The Maasai Cricket Warriors

Photographer Carl De Souza documented this group of young Maasai warriors from the Laikipia region in Kenya who've formed a cricket team. Captained by 26 year old Nissan Jonathan Ole Meshami, the team are fundraising to travel to South Africa inorder to take part in the Last Man Stands World Championships. Alongside promoting healthy living, spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS and women's issues, the team aspire to become role models in their community and ambassadors for both the Maasai and Kenya.


Edit: You can donate to this cause here: www.justgiving.com/MaasaiCricketWarriors
The Last Man Stands World Championships is an annual international tournament, this year it is held in Cape Town, commencing on the 31st March till 7th April. 'It consists of amateur teams from around the world playing several T20 group matches, followed by a knockout stage and a final. LMS offers a first prize of US$10,000, receives considerable media exposure' (1)

(1) maasaicricketwarriors.bellstrike.com
Source: The Atlantic: InFocus

Rugby World Cup 2011: photos of interest II

More images of interest from the last few games of the RWC2011. 
See the previous post of Rugby World Cup photographs here


 

i. New Zealand All Blacks perform the Haka ahead of their Rugby World Cup semifinal against Australia at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. Left to right: Jerome Kaino, Keven Mealamu, Richie McCaw, Aaron Cruden, Ma'a Nonu, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Kieran Read, Andy Ellis and Cory Jane. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

ii. All Blacks perform the Haka ahead of their Rugby World Cup semifinal against Australia Left to right: Conrad Smith, Israel Dagg, Sonny Bill Williams, Richard Kahui, Stephen Donald, Ben Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock and Sam Whitelock. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

iii. All Blacks perform the Haka ahead of their Rugby World Cup semifinal. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

iv. All Black Israel Dagg runs past Australia's Rocky Elsom, during their Rugby World Cup semifinal. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

v. Ma'a Nonu goes over the line for the first try of the match during the All Blacks v Australia Semi Final match of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Photosport.co.nz

 


vi. Brad Thorn takes the lineout ball ahead of France's Imanol Harinordoquy during their Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)


vii. All Black prop Tony Woodcock scores during the All Blacks v Australia IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 final at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand on Sunday, 23 October 2011.  Photo: Dave Lintott / photosport.co.nz


viii. Conrad Smith of the All Blacks tackles the French Captain Thierry Dusautoir during the final RWC2011 match. washingtonexaminer.com


ix. x. The All Blacks world champions team photo 23.10.2011 Photo by Steve Haag PHOTOSPORT


xi. All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw carries the Webb Ellis Cup past the crowd as he walks back into the tunnel after the All Blacks v France Final match of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. Sunday 23 October 2011. Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung / photosport.co.nz


Click images for source

Rugby World Cup 2011 Shots

Various photos posted on the Rugby World Cup 2011 Flickr that have caught my eye. 
Click on images for high resolution versions and source / more info
 



i. Ireland vs Italy: Pool C, Otago Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand 2/10/2011


ii. Ireland's scrum during the Australia v Ireland, 17/09/2011.


iii. Ireland vs USA: Pool C, Taranaki Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand 11/9/2011.


iv. Mike Tindall, England v Argentina, Pool B, Otago Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand 10/9/2011


v. Brian O'Driscoll with Taku Ngwenya: Ireland vs USA 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C, Taranaki Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand 11/9/2011 


vi. Ireland's Donncha O'Callaghan during the Australia v Ireland match, 17/9/2011


vii. Kurtley Beale takes the high ball from Irish fullback Rob Kenny during the Australia v Ireland Pool C match. Saturday 17.10.2011


viii. Jamie Heaslip congratulates Sean O'Brien in the rain after he scored, Ireland v Russia, Rotorua. Rugby World Cup 2011, Pool C. 25/9/2011 


ix. Patriotic headgear; Taku Ngwenya. Ireland vs USA, Pool C, Taranaki Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand 11/9/2011


x. Richie McCaw in action during the All Blacks v Australia Semi Final match of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. 16/10/2011


xi. Richard Kahui tackles Quade Cooper during the All Blacks v Australia Semi Final match of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. Sunday 16.10.2011


xii. Delon Armitage is bundled into touch, England vs Argentina, Pool B, Otago Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand 10/9/2011


xiii. Conor Trainor scores for Canada during the All Blacks v Canada pool A match of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup at Wellington Regional Stadium, New Zealand on Sunday, 2/10/2011


xiv. Smiles after the game. Ireland vs Italy, Pool C, Otago Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand 2/10/2011


xv. Tonga smiles after beating France, France v Tonga, Wellington Regional Stadium 1/10/2011.

Stoke City fans at the 2011 FA Cup Final

Screenshots from the 20 gigapixel 360-degree panoramic photograph of the 2011 FA Cup Final by Jeffrey Martin. In red are the Stoke City fans. Apparently '1000 photographs shot with a DSLR and robotic tripod head were needed to capture the 90,000 fans in attendance, and the final image was processed with a workstation that had 192 gigabytes of RAM and 24 CPU cores'*

See the Panoramic photo here: http://wembley360.wembleystadium.com/

*Source: here

In Catalan the word 'castell' means castle.

The sash (faixa) is the most important part of their outfit, since it supports the lower back and is used by other castellers in the team as a foothold or handhold when climbing up the tower. (1)

Casteller from Mike Randolph on Vimeo.

'A castell is considered a success when stages of its assembling and disassembling, can be done in complete succession. The assembly is complete once all castellers have climbed into their designated places, and the enxaneta climbs into place at the top and raises one hand with four fingers erect, in a gesture said to symbolize the stripes of the Catalan flag. The enxaneta then climbs down the other side of the castell, after which the remaining levels of castellers descend in highest-to-lowest order until all have reached safety.' (2)