the camp. 

 We met the participants and gave a welcoming speech and they are so enthusiastic and thrilled to be receiving this training. The two coaches, Umesh, from Mumbai and Martin from Australia, are doing a wonderful job.  We watched the training and then had a meeting with the Afghan Cricket Board, to plan the next years of strategy for cricket in Afghanistan. A fascinating meeting. A country in its genesis with this new sport, which has taken the country by storm and inspired its young. It is a privilege to play a small part in this and to watch something so positive make such an impact across Afghanistan.