Afghanistan attracts all-sorts

Despite mass warning from locals and hysterical friends back home, I hired a car (a mere £35 for those interested) and ventured my untroubled way to Potchefstroom for Afghanistan’s match against Bermuda today. The venue is already a firm favourite: almost circular, with grassy banks all around the ground and some shaded seating for the hosting of larger matches. It’s a picture, as is the outfield, which is bowling-green flat. The Australians love it here apparently, and it’s easy to see why. Grassy banks just make a cricket ground.

The crowd, well – let’s not mention that. Those found to be clapping were either on the players’ balconies or, even more fervently, Tim Albone and his crew. Albone, 31-year-old film-maker, has been following the Afghanistan team for a couple of years in a documentary he is making called Out of the Ashes, tracking their rise from obscurity to (potentially) the World Cup in 2011. He’s joined by Lucy Martens, the camera person who is constantly glued to a lens of some sort, and Leslie Knott, the producer. All three were only moderately interested in cricket but, now, they’re fairly hooked as their whooping and cheering at each Afghani boundary began to demonstrate.

It is quite a challenge to follow Afghanistan, though all three of the crew are regular travellers to the country. Alongside them today was Dr Sarah Fane who founded the Afghan Connection, a charity that has provided medical assistance to remote Afghani communities. And now, Sarah is involved with the Afghanistan cricket team, building pitches and providing equipment as well as building schools (which now serve more than 26,000 people). The MCC’s Matthew Fleming is in support, and Sarah is clearly committed to helping promote the sport among a population who are used to bowling seam-up with balls made out of cloth and rubber.

Cricket draws all sorts of people and characters together. Afghanistan have a long way to go if they are to even reach the World Cup, but their rapid rise is already beginning to have an impact on their country, not just the sport.