Tigers and Cricket Safari

1st March 2010

For a cricket addict and tiger enthusiast, winning a place on Exodus’ Tigers and Cricket Safari to Bandhavgarh National Park could reasonably be considered your quota of fortune for life. And as sensational luck would have it, there I was, sitting in the back of a jeep, wearing seven layers to stave off the biting cold and scouring the forest for any flashes of orange as we raced along.

'Tigers are wild animals', our leader warned, 'so no guarantees can be made that we’ll actually see any.' Last year’s group managed just three glimpses all week. Four hours into my first game drive, a beautiful Bengal tiger strolls across the dirt road in front of us. We follow carefully for several minutes as he marks his territory, scratching a tree before disappearing into the woods.

The week continued like a dream with at least one breathtaking tiger encounter on nine out of thirteen attempts. The heart-stopping highlight was watching a mother and her three cubs embrace and play together, approaching until they were less than ten metres from us. Stunning.

Cricket is a national obsession in India, so there was a real sense of occasion when we took to the field to compete against the local school for the ‘International Tiger Trophy 2010’. Over 100 children cheered us on from their vantage points on the school roof, most of the village turned up to watch and a commentator broadcast his thoughts over the PA system non-stop throughout the match. I got halfway to convincing the crowd that girls can play cricket too with several diving stops in the field, but managed only a pitiful four runs as we were soundly beaten by the youngsters.

The trophy remains with the school as a reminder of the important role the community must continue to play if their striped neighbours are to avoid extinction. I return to my own Appleton Tigers Cricket Team with amazing memories, photos and an enhanced appreciation of conservation.

The trip leader, Paul Goldstein, is running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the tigers. If you’ve done any running you’ll know it’s going to be tough, particularly since he will be sporting a 9ft high aluminium framed tiger costume! Perhaps you’d consider contributing? Visit www.justgiving.com/WorthMoreAlive to find out more.

By Emma Barlow, Exodus competition winner