“Why are you here?”
The action at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium has just began. The players took the pitch in front of around a hundred gallery fans.
Given the 9:30 a.m. start time, the low turnout in the morning was unsurprising. But what surprised me was seeing a foreigner sitting alone near the scoreboard so early in the game, ready to watch the action unfold from ball one.
His arrival caught the interest of some local admirers who were clustered around him, as well as this journalist.
Despite their small number, some ardent New Zealand fans had travelled to Sylhet to watch their beloved Black Caps play.
This writer mistook the foreign gentleman for one of those New Zealanders after hearing his obvious British accent.
After greetings, this correspondent couldn’t help but wonder, “Why are you here?”
“I love Test cricket,” said Steve Neal, a retired British civil engineer who travels the world to enjoy the sport’s classic format.
Neal’s fascination with Test cricket began when he was four or five years old, and the first time he saw a live Test was in Edgbaston, Birmingham, in 1963, during a match between England and the West Indies.
Neal’s passion for the game has only grown over time, and he now travels to different areas of the world to watch Test cricket at the age of 67. Neal has watched Tests in every Test-playing nation except Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.
However, Neal does not share his enthusiasm for other forms of cricket; for him, the excitement of Test cricket is unparalleled.
“I don’t follow one-day cricket.” I enjoy Test cricket because it is similar to a game of chess. It could vary during the session.”
Neal is no stranger to Bangladesh, having visited twice during England’s tour in 2008 and 2016. He also has a soft spot for Bangladeshi cuisine.
“Bangladesh is my favourite country. When I go out to eat in Birmingham, I always go to a Bangladeshi restaurant. And the sites I visit are all in Sylhet. They claimed I’d enjoy it in Sylhet.”
Neal’s obsession with Test cricket has led him to live an unusual existence, which he views to be a blessing.
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” It’s been an honour to travel throughout the world and watch cricket. “I am a very fortunate man.”