William, Catherine and George to visit Australia and New Zealand in April
- Thread starter Blackleaf
- Start date
Take a nap, Gerry!
The Duchess of Cambridge was nearly hit by a cricket ball during a little game against her husband.
Kate, who wasn't wearing a protective helmet and padding and was instead clad in a red skirt dress and black high heels, opted to bat first, and found the Duke was using the bodyline technique - the bowling technique devised by England during the 1932-33 Ashes Series which so infuriated the Australians - as he bowled a full toss straight at her head.
Thankfully, though, she wasn't in any danger as both the ball and the bat were made out of plastic, so when the ball whistled past the Duchess’s ear for a wide (and therefore a run) there was no risk of injury, but she nevertheless wagged a finger at the Duke to remonstrate.
Out of four balls she faced, the Duchess managed to hit two - a gentle tap to short extra cover and a clipped mis-hit to the offside, before she took up the wicket keeper’s position hoping to catch her husband out.
Facing four balls bowled by children, the Duke appeared a little too keen as he smashed two balls to midwicket before a gentle lay-up to mid-on and a dot ball to finish.
It may have been a victory forged on the playing fields of Eton, the Duke’s alma mater, but the odds were always stacked in his favour, given his previous experience.
The royal couple took part in the cricket game in Christchurch on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which New Zealand and Australia are hosting.
Whilst in Christchurch the Duke and Duchess also paid tribute to the 185 victims of the 2011 earthquake which hit the city, and spoke to some of the families of the victims.
Royal tour: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take their sporting rivalry to the cricket pitch
The couple were at an event in Christchurch to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which takes place in New Zealand and Australia
By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter, in Christchurch
14 Apr 2014
The Telegraph
Having been comprehensively trounced by his wife when they went head to head in a yacht race last week, the Duke of Cambridge clearly had a point to prove when the couple faced each other at opposite ends of a wicket on Monday.
The Duchess of Cambridge, in red skirt dress and black high heels, opted to bat first, and found the Duke was using the bodyline technique as he bowled a full toss straight at her head.
Thankfully, both bat and ball were made of plastic, so when the ball whistled past the Duchess’s ear for a wide there was no risk of injury, but she nevertheless wagged a finger at the Duke to remonstrate.
Out of four balls she faced, the Duchess managed to hit two - a gentle tap to short extra cover and a clipped mis-hit to the offside, before she took up the wicket keeper’s position hoping to catch her husband out.
The Duchess of Cambridge bats during a game of cricket (Joseph Johnson/Getty Images)
Facing four balls bowled by children, the Duke appeared a little too keen as he smashed two balls to midwicket before a gentle lay-up to mid-on and a dot ball to finish.
It may have been a victory forged on the playing fields of Eton, the Duke’s alma mater, but the odds were always stacked in his favour, given his previous experience.
He will, though, see it as partial revenge for losing 2-0 to the Duchess in a yacht racing contest in Auckland on Friday.
The couple were at an event in Christchurch to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which takes place in New Zealand and Australia.
They watched a coaching session for children before the Duchess stepped up to the crease.
Prince William tries to hit a ball (Phil Noble/Reuters)
The duke praised the "creativity and innovation" of the Christchurch people
New Zealand batswoman Debbie Hockley advised the duchess on her batting technique
The Duchess of Cambridge also took a turn at playing wicket keeper
The couple were at an event in Christchurch to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
As he limbered up to bowl, the Duke told her “You won’t see this, it will be a blur.”
But Jamie Elley, 11, who also faced two balls from the Duke, was unimpressed, saying: “He was rusty. He does too many full tosses. But the second one was good."
When Timothy Cross, 12, bowled at the Duke he was hit for four with a cover drive. "I was a bit gutted but I will get him next time,” he said.
Jodie Dean, 11, bowled two balls to the Duke. "The first ball was too high, a lot too high. My second ball was much better,” she said.
“He hit it,someone fielded it, no runs. I felt a bit better after that ball. He was pretty good.”
Former New Zealand batswoman Debbie Hockley, 51, gave the Duchess a few tips as she stood at the crease twirling her bat.
She said afterwards: "I told her don't worry about technique, just smash it. She was quite nervous but she kept her eye on the ball. I thought they were great sports to take part in it. I couldn't bat in high heels.
