Blind cricket? What? Yep, I had heard about it but witnessed it first hand yesterday. The Sashelle Rowe Disability Foundation and BREDS hosted the Blind Persons Exhibition yesterday at the Sports Park which included; Blind persons driving, Blind persons cricket match, Blind persons dominoes, and Blind persons bicycling.

I did not get to see the driving or bicycling but man was I impressed with the cricket and I enjoyed the dominoes.

One of the members of the cricket team was kind enough to explain the rules to me and I truly was fascinated. The cricket ball used has something inside of it that makes it sound similar to a baby's rattle. When the blind person is batting, the bowler calls out when he bowls which is done underhanded and the ball stays on the ground. The batter can then hear the ball coming and bats. When the blind person is bowling he stands by the wicket, feels the position of where the wicket is then turns and counts back so many steps and turns around ready to bowl. Someone calls to him to go when the batter is ready and he bowls the ball. The fielders can hear the ball coming and are just great at stopping the ball with their bodies getting the ball and throwing it to their catcher by listening to where he is calling from.

The gentleman I spoke with told me it takes a lot of training to do this. I can only imagine as they were quite skilled. He also told me how he had full sight but had lost a good deal of it over the course of about 8 years. He said at certain points he did not want to go on with his life as persons made fun of him and taunted him a lot. But since he has gotten involved in this program he has enjoyed educating the sighted persons on understanding them better and has enjoyed traveling around the island visiting new places and working with his teammates.

This really was incredible and I am so pleased we all had a chance to interact with each other and learn more about the abilities of the blind.

You can view photos here or by the link in the Photo Gallery

Just seeing this post, Rebecca. Thanks for sharing. I remain fascinated by the abilities of persons who are differently "abled".

Warm regards

Christine

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Christine Marrett
Proprietor
Two Seasons Guest House
Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth
Jamaica
Tel: 876-571-0818
www.2seasonsguesthouse.com
www.youtube.com/user/TwoSeasonsJamaica
"Where the welcome is warm and the runnings cool"
South coast organizational finalist, 2010 & 2011 Tourism Service Excellence Programme
Registered with the Jamaica Tourist Board

I guess this message is directed to Breds - when next will there be a repeat of blind cricket etc in Treasure Beach, or for that matter, any where else in Jamaica? I shared Rebecca's post with some friends who asked about the repeat performance.

Warm regards

--
Christine Marrett
Proprietor
Two Seasons Guest House
Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth
Jamaica
Tel: 876-571-0818
www.2seasonsguesthouse.com
www.youtube.com/user/TwoSeasonsJamaica
"Where the welcome is warm and the runnings cool"
South coast organizational finalist, 2010 & 2011 Tourism Service Excellence Programme
Registered with the Jamaica Tourist Board