GUERILLAS ON TOUR: Fleeing the commentary box and excitement from the first ball

The Cricketer has linked up with GUERILLA CRICKET for the duration of the historic Test match between Ireland and Pakistan. In the third of a set of daily blogs, we are told the story of a commentary box evacuation

^{The Guerilla Cricket commentary box}

It can't have been too often that Test match commentators have had to flee the broadcasting box in fear of their lives, bringing the most abrupt end to their musings, but lightning and a wooden construction held up by scaffolding and filled with electrical equipment do not a happy combination make.

When word came in that the temporary stands, also incorporating metal railings and poles, were being evacuated by stewards the crew decided discretion was the better part of valour and made a beeline for the safety of the more solid press centre at the other end of the ground.

The forecast had warned of rain by about 3pm but the clouds took longer than anticipated to build up and just after groundsman Phil Frost, who has produced an absolute belter of a Test match wicket here, had assured several of the Guerillas that the downpour was going to miss the ground, a monsoon set in.

It was a dramatic end to a day that had started in equally remarkable fashion. Very few commentators are afforded such excitement from the first ball of their first official commentary but the comedy running of Imam ul-Haq and Azhar Ali, which had already brought a YouTube-worthy clip from Pakistan's warm-up match against Northamptonshire, had more gifts to hand out.

^{The view from the media centre}

The ensuing collision that left Imam on his back even before he'd faced a ball in Test cricket in anger, was goldust for the Guerilla anchor, who, by virtue of being the only person providing audio commentary for the incident to the world, could rest easy that in 100 years, when Ireland top the Test rankings, the words to which broadcasters of the future will turn to mark the occasion will probably be his. Pathe eat your heart out.

It was not always plain sailing for the Guerillas, as one commentator misidentified Gary Wilson as the man behind the wicket for a whole over, when the Derbyshire stumper was innocently standing at first slip, next to the actual custodian, Niall O'Brien.

He was taken out the back of the commentary box, warned as to his future conduct and nominated as the man to make an emergency dash to the nearest Apple store to buy a replacement ethernet thunderbolt cable as the Facebook Live feed, which enables listeners to pry on the varied characters bringing them their commentary, went AWOL.

It was not the only thunderbolt of the day - and the second sent the Guerilla scurrying for cover, the final indignity when two of those seeking sanctuary were informed they could not take their freshly-bought pints into the press centre.

The Cricketer has teamed up with Guerilla Cricket - the official radio broadcaster of the game - to get insight from Malahide.

Listen to ball-by-ball commentary by clicking here

Follow Guerilla Cricket on Twitter - @guerillacricket

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