The teams involved with The Everest Test 09 will be gathering at The Oval on Wednesday July 1st to celebrate their success and showcase the photographs taken by George Powell in the Himalayas.

The doors will open at 7pm and there will be a cash bar inside. Tickets are £10 on the door and we hope to see many friends of the expedition there.

A big thank you to Lawrence Booth at the Guardian for helping to publicise the event. Lawrence also has a new book out called “Cricket, Lovely Cricket” which can be purchased from Amazon by clicking here and is a must for all cricket fans.

April 21st - Team Hillary, 152-5 (Kirtley 45, Waters 2/32), bt Team Tenzing, 116 (Waters 23, Campbell 3/23) by 36 runs.

Today Team Hillary claimed an historic victory over Team Tenzing at 5165 metres above sea level, the win being sealed when captain Glen Lowis bowled fellow kiwi Mike Preston.

The ECB recognised Twenty20 match, raising money for The Lord’s Taverners and The Himalayan Trust UK, was of a higher standard than many people expected with the winning margin being 36 runs with just eight balls remaining.

Hillary went off to a terrific start, after winning the toss and batting Lowis and Cardiff CC captain David Kirtley put on 82 for the first wicket, with Kirtley striking four sixes on his way to a 34-ball 45, the top score of the day.

He was removed by Aussie spinner Nick Toovey and Hillary wobbled in the middle order as Cheltenham CC skipper Will Simmons and Lowis fell in quick succession. Some lusty blows from Chris Palmer and Charlie Campbell helped Hillary to a competitive total of 152 for 5. The pick of the bowlers for Tenzing being Mark Waters who claimed 2 for 32 from his four overs, particularly impressive after his opening three deliveries went for 16.

In reply Tenzing struggled as Man of the Match Campbell removed Harlow captain James Butler LBW for a duck before Ben Jarman bowled Chris Beale with one that kept low. Waters and Gareth Wesley then led the recovery, each striking 23 and bringing Tenzing back into the game.

A foolish run out meant the end of Waters before Wesley was also bowled, this time by the medium pace of Tom Sharland. From then on it was an uphill battle for the home side and when Palmer bowled the only two maidens of the day, the required rate crept above 10 for the first time.

Campbell returned in the 15th over and produced two beauties to remove captain Haydn Main and David Christie for a second ball duck, finishing with figures of 3 for 23. From there the game was up despite Toovey, vice captain Gareth Lewis, and Preston smashing a few boundaries between them.

The last word was appropriately left to Lowis, who on the Queen’s birthday emanated his countryman, Sir Edmund Hillary, in achieving a first on the slopes of Everest as he led his side to victory in the highest ever game of cricket.

The Everest Team

Since the last post we have progressed above 4000 metres. A day at Tengboche gave us magnificent views of Everest as well as a chance for people to visit the monastery, which most people did. We also played a makeshift game of cricket which had plenty of people watching and laughing.

We left Tengboche yesterday morning and had a long and gruelling walk to Dingboche. The first half of the day was pleasant enough as we went down into the valley with both Everest and Ama Dablam peering down at us. After lunch however we had a long climb which has taken us to 4410 metres and left everyone fairly exhausted. We had begun at 0830 and finished at 1700 so dinner was followed by an early night.

Today was a rest day, but as is the nature of this trip, the word ‘rest’ is pretty misleading! We had an acclimatization walk up to 4850 metres, which took us higher than any mountain in Europe and higher than ever before for most of us on the trip.  All but one of the group took part, and we’re confident he will be fit to join us tomorrow as we move towards Loboche.

Today is our first birthday of the trip as Kinsey ‘Boom Boom’ Hern turns 28, he has already heard the news that his brother just got engaged which is a great present for him, and hopefully tonight we can keep him entertained in a way that everyone will find amusing!

At Khumjung we had a great coaching session with around 70 kids from the area at the local school. We also donated the Lord’s Taverners kit bag which was greatfully received and judging by the enjoyment the children took from the afernoon we are expecting Khumjung to become a cricketing hot bed in Nepal!

Later that day we were re-joined by the guys we had left at Namche Bazaar who were thankfully fully recovered and ready to crack on with the rest of the trip. We are all now aware of the dangers we are facing up here, not just with the altitude but with watching what we eat and drink and being particualrly careful with our personal hygene.

We also received news yesterday that we made the front page of the Independant with a picture of Ben Jarman carrying his pack and cricket bat passed Everest. This kind of news is fantastic as we are getting little news of what is happening back home, and to know that people are following our story gives us a real lift. There are rumours floating around today that Chris De Burgh has also said a few words for us, which has prompted a great deal of singing among the more musically fashionable members of the group!

This bout of singing is perhaps due to the first ever ‘Everest Factor’ which took place last night. To say this was an unusual occasion would be an understatement! I think our guides found it all rather amusing, and we do seem to have proved that English people can indeed belt out a few songs without being well and truly inebriated!

We are now at Tengboche, just shy of 4000 metres, and had some fantastic views of Everest. Several of us have visited the monastery while an impromptu game of cricket has kept many amused. Tomorrow we head to Dingboche before another rest day - I think we may need it!

Be sure to check the website for all the best pictures that have gone up so far - they are quite spectacular.

Today, Monday 13th, we reached Khumjung. We are now at 3790 metres above sea level and most people are feeling some effects.