"She's not played before so it's a pretty good effort and she did the best she could.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hold the Cricket World Cup in Latimer Square Gardens (Ian Jones/Getty Images)
Earlier, the Duke and Duchess had been introduced to five sets of twin children in push-chairs who had been picked out from the crowd to meet the couple.
The babies’ five mothers meet up once a week and decided to combine this week’s get-together with a bit of royal-spotting.
Nicola Burton, 38, mother of 21 month old twins Lucas and Oliver, said: "Prince William was just a little overwhelmed with how many babies there were. He said he hoped we weren't going to ask him to baby sit."
She said the Duchess was "very friendly", crouching down to play with her children's toys. "Someone joked that they might have twins next time. They just laughed that off."
Jen Howell, 32, mother of Lexie and Jaelan, 22 months, said: "They could not believe how chilled out the twins all were. Kate said she might have to get some tips about how to chill George out. Apparently he is a busy boy.
"They said how calm all the kids seemed to be, and said they could not imagine doing it with two."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/10764514/Royal-tour-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-take-their-sporting-rivalry-to-the-cricket-pitch.html
Kate, who wasn't wearing a protective helmet and padding and was instead clad in a red skirt dress and black high heels, opted to bat first, and found the Duke was using the bodyline technique - the bowling technique devised by England during the 1932-33 Ashes Series which so infuriated the Australians - as he bowled a full toss straight at her head.
Thankfully, though, she wasn't in any danger as both the ball and the bat were made out of plastic, so when the ball whistled past the Duchess’s ear for a wide (and therefore a run) there was no risk of injury, but she nevertheless wagged a finger at the Duke to remonstrate.
Out of four balls she faced, the Duchess managed to hit two - a gentle tap to short extra cover and a clipped mis-hit to the offside, before she took up the wicket keeper’s position hoping to catch her husband out.
Facing four balls bowled by children, the Duke appeared a little too keen as he smashed two balls to midwicket before a gentle lay-up to mid-on and a dot ball to finish.
It may have been a victory forged on the playing fields of Eton, the Duke’s alma mater, but the odds were always stacked in his favour, given his previous experience.
The royal couple took part in the cricket game in Christchurch on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which New Zealand and Australia are hosting.
Whilst in Christchurch the Duke and Duchess also paid tribute to the 185 victims of the 2011 earthquake which hit the city, and spoke to some of the families of the victims.
Royal tour: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take their sporting rivalry to the cricket pitch
The couple were at an event in Christchurch to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which takes place in New Zealand and Australia
By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter, in Christchurch
14 Apr 2014
The Telegraph
Having been comprehensively trounced by his wife when they went head to head in a yacht race last week, the Duke of Cambridge clearly had a point to prove when the couple faced each other at opposite ends of a wicket on Monday.
The Duchess of Cambridge, in red skirt dress and black high heels, opted to bat first, and found the Duke was using the bodyline technique as he bowled a full toss straight at her head.
Thankfully, both bat and ball were made of plastic, so when the ball whistled past the Duchess’s ear for a wide there was no risk of injury, but she nevertheless wagged a finger at the Duke to remonstrate.
Out of four balls she faced, the Duchess managed to hit two - a gentle tap to short extra cover and a clipped mis-hit to the offside, before she took up the wicket keeper’s position hoping to catch her husband out.
The Duchess of Cambridge bats during a game of cricket (Joseph Johnson/Getty Images)
Facing four balls bowled by children, the Duke appeared a little too keen as he smashed two balls to midwicket before a gentle lay-up to mid-on and a dot ball to finish.
It may have been a victory forged on the playing fields of Eton, the Duke’s alma mater, but the odds were always stacked in his favour, given his previous experience.
He will, though, see it as partial revenge for losing 2-0 to the Duchess in a yacht racing contest in Auckland on Friday.
The couple were at an event in Christchurch to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which takes place in New Zealand and Australia.
They watched a coaching session for children before the Duchess stepped up to the crease.
Prince William tries to hit a ball (Phil Noble/Reuters)
The duke praised the "creativity and innovation" of the Christchurch people
New Zealand batswoman Debbie Hockley advised the duchess on her batting technique
The Duchess of Cambridge also took a turn at playing wicket keeper
The couple were at an event in Christchurch to promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
As he limbered up to bowl, the Duke told her “You won’t see this, it will be a blur.”
