Rugby photo: Gozar Images
Category: March
Abigail Reynolds and The Ruins of Time: The Lost Libraries of the Silk Road
British artist, Abigail Reynolds, winner of the BMW Art Journey will unveil her project The Ruins of Time: Lost Libraries of the Silk Road at Art Basel later his month.
A five-month-long exploration into the complex religious and secular narratives of Europe and Asia, Reynolds journeyed along the Silk Road by motorbike to investigate the sites of former libraries she discovered in her research, and document what she found at each location. You can read her fascinating travelogue here http://bmw-art-journey.com/journey/abigail-reynolds
Reynolds said of the project, “A library is a compendium of knowledge, a group identity. I went to places where all that meaning has been voided, recently or in the distant past. The journey itself was challenging and huge, encompassing three quarters of the globe, traversing multiple cultures, none familiar to me. The journey brought me to the edges of my knowing, just as the lost libraries brought me to the edge of visuality.”
Reynolds’ journey took her to sites in China, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Iran dating from 291 BC to 2011. Where she gathered material in various forms including 3D scans, photography, microscope imagery, written text, plans and cataloguing systems. Based on this extensive research, she has created a cluster of book forms, prints, collages and moving-image works which will be on display at Art Basel.
Images, texts and other documents originating from the trip are going to be included in a book – thus completing a journey that both starts and ends with the institution of the library.
The Pond @ Elements Civic Square
It’s difficult to know what to make of The Pond, Maxim Group‘s new outlet at Element‘s Civic Square. It’s marketed as a Chinese Gastro Bar, which is an interesting concept – but the result is a venue yet to find its identity.
The decor at the two floor outlet is sparse. A large downstairs area is the drinking/ dining area and features a bar, an open kitchen – which you can’t really look into because of a service counter positioned infront of the window – and a large outdoor seating area for when the weather is accommodating. The smaller upstairs is more dining centric, with large floor to ceiling windows offering a semi-green view.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/The-Pond-Elements-21-February-2017/i-RqgBbgK
The menu features a broad range of nicely presented Chinese dishes served for want of a better description ‘western style’. There’s a lack of oil, salt, msg but also sadly a lack of flavour. The dishes are nice, but there’s sadly nothing here that you must come back for or recommend to your friends to go eat. Portion sizes are not particularly large for the price.
Among the signature dishes is Sichuan Translucent Beef Slices ($98), the beef served on ‘lighted’ plate is sliced so thin as to be translucent and it becomes nicely crispy served this way, The mixed dumplings are meaty but somewhat bland. The Sichuan Spicy Crispy Chicken ($88) is good, but the dish is more chilli than chicken. There’s also fresh seafood, with daily catch options.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/The-Pond-Elements-21-February-2017/i-vFbQvRV
The drinks menu is extensive and features a wide range of beers and wines with a few crafted cocktails served in amusing glasses and interesting ingredients including wolf berries, snow white fungus and fenugreek.
The Pond looks to bring a bit of ‘gastro’ style to a range of regular Chinese cuisines and it’s done ok. The food is nice, the venue is nice, although the location a little out of the way unless you live or work in Elements… It’s nice, but just lacks that bit extra that has you smacking your lips to return.
The Pond
Shop R002-003, Rooftop Garden, Civic Square, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2258 2278
Opening Hours: 11:30am-10:30pm (Weekends 11:30pm)
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/The-Pond-Elements-21-February-2017/i-pj9pDxp
Six Fest on Day 1 of T20 Blitz
An action packed first day of the 2017 Hong Kong T20 Blitz saw a 31-ball(!) Dwayne Smith hundred, four fifties and an Ashley Caddy hat-trick!
The start of the first game of the tournament was delayed by a heavy shower, but the ground staff worked hard to get the outfield fit for for play as the crowd waited patiently for the cricket to get going, and their wait was well rewarded.
The rain meant the game between the Galaxy Gladiators Lantau and Hung Hom JD Jaguars was reduced to 11 overs a side. While a late start may have dampened spirits of the crowd the JD Jaguars were quick to entertain. The men responsible were Darren Sammy and James Franklin who shared a stand of 102 runs from just 36 balls. Franklin made 58 from 27 deliveries and Sammy 52 from 19 balls. Between them they smacked 11 sixes. Tin Kwong Road is a small ground but many of the shots that Sammy and Franklin were launching over the fence would have been six anywhere in the world.
Bowling first Yorkshire’s Azeem Rafiq kept things tight early on for The Galaxy Gladiators with his clever off-spin, and the Lantau side had reduced the Jaguars to 43-3 after five overs. It looked as if the Jaguars would struggle to set a competitive total. Those concerns were waylaid when Franklin and Sammy embarked on their attack that saw them destroy a strong bowling attack with some fine power hitting.
The Galaxy Gladiators needed someone to match the hitting prowess of Sammy and Franklin, but they could not put together a partnership that would allow them to get close to their target. The best innings from the Lantau side was from Hong Kong international Anshuman Rath who made 45 from 26 balls, including a lovely switch hit six. No one could stay with Rath and the chase fell away. The Hung Hom team won by 27 runs but not before Ash Caddy punctuated an emphatic win with a hat-trick in the last over.