The last two days have really hammered home how tough the trip is going to be, yesterday we set off from Phakding at 0830 and the last arrived at Namche Bazaar at close to 1700 after a climb of around 900 metres, most of which were in the final two hours. It was a struggle for most, and those who took it quickly have felt the affects today.

One of our fittest members spent today at the back of the group after a hard three hour climb where we had our first glimpse of Everest from the ground, while another has remained at Namche with medic Ian and another team member for moral support. We hope he is better tomorrow and can join us here, as we have our first rest day.

I could not update without talking of the episode that happened on the first flight, with a two hour delay at Heathrow due to a security alert causing us to arrive in Doha 20 minutes AFTER our connecting flight was due to leave. Somehow we managed to board and get to Kathmandu OK so a huge thanks must go to Qatar Airways for not only getting all of us here, but all our personal luggage plus 260kgs of excess baggage.

We’re really glad to announce our title sponsor/partner in Nokia, specifically Nokia Maps. We are really chuffed to link up with Nokia as we were always keen to link with a sponsor that was relevant to our trip and not just a logo.

A real plus point is that as part of the deal everyone on the expedition will get a Nokia handset and we will innovatively be using some of these on the mountain, more to follow on this and more of Nokia’s involvement. The expedition will now be known as the Nokia Maps Everest Test.

There has been lots of hard work over the last year in ensuring that we maximise the trip for all concerned by a strong partner program, and with brands of the calibre of Qatar Airways, The North Face and Nokia aligned with more emerging British brands MKK and Medirite we’ve got real partners, companies who have shown a commitment to making the project happen in the face of cost pressures everywhere.

However what we’re really really happy about is that we will no longer need to write any more powerpoint presentations!!!

A big hand to all concerned for all their work in making these happen, you know who you are!

Now for the final frantic week, something we’re all looking forward to enjoying as it is one of the reasons we signed up for this!!!

That Charlie Bathurst-Norman has had to leave The Everest Test is, I believe, the saddest news The Everest Test has had to bear since we began this journey in April 2008. However, it comes amidst so much good news and excitement that the man himself would not wish his own situation to overshadow it. So that won’t happen, but the story of why will be told in full in these pages in the next week or so.

In the meantime the below is a tribute to a man pictured with his hero…because to many of us he was perhaps the biggest unsung hero of the entire expedition.

So last night was our send off. When my head stops hurting quite so much I may tell you more about it. For now we’ll just stick to the facts. It was awesome.

Huge thanks to the Events Committee for organising the whole thing, to Neil Laughton for coming along and dishing out the raffle prizes, and to Surrey CCC for providing said prizes. ( I am not bitter at all about not winning any of them, really, I’m not)

Here’s hoping we all survive the day!

You will be excited to hear that we have sold out for Thursday night - I cannot tell you what an amazing effort that is and how blown away all the events committee (plus the trip honchos) are by how you have all responded to the rallying call to sell tickets (part of the success must be put down to an absolutely fantastic comedy evening that got the ball really rolling). James Markby alone has sold 40.

Thanks to everyone for helping us so much selling tickets - the nerves and all the hard work put in will have been worth it when 400 happy punters stumble out of 24 the wrong side of midnight smelling of Drambuie!

On Sunday 23 people ran the Bath Half Marathon in support of the Everest Trip, four of them running in full cricket pads and gloves, and six others who are not even part of the trip – including two who sadly had to withdraw.

Below are the names of all who ran and their times, but a special mention to our Expedition Leader Richard Kirtley who has now run the London 5k, the Nike 10K, the Gyro 10K the Cardiff Half Marathon, and now the Bath Half Marathon, all in pads. That’s 67 kilometres in full cricket gear, and that my friends, is how you set the standard! Hats off.

Several of these guys do not even pretend to be runners and I know that more than one of them were incredibly apprehensive about the run, so to perform how they did in surprisingly warm conditions makes all those who didn’t very proud indeed. I saw numerous people collapsing in the home straight with exhaustion, but our guys all came in strongly.

A big thank you to Laura Hewett and Peter Spence (The General) who ran even though they have had to withdraw from the expedition and Charlie Perrin who along with Laura has raised around £500 for us off their own efforts. Fantastic.

The list of all who ran is below, Tenzing vice captain Gareth Lewis went round the quickest and all times are in brackets, but we all know those aren’t important, what is important is that Team Hillary had seven runners while Team Trektator had four and Tenzing had six. The (p) represents who ran in pads. Photos will be added later.

Below is the full list of runners, in no particular order.

Richard Kirtley (p) (2:21)

Jonathan Hill (p) (2:25)

Lucy Brooks (2:19) 

Helen Curr (2:18)

Alex Fudakowska (2:18)

Vicks Nicholson (2:25)

Jules Staveley (2:02)

Joe Williams (2:25)

Ben Jarman (1:51)

Chris Martin (1:51)

Gareth Lewis (1:33)

David Chrisite (1:59)

Charlie Campbell (1:38)

Mark Waters (2:18)

James Butler (2:13)

Glen Lowis (p) (2:17)

Russell De Beer(p) (2:17)

Friends of the trip:

The General (1:48)

Iain Curr (2:17)

Will Hanson (1:46)

Laura Hewitt (2:19)

Charlie Perrin (2:24)

Laura Bridges (1:55)

Hope to see everyone at the Party on Thursday!