[LargeFormat] The second day of the Test....

[Stein]

Dear Friends,

     I must apologise for impugning the reputation of the English cricket
team. I am sure they are all fine fellows and are doing their very best.
Indeed I have always been a fan of theirs, though I do think it was a shame
that they had to replace Curley Joe with Shemp. It was never the same
afterwards....

     All this being said, The large format users in America may not realise
that English cricket - as opposed to Australian cricket or Indian cricket,
and we seem to have a plague of them in the house this year - is the ideal
subject for photography. The basic nature of the game as played by the
English is perfect for the tripod-mounted view camera fitted with a slow
lens and a wet plate. They make splendid daguerrotype subjects to in full
sprint. It is a pity that there is sometimes a cloud over the sun a Lord's
but this is generally clear by Michelmas. Or Pancake Tuesday, or
Cheese-rolling Saturday Night or whenever. Consult your Pom-o-Vision site on
the Internet for the local festivals.

    Unlike the Americans in their colourful sports uniforms the English tend
to play in white flannels. Not stark, staring, clean white flannels, you
understand - these are the English we are talking about, remember - but sort
of white enough to reflect a deal of the light under the low scudding
acid-filled clouds to make for good exposures. If you are visiting from the
USA remember to take plenty of Kodak film.

    You can get some idea of what to expect from the cricket by watching
test matches on telly. If your local staion doesn't broadcast it, cable at
three in the morning is an option. Alternately you can go down the local
video store and get out a Geena Davis movie called " A League of Their Own "
and this is really quite an accurate depiction of the England XI.

     Oh, that means the English cricket team. They frequently have 11 active
members and one dead body in the dugout who takes out the tea and lemon
wedges at half time, which can be about a week into the game. The timekeeper
uses a sundial. Truly.

     Uncle Dick

 PS: WE love the Poms, we really do. The current Monarch is a Grand Old
Thing, not too sure about the next round in the magazine, so long may SHE
reign.