Criket on Base Camp of Mt Everest

Tomorrow 2 British teams named ‘Tenzing’ and ‘Hillary’ will play Cricket after 9 days of expedition on Gorak Shep Plateau at 5165 meters(17000 ft) close to Everest Base Camp on Khumbu Glacier.

The excercise is to commomerate Tenzing on Qeens Birthday and generate 500000 dollars to an UK trust promoting Education and Montaineering amongst Sherpas

There are many who feel that this is a show that could have been avoided as this will put the palyers at health hazard due to Mountain sickness and also pollute the himalayas which are already strewn with 120 tonnes of plastic trash ,cylinders cans and tins as well as 120 human bodies of dead montaineers.

Last year we were trekking at Kedarkantha at 14000 ft and remember to have played Cricket at Dhunda .Obviously as we had climbed over 5 days we were acclimmatised and I am sure that by the time they reach their pitch all players would be fully acclimatised.Also provided they carry all the trash back they have generated including their faeces .In that case they shold be permitted.

But let me caution a few things 1) the weather conditions are precarious at that height and I will not be surprised if sudden snow storm and rains and gusty winds play spoil sport. 2) Lots of noise will be generated and in a delicate ecology of Himalayas can cause severe land slides and avalanches.

I hope they keep air rescue alerted and fully loaded medical team ready incase of disaster .

Let the better team win but Himalayas are too big for a small game of Cricket and the focus sholud not shift from the solid to mundane.