There aren’t many Irishmen who would have Completely happy Birthday sung to them on TV by a nation’s main pop star, nor have a tribute ‘roast’ on the identical nation’s high comedy programme with an viewers of 5 million.
However the identical Irishman might then stroll up and down O’Connell Road for hours and never be bothered by a soul, until there have been some Nepalis on the town.
Andrew Leonard is among the world’s main freelance cricket commentators, most lately seen engaged on Eire’s take a look at in opposition to New Zealand and presently within the US the place Main League Cricket began this week.
It’s the fourth season of MLC, and is reside on Sky Sports activities right here.
‘That’s massively essential,’ says Leonard, ‘as cricket tries to interrupt the American market correctly for the primary time. This can be my third season with the MLC crew, and I really like making an attempt to assist develop the game right here.’
Leonard is a cricket evangelist, travelling the world spreading the sport, none extra efficiently than in Nepal.
His love for the land and its folks is reciprocated, and he’s recognized all over the place as Taklu Dai, which interprets as ‘bald Elder Brother’, described as a Nepali Jwai Saab, or ‘son-in-law of the nation’.
Eight years in the past he was coerced into commentating on an Eire dwelling recreation in opposition to Afghanistan, which gave Kevin O’Brien an concept. The star all-rounder was heading to Nepal with Paul Stirling to play within the Everest Premier League.
Leonard with Paul Stirling, left, who was enjoying in Everest Premier League with Kevin O’Brien
‘He advised the organisers, “This man can be nice. He’s new, he is aware of the affiliate groups very effectively, he’s passionate concerning the recreation, and he’ll in all probability even know your gamers”, Leonard chuckled. ‘Kevin pushed arduous for me. I feel he partly wished a ingesting buddy for the journey.’
Leonard had labored for Cricket Eire and the ICC in advertising roles – he was the worldwide physique’s first Digital and Social Supervisor.
‘I’d all the time been fascinated by all Affiliate Cricket nations, Nepal particularly, however rapidly I used to be seeing cricket in nations I assumed would possibly develop.
‘So I went to Kathmandu with Stirlo and Kev, and there gave the impression to be this rapid connection and bond between myself and the Nepal followers. The one approach I can actually clarify it’s a shared ardour and obsession and fanaticism for cricket.
Leonard jokes that Kevin O’Brien ‘partly wished a ingesting buddy for the journey’ to Asia
‘I used to all the time do laps of the bottom when enjoying and training so I began doing that commentating to see the totally different angles and subsequent factor I knew I’d be getting mobbed within the crowd and requested for selfies.
‘The producers appreciated this so would ship me as much as the group so much, the place the police must be on name to ensure the packed crowds pleasure didn’t get out of hand – however the individuals are merely the nicest on the earth, so type and so welcoming. And it’s change into an enormous a part of my life now, it actually is my second dwelling.’
Leonard grew up in Dublin, and have become entranced by the nice West Indies aspect of Viv Richards and Malcolm Marshall. His brother noticed a cricket floor from the Dart, which is why, on his seventh birthday, his father Mark inspired him to affix Pembroke the place he’s nonetheless a member.
The membership is one thing of a powerhouse in Irish cricket at current, with seven present members of the boys’s nationwide aspect, however not even take a look at captain Andrew Balbirnie or IPL quick bowler Josh Little have the worldwide profile of their former teammate.
Leonard was entranced by Viv Richards
He has been again 40 occasions since to Nepal, and when ICC want a commentator for his or her video games Leonard is high of the listing.
The nation’s aspect has continued to enhance and performed within the T20 World Cup last levels for the primary time in January.
‘I name it my second dwelling, with actual which means, as a result of I really feel virtually extra at dwelling there in Nepal than I do in Eire lately, as a result of I’d spend extra time in Nepal than I’d in Eire.
‘Cricket is a big a part of the nationwide id in Nepal. I additionally suppose Eire shares an enormous quantity with Nepal by way of each of us dwelling within the shadows of a lot bigger nations subsequent to us — in Nepal’s case China and India, in Eire’s case Britain.
‘We have now each needed to endure an enormous quantity of emigration over a long time and centuries, and very similar to the Irish there are enormous Nepali diasporas all throughout the World now.
