SCG II, sans sandwiches

So I went to the SCG today for any raging against the dying of the light or just to hold their hands at the end. It seemed the right thing to do, it's close by and, erm, it was free, which is a bittersweet blessing because that only happens when the end is expected to come soon: the ground PA kept reminding us during play how we could get our refunds if we had bought a ticket. And I'll admit I didn't pack a lunch.

On the way to the ground in the bus I was overcome by a feeling of dread only comparable to a recent occasion when I had to eat tripe. Kerry O'Keefe has been extravagantly bullish all series and usually exhorts Sydneysiders to come to the ground on difficult last days but even he had fallen silent on this point.

At the ground it was easy enough to avoid the "out" Poms draped in flags, only to find myself surrounded once again by "sleeper" Poms activated to standing position when the English team came out onto the ground. Never mind.

*

One of the features of both days at the SCG has been overhearing very knowledgeable and civilised conversations about cricket between Englishmen and Australians, and feeling a bit ashamed of both my ignorance and chauvinism. Today I swear I heard a boy next to me, who could not have been more than 10, remark to his companion of a similar age: "... a Mike Holding sort of ball..." Quite!

*

I haven't seen a batsman walk off so slowly as Peter Siddle this morning. I would have thought the trip back to the dressing room is one you want to get over and done with, but he took baby steps like he would only be truly out when he went through the gate and could extend his time at the crease just a bit more by staying on the field. Maybe he wanted to soak up the pain properly and soberly before having to face the barrage of sporting homilies in the dressing room. That's sort of why I was there. Not the not getting into the dressing room bit of course.

But egg sandwiches

As my parents, brother and I queued to get into the SCG today, we brightly said to each other, "Should see Australia batting today!" "Yes, plenty of batting!", "That's the good thing about Day 3, you often get to see batting and bowling."

I may have rather sharply remarked at that point that we could have seen batting and bowling on day one at the MCG, which was unnecessary, because we all knew we were pushing it. And: yes (the next stage of grief from "but no"?).

We were at the back of the Victor Trumper stand and completely surrounded by supporters of England. Not the singing ones, fortunately, "standing" ones - we only realised we were surrounded when they all leapt to their feet when - oh, which milestone was it? Someone's 50, 100, 150... maybe Cook, Bell, Prior... The middle session was the hardest I think, I could barely look at the scoreboard, my brother and I got out all of the SMH's cryptic crossword. Then it was just that dissociative free-fall when you know all is lost and you just cheer all the bowling changes - sure, why not Hussey?

But: egg sandwiches.

I also took way too many pictures of Hilfenhaus standing far below near the boundary. But he would place himself in the centre of a grass diamond itself at the apex of a grass checkerboard with his hands on hips and weight on one leg.


Turmoil update

It now seems likely that Beer's creased forehead is due to thick skin, which is just as bloody well, no?

Test 5 Day 1

Today I slept in and when I finally turned on the television at 10.45 am I was a little concerned that we might already be several down if we had gone in to bat. But all was (relatively) calm and it trickled on in a grim and halting sort of way, thoroughly brightened however by Usman Khawaja who looks more like the real deal than anyone on the team for a long time, n'est-ce pas? P. Roebuck noted his "absence of inner turmoil" which alone is an enormous relief and would mark him out from... everyone? I'd say even Siddle has a little inner turmoil. Perhaps not Brad Haddin. Shall we try to rank the squad from most to least inner turmoil?

1. Mitchell Johnson: inner turmoil, outer turmoil, all-round turmoil.
2. Phillip Hughes: is it the cursed Katich "Ashes ruined my life twice" spot?
3. Shane Watson: despite entrenchment, still looks like someone trying desperately to fit in.
4. Michael Clarke: inner turmoil in denial that it is inner turmoil.
5. Mike Hussey: developed a haunted look during his rough patch that he hasn't quite shaken off.
6. Steve Smith: is his quizzical look inner turmoil?
7. Michael Beer? To be honest, I'm just going on the creases in his forehead.
8. Peter Siddle: inner turmoil like an upset stomach rather than an existential condition.
9. Ben Hilfenhaus: disappointed but knows he has a job as a calendar model if he gets kicked off the team.*
10. Usman Khawaja: it could all change very soon, but he looked the serene machine today.
11. Brad Haddin: I don't think so.

* That said, where is the Men of Cricket Calendar 2011? Where?

What I did yesterday

The other thing was that I dropped into the SCG yesterday when the teams do their net sessions and the public can wander in to have a look. I came across this phenomenon by accident a few years ago, when South Africa were touring and I've dropped in the day before the match ever since. I don't stay long, maybe 15-20 minutes: I check out who's playing in the nets (yesterday: Prior, Collingwood, Bell and KP, and Cook signing autographs) but mostly I like to have a sit in the Ladies Stand, watch the pitch preparation, and soak up the sort of portentous calm of an empty pre-match stadium. It's part of the ground I wouldn't normally have access to and a very pleasing atmosphere. I took some photos and here they are.