Match two was no less enjoyable. It saw City Kaitak take on the Kowloon Cantons and once again it rained sixes. A poor start from City Kaitak saw them reduced to 23 for three and in danger of losing their way. A 125 run stand between Kyle Coetzer (87) and Chris Jordan (75) saw Kaitak reach 199 for six from their 20 overs, setting a target of exactly 200.
That should have provided the Cantons with a challenge, but Dwayne Smith didn’t see it that way. He hit Nadeem Ahmed for 28 runs from the first over on his way to a century that he made from just 31 balls. He finished 121 not out in an innings which included 13 sixes.
Smith was joined at the crease by Marlon Samuels and between them the two West Indians took their team home. Their partnership was worth 142 runs in 9.4 overs as they dismantled the bowling of Jordan, Rayad Emrit and Aizaz Khan. The Cantons won the game with 33 balls to spare and with eight wickets in hand.
Day two sees HKI United play Hung Hom JD Jaguars at 10am, then Galaxy Gladiators Lantau play City Kaitak at 2pm.
Additional reporting: HK Cricket
Braids @ Hidden Agenda – 7 March, 2017
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Braids-Hidden-Agenda-7-March-2017/i-R38njG5
Wonderful gig from Braids at Hidden Agenda last night, supported by local three piece So It Goes. Although a couple of aggressive Lands Department and FEHD staff tried to spoil everyones enjoyment.
The hour long show featured several new songs and including an interesting one on selfies. You know a gig is good when suddenly the band announce the last song and you wonder where did the time go, we wanted more… Until next time, unless you want to head over to Macau tonight or Shenzhen to catch the current tour.
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Braids-Hidden-Agenda-7-March-2017/i-Dt49rTJ
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Braids-Hidden-Agenda-7-March-2017/i-3Ft7752
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Braids-Hidden-Agenda-7-March-2017/i-4DbJ74K
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Braids-Hidden-Agenda-7-March-2017/i-7r4GDqk
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Braids-Hidden-Agenda-7-March-2017/i-cRxv73F
T20 Blitz Ready For Blast Off
The T20 Blitz returns to the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground for a second year, as teams confirmed their final list of players ahead of the first match starting on March 8.
The 16 player squads – which contain 25 international players from nine different countries, boast some of the best T20 talent in the world and contain no less than 11 ICC World Twenty20 champions – may have a maximum of 4 overseas players, plus one Associate nation player.
Cricket legends Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shahid Afridi, Darren Sammy and were the first big names signed in January, but they’ve since been joined by the likes of Samuel Badree, Ian Bell, Chris Jordan and Marlon Samuels.
And to add further interest, West Indies legend Brian Lara will mentor the Galaxy Gladiators Lantau franchise. “We could not be happier with the final squad lists that have been submitted by the five franchises,” Cricket Hong Kong CEO Tim Cutler said.
“To see 25 of the world’s best T20 cricketers is simply amazing and is surely beyond anyone’s expectations for this second HK T20 Blitz.”
Cutler continued “I’m not sure who I am more excited for – the fans in the ground and around the world are going to be able to watch world class action – or the Hong Kong players, who get to play alongside and against some absolute idols of the modern game.”
“In true Hong Kong style, there quite simply isn’t a tournament like this anywhere else in the world and to that end it is no surprise we have fielded requests for information from across the globe. A huge thanks to our five franchise owners. Without them there is simply not Blitz.
City Kaitak
Overseas players: Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL), Kyle Coetzer (Sco), Nicholas Pooran (WI), Rayad Emrit (WI), Chris Jordan (Eng)
Domestic Players: Aizaz Khan (Capt), Nadeem Ahmed, Gareth Harte, Ryan Buckley, Waqas Barkat, Raag Kapur, Akbar Khan, Niaz Ali, Ankur Sharma, Sheryar Saeed, Siegfried Wai.
