Birmingham 2017
The history of Birmingham in England spans 1400 years of growth, during which time it has evolved from a small 7th century Anglo Saxon hamlet on the edge of the Forest of Arden at the fringe of early Mercia to become a major city through a combination of immigration, innovation and civic pride that helped to bring about major social and economic reforms and to create the Industrial Revolution, inspiring the growth of similar cities across the world.
Also noteworthy is that the oldest human artefact found within Birmingham is the Saltley Handaxe: a 500,000-year-old brown quartzite hand axe about 100 millimetres (3.9 in) long, discovered in the gravels of the River Rea at Saltley in 1892. The first surviving documentary record of Birmingham is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as the small manor of Bermingeham worth only 20 shillings.
On August 26, 2017, Phoenix found themselves travelling to the city of Birmingham from their Punjabi hamlet known as Cranford. From the trees & rivers of Avenue Park to the bright lights of the Bullring was the journey and with it they brought along with them Phoenix's oldest artefact Hitesh bhai. The tour report is the only surviving documentary record of the tour but no precise details can be given as what goes on tour stays on tour.
WIth the cricket we did beat Cuddington Casuals and lost to both Stafford and Hillingdon Manor.
Phoenix's Tour Highlights
Batting – Kully scored the most runs
Bowling – Sanjeev took the most wickets
Fielding – Mannu, Bunty & Babbu caught the most
Indian Takeaway – goes to Kully for bring Samosas, Spring Rolls, Beers & Chivas Regal
Cry Baby – goes to Mannu who had an onfield strop
Fashion Sense – goes to Hitesh who tried to get in a club in tracksuit
Notting Hill – goes to Babbu who left early to go to Carnival
Uber – goes to Bunty who who left early as he had to drive from Southall to Oxford to Birmingham to Heathrow to Reading in one day
Last Man Standing – goes to Hitesh as he was left behind by Bunty
Night Life – goes to Gopi, Babbu, Vikas & Rajkaran for extra curriculum activities
Bad Boys – goes to Vishal & Talha who stuck together
Kabaddi – goes to Vishal, Talha & Vikas for their wrestling match
Busta Rhymes – goes to Sanjeev for his dance moves
Anti Social - goes to Kully who wanted to be left alone
Philosophy - goes to Kully & Sanjeev who talked & drank into the early hours each night
Where's my Rolex - goes to the whole team barring Kully & Sanjeev who never turned up on time.
Fantastic Four - goes to Vikas, Babbu, Rajkaran & Gopi who were never apart
Scooby Dooby Doo where are you – goes to Sandeep for not turning up
Chinese Peking Duck – goes to Mannu, Gopi & Meher for making a big fat zero
Thanks for coming – goes to Vikas, Rajkaran & Gopi for their first tour
Phoenix on tour are a team full of laughter and comedy. To quote Mark Twain (AmericanHumorist, Writer and Lecturer. 1835-1910), " Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place."
So another tour came & passed and yet again Phoenix showed their true colours and infected everyone involved with laughter, spirit and the sense of being a family.