‘And each in Eire and in Nepal, we love having enjoyable, having pleasure, sharing a drink collectively, consuming nice meals, listening to good music, and punching above our weight on the world stage. That’s one thing each nations do.’
Nepal’s first recreation was in opposition to England, and the bottom was full of Nepalis two hours earlier than the beginning when Leonard strolled in with fellow commentators Mike Atherton and Eoin Morgan, with whom he had grown up enjoying in opposition to in Dublin.
‘The entire followers within the floor at this stage had been Nepali, and the overwhelming majority had been shouting “Taklu Dai” and “Namaste”, saying hi there to me. I used to be waving again to them, and the 2 lads thought this was completely hilarious. Morgan took nice amusement in recounting the story that nobody had paid any consideration to him or Athers, and that Lenny was “huge timing” all of us.’
Leonard will get to “huge time” so much in Nepal, the place he was as soon as whisked to the prime minister’s palace to be “felicitated and honoured”, and lately had a shock go to and sung completely satisfied birthday by Nepal’s most well-known pop singer Sushant KC. ‘I don’t get starstruck a lot, however this was very cool,’ admits Leonard.
Leonard sporting the ‘dhaka topi’ headwear
Additionally on his most up-to-date journey he was invited onto ‘The Comedy Evening with Champions’, Nepal’s most-watched TV present with 5 million viewers every week. Solely within the native language, of which Leonard can talk about 40 phrases, Comedy Evening featured a roast with the Irishman the chief sufferer.
‘For the total two hours I sat there smiling and laughing nervously, not figuring out what precisely was being joked about in entrance of a 500-person reside studio viewers. The ultimate act was Android Leonard, a Nepali impersonator of me, dressed of their conventional headwear the dkaha topi.
‘He impersonated me with hilarious precision, utilizing lots of the catchphrases that I take advantage of on commentary. He additionally joked with me about the truth that I get so emotional when commentating on Nepali cricket, as there was a viral clip from the commentary digicam that did a number of million views of me having tears in my eyes when Nepal certified for the T20 World Cup.
‘I used to be in hysterics and floods of tears on the sofa by the tip.’
Leonard was an honest leg spinner, getting a couple of underage video games for Leinster and Eire, and spent two years on the Hampshire academy.
Leonard, proper, together with his Nepali impersonator ‘Android Leonard’ who makes use of his catchphrases
He recollects an Irish Senior Cup quarter-final in opposition to North County in 2009 who had been seen as unbeatable on the time.
‘We had been heavy underdogs, and although John Mooney hit me for one of many largest sixes ever seen at that floor, I had some good moments and we managed to stand up off the ultimate ball to win by one run to spark jubilant scenes. Successful that match to succeed in our first-ever Senior Cup semi-final meant so much, particularly with my dad watching.’
Having received his break in commentary, Leonard thought-about it as a profession. ‘Virtually all full-time commentators are former worldwide gamers, so I assumed there would all the time be a ceiling to how a lot I’d get to do. However I liked each facet of it, the thrill of reside tv, the storytelling, the craft and the artwork.
‘I used to be having fun with the journey and the journey, and I’m very grateful for the ICC Pathways occasions and their first-ever broadcasts of Affiliate Cricket. That gave me the chance to be taught my craft and perceive the artwork of cricket commentary. In all places from Papua New Guinea to Oman to Namibia to Argentina to Mexico Metropolis to Spain to Jersey to Canada and in between!’
Broadcasting Affiliate cricket has given Leonard the chance to excellent his craft
Now Leonard has executed take a look at matches, and commentated at World Cups, and hopes to be again in Dublin in August for the Euro T20 Premier League.
‘There is a component of uncertainty to the existence, little question, as the entire work actually in most cricket commentary is freelance. However there’s a lot cricket now, proper the best way around the globe, that I’m fortunate to be doing it on a full-time foundation as my everlasting job.
‘In most years, I can be on the highway for between 300 and 330 days of the yr.
‘My authentic dream was all the time to play cricket for Eire. I didn’t fairly get to try this, however I’ve executed the subsequent neatest thing, and this for me is what I feel I used to be born to do: to assist promote and encourage the sport to the broader world, and encourage folks to get the identical pleasure from it that it has given me throughout many a long time.’
