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Nomads in Vis Croatia Tour May 22nd-29th

TOUR TO CROATIA Split and Island of Vis  
 May 22 - 29 2012 


 Krishna Lester leads Saumur Strays on  arrival in Vis for the first ever tour. 
 
 
Nomads Simon Barter, Mark Surridge & Rob Wycherley were also in the party  Nomads CC followed in May 2012.   
 



 Vis Cricket Ground
 

Tour PartyMichael Blumberg,  Charles Fellows-Smith, Vince Gavin, Paul Wakefield, Shameen Neebar,Warren Williams,Helen Cooper.   

 
 Nomads gather around the local Scoreboard barrel
 
 
 

Unfortunately a lot of those who at one time said they were coming had to pull out right up to the end. Bill Johnson, Simon Barter, Mark Surridge, Rob Wycherley, Russell Mann, Richard Clarke, Jeremy Lascelles, Kevin Smith, Danny Buckland, Don MacLeod & Bill Rodwell..   

 

Tour Summary Cancelled 1,Won 1,Lost 1     

Vis Cricket Ground, Croatia    

Match 1 Thursday May 24th Match Cancelled
 
          
Match 2 Saturday May 26th 6 a side 20/20 Match Nomads CC  103-3,20 overs(Gavin 24*,Wakefield 20,Oliver 3-16) beat Sir WM Hoste XI 42-5,6.1 overs by 61 runs
 
          
Match 3 Sunday May 27th 8-a-side 35/35 Match Nomads CC 205-4,35 overs(Wakefield 100*,Gavin 21,Williams 20) lost to Sir WM Hoste XI 209-6,27.1 overs(Weare 126*,Neebar 3-56) by 1 wicket 

A n absolutely brilliant visit was made by several Nomads to the beautiful and historical Croatian island of Vis in the Adriatic. Sadly several original tourists were forced to withdraw, some very close to departure. The cricket was further depleted by the unavailability of players expected from Split CC but also because of the visit to Vis of the President of Croatia on Saturday. He came to commemorate the departure of the Yugoslavian Army and Navy some twenty years before and several of Vis's cricketer had duties to fulfill with this visit.   

 

In the first game Nomads struggled to a modest total of 103 with Vince Gavin top scoring with 24 but the young Vis batsmen were blasted out by Warren Williams and Shameen Neebar while Paul Wakefield's leggies accounted for the more experienced Rocki and Craig Wear. 
 
In the second match thanks to Wakers who hit a ton supported by a Warren Williams cameo, a fleet footed Vince Gavin, Shameen Neebar and Charles F-S,  Nomads reached a decent total of 203 off 35 overs. This time Craig Wear opened the innings and took the Nomads attack apart with a sparkling century. Nomads were always in the match despite Craig's assault as wickets fell at the other end. Yet in the end with the scores level Vis's last batsman whacked a four to record a famous victory.  
After both matches Nomads enjoyed two fine dinners at Oliver 'Fire' Roki's restaurant beside the cricket ground. After our victory there a host of Croatian female sailors to delight the cricketers and after our defeat  a table full of mature Australian tourists sang 'Land of Hope and Glory' and then 'Rule Britannia' to cheer us up.  

Nomads are very grateful for the hospitality and assistance given by Craig and Xanier Wear and, of course, Oliver Roki who had refounded the cricket club after a 150 year lapse. Some rumour that our Sunday defeat was more due to Roki than Craig as it was he who insured that we poured far too much wine down our throats as was compatible with an athletic response next day! 

FULL SCORECARDS 

  

 
During our stay on Vis we went canooing, well Helen & Vince completed the 14km trip. Most of us went on a fascinating military tour of the island visiting St George's Fort built by the British in the 19th century,Tito's Cave where Churchill's envoy Fitzroy McLean met Tito as well as more modern Yugoslavian military gun emplacements, underground missile enclaves and a submarine pen as well as a RAF 2nd world war memorial and graveyard and also one for the 18th century British sailors. Some of us also visited the excavated site of a Greek settlement and the museum which has a huge collection of Greek amphora. Vince and Helen played tennis on courts which are located on top of  classical Greek buildings and enjoyed a zoom round  the island on scooters.
   

Shameen Neebar had no sooner arrived on Vis than he returned to Split and then ferried to another island where he met a 'Friend' and returned to Vis next day via Split. A ferry boat passion man. 

 
We dined very well on Vis, both in Vis port itself, the second port of the island  Konitsa  and, of course, at Oliver Roki's restaurant after the two games of cricket.  

 

 
 

Early Monday morning we departed via the Ferry and returned to Split to secure our accomodation in a spaceship like hostel. Nomads then spent an interesting day exploring Split and dined very well in the evening.