Galaxy Gladiators Lantau
Overseas players: Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Jesse Ryder (NZ), Sohail Tanvir (Pak), Seekkuge Prasanna (SL), Assad Vala (PNG)
Domestic players: Anshuman Rath (Capt), Mohammad Awais, Mo Khan, Haseeb Amjad, Daniyal Bukhari, Courtney Kruger, Karandeep Singh, Arshad Haroon Mohammad, Ishaq Ibraheem Muhammad, Jason Lui, Sourav Kumar
Hung Hom JD Jaguars
Overseas players: Darren Sammy (WI), Mohammad Hafeez (Pak), Mohammad Naveed (UAE), James Franklin (NZ), Johan Botha (SA)
Domestic Players: Kinchit Shah (Capt), Nizakat Shah (Vice Captain), Ninad Shah, Chris Carter, (Wicketkeeper), Imran Arif, Simandeep Singh, Sikander Zafar, Ashley Caddy, Skhawat Ali, Damien Yee, Vishal Sharma
Hong Kong Island United
Overseas players: Misbah Ul-Haq (Pak) (Capt), Ian Bell (Eng), Samuel Badree (WI), Saeed Ajmal (Pak), George Munsey (Sco)
Domestic players: Jamie Atkinson, Tanwir Afzaal, Ehsan Khan, Daniel Pascoe, Kyle Christie, Moner Dar, Muhammad Balal, Devang Bulsara, Rory Caines, Ady Lee, Anas Khan
Kowloon Cantons
Overseas Players: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Dwayne Smith (WI), Marlon Samuels (WI), Yasir Arafat (Pak), Calum MacLeod (Sco)
Domestic Players: Babar Hayat (Capt), Tanveer Ahmed, Shahid Wasif, Waqas Khan, Isaac Poole, Ehsan Nawaz, Ahsan Abassi, Li Kai Ming, Muddasar Hussain, Angus Robson, Sunny Bhimsaria
T20 Blitz
Date: 8-12 March, 2017
Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground
Tickets: $1,300, $600, $195, $90 from Ticketflap
Additional reporting: HK Cricket
Valley And Gai Wu Victorious
Valley Black and Gai Wu Falcons advanced to their fourth straight Grand Final match-up after seeing off challenges from HKFC Ice and USRC Tigers respectively.
As form suggested, Valley returned to the Grand Final in style, beating HKFC Ice 41-5 to move one match closer to completing their third straight undefeated season.
Gai Wu were made to work hard for their 19-8 win over Tigers, coming back from an 8-0 deficit after a patchy first half display. Despite the bumpy start, Falcons coach Lai Yiu-pang was pleased his side pulled out the late win.
“Overall, I’m satisfied with the performance, we needed a game like that before next week,” he said, while crediting the Tigers effort. “It was a great performance today from Tigers. They are absolutely a quality side. It didn’t surprise me that they gave us a lesson in the first half,” said Lai.
The Falcons faltered in the face of some significant pressure early on by Tigers. “We gave up too much possession in the first half, especially at the breakdown,” said Lai. “It was a scrappy first half performance, with lots of turnovers and mistakes. They outplayed us.”
The Tigers turned their pressure into points with the opening try coming mid-way through the first half before a late penalty extended the lead to 8-0 as the halftime hooter sounded.
Befitting a side laden with Hong Kong internationals, the Falcons regrouped to score 19 points and keep the Tigers off the scoreboard in a blistering second half display. “I was really pleased that after half time, we really came on strong,” Lai said.
Gai Wu exerted steady pressure from the outset, chipping away at a tiring Tigers defence that soon started showing gaps. Tammy Lau Nga-wun was on hand to finish off two driving mauls for Gai Wu, as the Hong Kong hooker showed good vision around the fringes with darting runs for tries to give the Falcons their first lead 12-8 entering the final quarter.
Shortly thereafter, another Hong Kong international, scrumhalf Sham Wai-sum, made her mark as she extended Falcons lead to 17-8 with an opportunist try off a tap and go penalty against Tigers for collapsing the scrum.
It was just reward for some strategic play and sustained pressure by Gai Wu. “The team reacted well in the second half. We had a different mindset and kept the ball much better. The tries came from continuous pressure rather than individual brilliance,” Lai said approvingly.
One worrying sign for Falcons ahead of next week’s climactic battle with Valley was the loss of Aggie Poon Pak-yan who failed a late fitness test for a rib injury and was pulled from the squad shortly before kick-off. Hong Kong U18 sevens squad member, Joyce Chui Kam-chi, one of a promising generation of future Falcons ably filled in at full-back, performing well in a high-pressure tie.
The win sets up a tantalizing rematch of last year’s showcase match in the Women’s league when Valley came from behind to pip Gai Wu 12-10 at the hooter in a thriller.
With that battle in mind, Lai believes his side will be better for today’s stress test. “I’m glad we got a lesson like that in the semi-final. The challenge ahead will be even tougher. It was a good opportunity for us to play such a quality side in the semi-final.”
Valley romped home without much difficulty against Hong Kong Football Club with Bella Milo marking her return from injury and first action of the season with a brace of tries – a feat equaled by Amelie Seure and Jessica Eden. Kelsie Bouttle was the odd woman out in the Valley scoring stakes with only a single try on the afternoon.
Zoe Smith slotting her first three conversion attempts, as Valley extended a 21-0 lead at the break to 41-5 by the end of the match.
Women’s Premiership Grand Final 2016-17
Valley Black v Gai Wu Falcons
@ Kong’s Park, Kick-off 16:30
Additional reporting and image: HK Rugby
Sandy Lam Pranava World Tour @ Cotai Arena – 4 March, 2017
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Sandy-Lam-Pranava-World-Tour-Cotai-Arena-4-March-2017/i-J9TrZmn
Sandy Lam bought her Pranava World Tour to the Cotai Arena in Macau on the 4 March and entertained her fans with a ‘best of’ repertoire of classic love ballads and upbeat dance tracks.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Sandy-Lam-Pranava-World-Tour-Cotai-Arena-4-March-2017/i-BB2rkCZ