03 January 2011

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.





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2 comments:

  1. Unknown05 January, 2011 02:49

    Hi Batsy

    thanks for your fine blog...once you started posting the pics, I almost thought you'd morphed into Infinite Thought!

    From over here, this has been a fascinating series to listen to (only TMS here for me...but you can't imagine how inspiring Agnew's voice & words are...on the morning of the 1st day's play at SCG, he was reassuring us under-the-duvet clandestine supporters that in some way or other, we'd played out own small part in England's sterling efforts to retain the Ashes).

    Listen - over here, we obviously feel your suffering, & all the intensities it's visited upon you...but, imagine, here we are, listening to descriptions of MCC attacks bowling like Aus seamers of old - stifling line 'n' length, with a bit of nibble of the seam...& Pom batsmen (not batters, never batters), grinding out the big innings & partnerships...& English fielders regularly turning in masterclasses, the like of which we used to grudgingly admire from tourists on our shores...

    Meanwhile, Aus selectors do the old-style burning deck shuffle with Mitch, Dough the Rug & poor old Nath...

    So what's the lesson? Well - when you perform like us, & we perform like you, it's like, we win, & you lose.

    Meanwhile., let's all boo at Dame KP, so we can overlook the real heroes/villains, Ali C & the magnificent Jimmy.

    Ultimately, Aus didn't really respect how good we've become...& few outside of the English squad have probably recognised that this squad really is the real deal.

    Sleep on!

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  2. Batsy05 January, 2011 21:00

    Mani, wow, a great honour to hear a voice from o'er the seas, and not even a relation.

    Everything: well put. The comfort of Agnew, the delight of following series in secret hours, all's-fair-in-love-and-table-turning, the ultimate diagnosis. Sport is such a cosmic harmony machine: every agony met by an equal and opposite joy, you may just have overcome both to reach a sublime synthesis!

    Concerns I am morphing into Infinite Thought: yeah, I get that a lot.

    Thanks for posting, B.

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