FESTIVE DEAD RUBBER

Boxing Day with the series won. I can't tell you what a relief it is the Ashes are stitched up. For the first time in a long time, I'll be there today with my maties, perfectly sanguine about whether Straya bat or bowl. Bat and it's SOP, bowl and I'll get to see Warnie do his thing. It's win - win.

The only thing worrying me is meeting Normblog Geras. He's a bit keen, isn't he, maybe even a bit of a cricket lunatic. What if he starts fights, or worse, has his face painted? Shit, what if he starts the wave?

I've been to plenty of Boxing Day Tests, but I can't remember the last time I went to Boxing Day itself. It might have been 1999, 1992 or 1985, but I'm pretty sure I went no earlier than Day 2. Still, hazy as my memory might be, it's better than James McCausland in today's Hun:

A Yank at the MCG
How I learned to love the game

I remember my first encounter with the mysteries of cricket with great precision.

It was 12:15pm on New Year's Day 1975.

I was peeved. I was working for a finance magazine that was not going to be published for several months. But for some reason our editor had decided we would all work that day.

A few of us were submerging our sorrows in the Sydney Journalist's Club.

Cricket on the box. Australia was playing a World XI team because South Africa had been turfed out of international cricket.

Great precision indeed.

Comments

[Scott Wickstein]

1.

Age shall not weary them,
Nor the beers condemn.
At the going down of the presses
And in the print run.
We shall... I forget.

[Michelle]

2.

Greetings,

I would like to speak with you about publishing some articles on cricket.

Regards,
Michelle

[Clem Snide]

3.

I well remember my first exposure to this strange game as a child on the TV news during the Brisbane test in the 1978/79 series. The newsreader mentioned Kim Hughes hitting a six, with accompanying footage of the ball landing on the dog track, footage that I saw again last night on ABC2 for the first time in nearly 20 years. At the time, I found it deeply disturbing that a man was named Kim (or was it even a man?) and that he was hitting a number.

[Tony.T]

4.

I remember that Test - I wish I didn't. We batted first and were 6 for about 30 and it never got much better. Hoggy top scored and you know what a hack he was with the bat. We were rolled for about 100 but via second dig tons from Yallop and Hughes, we at least made it slightly uncomfortable for England as they chased down 170 odd to win.

Losing Marsh, Chappellg, Lillee, Hookes, Maxy Walker and Mick Malone (5 for in his only test) didn't help.

[Scott Wickstein]

5.

I gotta remember to check the tv guide for ABC 2 if they are showing this old stuff.

[Tony.T]

6.

Aunty 2 is pretty choice, but they need to replace all the old rugby with cricket.

[Tony.T]

7.

Tonight on ABC 2:

11:00 pm Late Night Legends - Cricket: Ashes 4 1978-79 2nd Test

An inexperienced team lost the first Ashes Test but there were some redeeming performances, not least from new fast bowler, Rodney Hogg.

Yeah, we lost, but I was there.

[chrisl]

8.

Tony I was picking my daughter up in Lt Bourke St(Chinatown) last night and it was very busy. Groups of people walking on the road when there are two perfectly good footpaths provided. I just HAD to wind my window down and inform them that the mall was the next one across. Poms of course!

[Alistair]

9.

Man, England are a shower.

That you guys care about beating us is not in your favour. Us beating you would be a story, anything else would be expected. You should be indifferent to these wins.

Happy christmas!

[Fay]

10.

So had Norm painted his face?

[Brett Pee]

11.

Looks like Symonds has enjoyed his beer in the last chance saloon. I reckoned on seeing the last of this one day specialist....if he's even that. A Park cricketer, nothing more and nothing less.

[murph]

12.

Um Brett Pee...did you actually watch the game today?

[Tony.T]

13.

No face painting, Fay, but he had a fishing hat.

Snap out of it, Brett. Flatty and Sideshow Roy saved the day. Big time.

[chrisl]

14.

A serious question (uh oh I think I'm at the wrong blog)
Do you think the Aussies are more of a team than the Poms? It seems the Aussies have great respect and love(in a firm handshake kind of way) for each other whereas the Poms look like they they have been thrown together from all parts of the disunited kingdom. Even the ones that were born there.

[murph]

15.

chrisl

yes.

[brownie]

16.

"I met Normblog and he had a fishing hat" ... is that all there is?

*goes off singing "our Jeff Thompson, Now I ask you is he any good? ..."

and PS: I advise you not to text that 'michelle' above.