Three day cricket in Argentina???!!!!

Yes you did read the title correctly; three day cricket is alive and kicking in Argentina and has been for over a hundred years.  The first annual three day North V South fixture was played in 1891 and has been played every year, apart from the war years. I have been reliably told it is one of the oldest fixtures in the world.

Forget T20 cricket, the three-day North South annual superclasico is the biggest cricket fixture in the continent. The North-South line has gradually moved further down the country over the years to maintain a competitive fixture. This is because cricket clubs have disappeared in Rosario and Cordoba in the north of the country due to the British leaving Argentina after The Second World War.

Belgrano Pavilion 

In such a small cricketing community, where every player will have already played together at national level, you would think that it would be a calm affair. Think again. The North South is the highlight of the cricketing calendar. Players are desperate to get selected and to represent their side at all costs; friendships are put on hold for at least a week before the game.  One player came back from his new residence in Columbia especially for the game. It is that important.

Nino (north) bowled by Ryan (south)

Practice sessions and team building asados start ten days before the game to get each team prepared. Both teams have a selection committee and manager, so politics, eligibility issues and favouritism are avoided and the best eleven can be selected fairly. I also take a step back and remain neutral. This allows me to watch from a safe distance while the Latino tempers run riot on the pitch and competitive juices explode.

Winning South Team

The South has dominated this fixture for the last decade. There were no changes in fortunes this year in the 112^th fixture, when the South won a hard fought contest which went down to the last ten overs. The 2011 fixture was played at Belgrano Athletic Club where players old and new turned out to watch the drama unfold. Daily scores were published in the Buenos Aires Herald and last year there was even a live score board on the internet to keep followers updated immediately if they could not make it to the match.

Who said three day cricket was dead????