Do you guys play baseball?

If I had a dollar for every time that a North American asked me what cricket was, I would not have paid for a beer in the last two weeks.

“It’s just like baseball” I explain to the avid and inquisitive, yet slightly confused, American sports fan – “but better”.

This response has reeled in more perplexed expressions than Daryl Cullinan facing Shane Warne but it has definitely been worthwhile.

So has the North American leg of the Australian Old Collegians (AOC) World Tour.

From a surprise helicopter ride over Niagra Falls (on my 22^nd birthday) to the depths of despair at Ground Zero in New York, and from the hallow turf of Yankee Stadium to the heights of the CN Tower in Toronto – the last two weeks have been an absolute whirl wind.

And although the beer in this part of the world does not taste anywhere near as good as Tooheys Extra Dry on a summer’s afternoon, or any afternoon for that matter, it has not seemed to matter at all.

On the field during the last two weeks we have played five matches and won three against players ranging in abilities from Canadian internationals to rich, retired businessmen.

Our first match in Vancouver was played at Brockton Park, which lies within the confines of Canada’s beautiful Stanley Park.

It is a venue, which has been described by Sir Donald Bradman as the “prettiest ground in the world”.

And after playing cricket amidst the greenest of grass, seemingly endless rows of long, slender pine trees, superbly crafted totem poles, on the edge of a beautiful harbour, with ice capped mountains in the background – it is hard to disagree.

Beacon Hill Park in Victoria (Vancouver Island) was also picturesque while in the east of the country, the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club proved difficult to play on with a hessian mat-like surface laid on top of an unprepared pitch.

But another venue highlight, besides a pub in Victoria aptly named the Sticky Wicket (we definately got stuck on a sticky wicket that night), would have to be our unscheduled match in the heart of New York’s famous Central Park.

A group of nine Australians playing cricket as a stream of yellow taxi cabs drove past and passers-by stared in our direction as if to say – that’s not baseball.

Consequently that morning, my faithful Slazenger V1200 made history by becoming the first ever cricket bat (as far as I am aware) in the Empire State Building, Madison Square Gardens and Times Square.

The people have been just as random as the experiences and who would have thought that half way across the world you could meet so many travellers from Maitland.

First of all, former Maitland Mercury sports journalist Cecilia Peoples watched our match at Brockton Park, then Maitland cricket umpire Glen Crew was lining up for a helicopter ride at Niagra Falls, and I also met the brother of my Year 8 metal work teacher (So, if you read this Mr McGrath, your brother and his wife said to say hello).

An amazing fortnight and with 31 days still to look forward to – bring on the UK!

Josh Callinan

PS – I am in serious trouble on the euchre score board. Flash 11 – Cal 4.

Pic: "Take me out to the ball game." Me at Yankees Stadium in its final year before being demolished.