But Jamie Elley, 11, who also faced two balls from the Duke, was unimpressed, saying: “He was rusty. He does too many full tosses. But the second one was good."
When Timothy Cross, 12, bowled at the Duke he was hit for four with a cover drive. "I was a bit gutted but I will get him next time,” he said.
Jodie Dean, 11, bowled two balls to the Duke. "The first ball was too high, a lot too high. My second ball was much better,” she said.
“He hit it,someone fielded it, no runs. I felt a bit better after that ball. He was pretty good.”
Former New Zealand batswoman Debbie Hockley, 51, gave the Duchess a few tips as she stood at the crease twirling her bat.
She said afterwards: "I told her don't worry about technique, just smash it. She was quite nervous but she kept her eye on the ball. I thought they were great sports to take part in it. I couldn't bat in high heels.
"She's not played before so it's a pretty good effort and she did the best she could.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hold the Cricket World Cup in Latimer Square Gardens (Ian Jones/Getty Images)
Earlier, the Duke and Duchess had been introduced to five sets of twin children in push-chairs who had been picked out from the crowd to meet the couple.
The babies’ five mothers meet up once a week and decided to combine this week’s get-together with a bit of royal-spotting.
Nicola Burton, 38, mother of 21 month old twins Lucas and Oliver, said: "Prince William was just a little overwhelmed with how many babies there were. He said he hoped we weren't going to ask him to baby sit."
She said the Duchess was "very friendly", crouching down to play with her children's toys. "Someone joked that they might have twins next time. They just laughed that off."
Jen Howell, 32, mother of Lexie and Jaelan, 22 months, said: "They could not believe how chilled out the twins all were. Kate said she might have to get some tips about how to chill George out. Apparently he is a busy boy.
"They said how calm all the kids seemed to be, and said they could not imagine doing it with two."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/10764514/Royal-tour-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-take-their-sporting-rivalry-to-the-cricket-pitch.html
Last edited:
William and Kate - 28th in the list of Britain's 50 greatest-ever double acts - are currently slap bang in the middle of Australia visiting Ayers Rock.
Bathed in an orange glow, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge saw the majesty of Uluru at sunset for themselves today.
A few minutes before 6pm, the royal couple arrived at the best viewing spot for the rock, with Kate still wearing her high-heeled platform shoes.
In a scene reminiscent of William's parents the Prince and Princess of Wales 31 years ago, the couple posed for photographs at the legendary beauty spot - formerly known as Ayers Rock - in the heart of the Australian Outback.
The rock is made out of sandstone, stands 1,142ft high, and has a circumference of 5.8 miles.
Both Uluru and the nearby Kata Tjuta formation have great cultural significance for the Aṉangu people, the traditional inhabitants of the area, who lead walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area.
Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour at different times of the day and year, most notably when it glows red at dawn and sunset.
The rock, located in the south west of Australia's Northern Territory, really is isolated. The nearest town, Alice Springs, lies 208 miles to the north east.
Unbelievably, despite the Northern Territory being six times the size of the UK, its population is just 233,000!
Following in Charles and Diana's footsteps, Wills and Kate visit Uluru as sun sets on one of most stunning sites on earth
A member of one of the most respected Aboriginal families in the local Anangu community greeted the couple
The Duke and Duchess watched an Aborigine Welcome to Country ceremony
They also walked a short distance around the base of Uluru
William's parents Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana made the same trip in 1983
Send your pictures of the Royal Tour toaustraliaroyal@mailonline.com
22 April 2014
Daily Mail
Bathed in an orange glow, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge saw the majesty of Uluru at sunset for themselves today.
A few minutes before 6pm, the royal couple arrived at the best viewing spot for the rock, with Kate still wearing her high-heeled platform shoes.
In a scene reminiscent of William's parents the Prince and Princess of Wales 31 years ago, the couple posed for photographs at the legendary beauty spot - formerly known as Ayers Rock - in the heart of the Australian Outback.
At first William and Kate seemed a little self conscious as they posed for photographers.
Red earth: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took in the breathtaking view of Australia's iconic Ayers Rock
Sentimental: It was a poignant visit for William as he retraced the steps of his parents Prince Charles and Diana Princess of Wales, who visited the rock in 1983
Point "A" on the map is Ayers Rock.