Tonight's gonna be a good good night

Friday 3 December 2010

Adelaide Day 1: Australia 245, England 1-0

The summer storms of the last few days had cleared away and a cloudless sky greeted the first day of the Adelaide Test match.

Over breakfast I was amused to read The Australian newspaper's annoyance at the latest "tweet" from England batsman Kevin Pietersen, who had dared to criticise the Adelaide ground staff for failing to cover the practice wickets from the heavy showers. Apparently it was just not on for any England player to whinge about the weather in Australia - "even if he is South African".

England's start to this match will live long in the memory. In the very first over, Australia lost Katich (run out without facing) and Ponting (caught first ball), then Clarke departed not long after. 2 runs for 3 wickets. Even the Barmy Army seemed shocked into (relative) silence and only started to rectify this much later in the day.

Australia then gritted out a response (that man Hussey again) which promised more than it ultimately delivered. After four hours of play during which only two more wickets fell, the last session belonged again to England. If England's 260 batting first at Brisbane was considered 100 below par, Australia's 245 here appears even further adrift on a flawless batting surface.

A good day for England which could yet prove very important in the context of the series. Fuelled by the optimism of spending a day in the ranks of the Barmy Army (or maybe just by the huge quantities of lager consumed), I'm backing England to press on tomorrow and overtake the Aussies' total for the loss of only a few wickets.

[Original comments]

BJ December 4, 2010 at 10:26 AM

Where's today's blog? :-) Sounds like the Aussies are rubbish or are "we" playing brilliantly? Honest reply please! Think you need to sign on to Twitter so that you can get closer to the players. What do you think? All the best, Brian

Richard December 4, 2010 at 11:36 AM

I think it's a bit of both, Brian. Cook, Trott and Pietersen all batted brilliantly today in searing heat, but the Aussie catching (or lack of it) again played a part. It's also clear they have not been able to replace Warne with a spinner who's even half as good. The quick bowlers are trying hard but lack Test match experience. Good idea re Twitter :-)

200 years of English cooking (but the oysters were great)

Thursday 2 December 2010

On the final leg of my journey to Adelaide and by now entirely insomniac, I dipped into Bill Bryson's entertaining account of his various trips to Australia (thanks Karina). As a keen historian, Bryson gives some fascinating insights into the original colonisation of Australia and the inherent conflict this created with the indigenous population, the aborigines, a conflict which persists to this day. He also recounts how the first convict ships sent by the British government (following the directions laid down on a previous voyage of discovery by the legendary Captain James Cook) arrived in Botany Bay only a short time before two French ships skippered by a Count de la Pérouse. As Bryson observes: "Had La Pérouse been just a little faster, he could have claimed Australia for France and saved the country from 200 years of English cooking".

My first act of note after arriving in Adelaide was to have lunch with my university friend Sally on a sun-filled terrace overlooking the River Torrens (as opposed to the Adelaide River, which is a crocodile-infested river in the Northern Territories). It wasn't sun-filled for long. In fact it rained. Quite hard. But it was very warm rain (you have to look on the bright side when you have come from temperatures of minus 5). And as you might expect, the Coffin Bay oysters were to die for....

Today it's hot and sunny, with temperatures of 35 promised for the weekend. It seems normal service has been resumed in time for the start of the 2nd Test match tomorrow. With a keen sense of anticipation, I took the short stroll across the river to the Adelaide Oval, renowned (quite rightly) as one of the world's most picturesque cricket arenas. There I was fortunate enough to catch the end of the England batting practice, presided over by a very stern-looking Andy Flower and a larger than life but equally inscrutable Graham Gooch. These guys really mean business. Suitably encouraged, I'm going for an England win here in Adelaide.

[Original comments]

Jayne December 2, 2010 at 7:57 AM

Just to put things into perspective it is minus 9, snowing and blowing!!!!!! But hey, Singing Christmas Tree tomorrow, Christmas market ... Bratwurst (no oyster delivery due to the snow) and Gluhwein. Enjoy!!!!!

Jayne December 2, 2010 at 7:59 AM

oooooooooooooo, aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Sun! Why are all the seats empty???? Comments from Simon and Annabel xx

Miles Molyneaux December 12, 2010 at 8:14 PM

Bryson is indeed fantastic and just finished his Austrialian book as well. A little dry...but a little education doesn't hurt.

Ashes to Ashes

Tuesday 30 September 2010

No, not in this case the iconic TV series featuring the Eighties escapades of DCI Gene Hunt, but the excellent book by Marcus Berkmann on the "35 years of agony (and about 20 minutes of ecstasy) watching England v Australia". Or alternatively the "37 years of humiliation....", depending on whether you choose to rely on the front cover or the inside sleeve. This is definitely one for the hardcore cricket fan - the sort who also happens to be British and in possession of a self-deprecating sense of humour. Right up my street then. As the sub-title (either version) implies, the book recounts Marcus's experiences of following all the Ashes series from 1972 (at age 12) to the present day - with more or less enthusiasm, depending on England's chances of winning (very slim for at least 15 years from the late 1980's onwards) and/or the outside distractions of actually having a life. With the benefit of 20:20 hindsight, some very basic questions arise from a reading of the early chapters: (1) Why were all cricketers invariably identified in the media by their initials, not their first names? (Hence, England's star performer was I.T. Botham, rather than Ian Botham. Some players, such as M.J.K. Smith, didn't appear to have a first name at all.) And when did this archaic practice stop? (2) Why were many of the players of that era (who were, after all, supposed to be international sportsmen representing their country) patently unfit, unable to catch or in some cases unable to bend down very far to stop the ball? And when did all that start to change? (3) Why did the class system within cricket continue to dominate decision-making long after the (to modern eyes) absurd distinction between "amateur" and "professional" was abolished in the Sixties? And when did this finally peter out, if at all? Any ideas?

[Original comments]

Mark deMeza November 30, 2010 at 9:34 PM

I guess even in these days of professional sport, the governing bodies are still run by enthusiastic amateurs who are old, reactionary and are not answerable to anyone, least of all the fans. Old farts at the RFU, crooks at FIFA, the list goes on. Anyway, please make sure you ditch all intellectual thoughts..you are now joining the Barmy Army. I'll look out for your face in the crowd

Richard December 1, 2010 at 1:48 AM

Don't worry Mark, that's as intellectual as it's going to get!

glenn.scott December 1, 2010 at 9:05 AM

Rather than take the intellectual route – where I would almost certainly fail – I will try to address this logically: 1. I would think is probably due to media coverage of sport. When sport was largely reported in newspapers, it was easier and more efficient to use initials, and relationships to sportsmen were more impersonal. Now that TV dominates, the audience wants to get “up close and personal” with the players, hence addressing on first name terms. 2. Is a general phenomenon in sport driven by increased devotion to sports science and diets. It may also partly (but maybe not so much for cricket!), be related to improved playing surfaces over the years (e.g. for the old “mud baths” of rugby pitches, it didn’t really benefit you if you could be 21 stone and run 100m in 11 seconds, whereas now….). 3. I would definitely agree with Mark (without even having met him!). Anyway, enough of this….. start acting like a professional journalist: get pissed, start some tasty rumours and give us some crap predictions!!!!

Richard December 1, 2010 at 10:31 PM

Good answers! Sorry Glenn, was too drunk to respond last night but bumped into Mitchell Johnson in a bar and he confided that he was a bit concerned for his place in the Aussie team. I predict he will be dropped! (will that do?)