Justine Larbalestier

reading, writing, eating, drinking, sport

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Never Say Die

See, that’s the problem1 with test matches. They don’t always go the way you think they’re going. First innings points can mean nothing. There are five days, fifteen sessions. Oodle of time for oodles to happen. Any one of those sessions can go badly, one or two or three or four or five or more players can have an awful match, and yet that team can still win.

Like Australia did today. On the back of fabulous second innings efforts from Lee & Warne. Especially Warne. He may well be a dickhead off the paddock, but on he’s a genius. And both of them were being written off after their first innings. Drop Warne? I don’t bloody think so.

England had some fabulous innings too: Collingwood, Pietersen & Hoggard. But it weren’t enough. Maybe the next test? Who knows.

Today was one of the most exciting days of cricket I’ve seen in an age (since last year’s Ashes, even). And not just because we won. (Though that were lovely, weren’t it?) But because it ebbed and flowed, because there were slow sessions and lightning fast ones, and incredible (Warne) and woeful (Warne) innings, and because the bookies’ odds went up and down like yo-yos.

That’s why I love love love me some test cricket!

  1. “Problem” here is a synonym for “glory”. [↩]

Posted by Justine at 19:14, 5 December 2006 under Cricket, Sport | 13 Comments »

Comments

  1. veejane Says:

    I am suddenly having a lot of empathy for all my friends whenever I burble about baseball. I had a Jamaican explain cricket to me in detail once, and I still can’t make heads or tails of it, much less remember the specialized vocabulary, but I know brain-ache, stay-up-too-late, “All must cheer! All!” enthusiasm when I see it.

    December 6th, 2006 at 1:13 am

  2. Roger Says:

    Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves! But not the cricket… But wait till the third test, old girl. Wait for it!

    December 6th, 2006 at 7:21 am

  3. Roger Says:

    Lest you take me for a sore loser, I hasten to add that Senor Warne’s performance was indeed exceptional. Would that he were English.

    December 6th, 2006 at 8:11 am

  4. Roger Says:

    I must say, I’m still not enjoying having my capital letters torn from me! There was rather a lot of emphasis in that last comment.

    December 6th, 2006 at 8:46 am

  5. Lee Battersby Says:

    What an amazing test, and how filthy am I that I missed so mcuh of the last, nail-biting session?

    Does Scott follow the cricket? Because if he doesn’t, (and Lyn certainly doesn’t), we may need to gather up a few like-minded souls and make a Test pilgrimage when we’re both resident in Brisvegas…

    December 6th, 2006 at 10:03 am

  6. jonathan Says:

    i think we’re unfair to the french. obviously, the poms should wear the ’steenking surrender monkeys’ badge. australia were terrific in the test, but the poms just stopped trying to win.

    December 6th, 2006 at 11:02 am

  7. chris barnes Says:

    A great test. i really thought England had it in the bag after their first innings. Or would at least force a draw. but what a great aussie comeback! and if you’re singling out players, what about ponting? great batting in both innings.

    December 6th, 2006 at 11:45 am

  8. 8. Justine Says:

    Roger: Now, now. Play nice.

    You probably don’t believe me, but I would like England to get their shit together for the remaining tests.

    Lee: Scott is a fellow cricket addict. He was with me every second yesterday. Just not logged on cause we don’t have wireless so only one person at a time can be online. We have our tickets to the Sydney test and everythng. He even has a Brett Lee song.

    Jonathan: It was dead disappointing. Did you see Flintoff’s pathetic excuse in the Guardian? That they just played badly for one hour? One hour?! What rot! They were also defending the Giles selection. Pathetic.

    Chris: Oh sure, as mentioned in the long fingernail thread Ponting was awesome. But I’ll admit that I am a little biased towards bowlers. There was something almost sorcerous in Warne’s performance yesterday. The batters put us back on par with England, but Warne and to a lesser extent Lee and Clark and McGrath secured the victory.

    December 6th, 2006 at 12:51 pm

  9. Jay Lake Says:

    You know I adore you, but the phrase “Today was one of the most exciting days of cricket I’ve seen” will never emerge from my mouth between now and the heat death of the universe.

    Good on yez, though. Good on yez.

    December 6th, 2006 at 2:12 am

  10. jonathan Says:

    how about fletcher’s comments here (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,20881392-23212,00.html). warne was dangerous with the bat! dude…

    December 6th, 2006 at 7:40 pm

  11. Roger Says:

    One last comment, do you suppose those two commenting above me imagine that you or any other cricket lover cares what they think? Trifle odd that they would waste our time with their tedious verbiage, ent it? I rather suspect they are from the oldest colony, don’t you? Those Americans find it hard to conceive of ANYTHING they know nowt about having much worth. Some of us feel the same way about them.

    December 6th, 2006 at 8:44 am

  12. 12. Justine Says:

    Yeah, and he’s still insisting that Giles was the right choice. How long before he gets the boot, you reckon?

    December 7th, 2006 at 3:14 pm

  13. lauren Says:

    ooh! i just discovered this post and it was a delightful read!! i too am hoping that england will get their shit together for the next couple of tests.. it’s nice having a bit of grit to these matches. and although i was stoked that we won, i did feel like giving flintoff a big hug ‘cos he looked like he was about to cry at the end – stiff upper lip? no’ likely. looking forward to perth :)

    December 12th, 2006 at 10:23 pm

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