Friday, August 26, 2005

Battle @ Bridge

It’s been a frustrating England summer for me. Flintoff and Pietersen are playing havoc with the Aussie bowling. I’m all excited to get home and rest on the couch glued to the TV set; only to find them off the field after battering the Aussie bowlers all over the ground. I manage to catch their innings only during the highlights post-match!

Finally, yesterday I was all upbeat that I was home just in time to see Pietersen bat and later Flintoff walk in. Only to see rain play spoil-sport as it had throughout the day! I did not get to see any fireworks live! Everyone knows the charm of catching a match live and the frustration of viewing the moments in highlights later, when the whole world has already seen it!

Today again they will kick off the day’s proceedings and I’ll see my woes continue!

England rains are weird as my sister aptly describes them. She has been there for 5 years and she craves for a rainy season like that in Mumbai (No not the sorts that happened on 26th July). One moment it was all dark and the rain pouring, the very next moment sun was shining brightly and none would believe that it had rained just a second before on the ground!

Day 1:
Aus will miss McGrath. They have not lost the two matches he played in. Psychologically, one point to England before the game began. England looked good to take hold of the match. I saw the wickets Shaun Tait grabbed on his debut and Trescothick’s bowled dismissal was what every fast bowler strives for.

Tell me if I’m wrong but for the first time I’m seeing a hint of worry, a trifle sense of loss and confused expression on the Aussie faces. So not them, so not the team I’ve been fascinated by in the last decade. Signs of mortality, old age creeping in?

Ponting, I think is getting sleepless nights. To go down in history as “That man, that captain, who surrendered the Ashes.”
Oh, how I would hate to be in his shoes right now!

P.S: I’ m waiting for the amazing comebacks they have shown time and again in the past, the will to rise from the dead. That’s what made them the greatest of the greats.
Come on Aussies Fight Back!

8 comments:

Sunil said...

The Aussies will still pull something out of the hat.....

For England, it's probably going to be the excitement of potentially winning the ashes that's going to do them in.

I can feel your pain......i get to work, to listen to the commentary online (BBC) of the last session of play (being in the west coast) to find rain spoiling the proceedings....then, i log in some time later, and the day's play is over. damn!

Minal said...

Hi Sunil,
I completely agree with you,on all aspects.

The one thing I've loved about Aussies, they never give up till the last ball is bowled! And there are many more to go in these series:-)

We shall wait and watch, what say?

Mary said...

I was lucky enough to get home from work when they were coming back onto the field after the tea break..and saw Tait's first test wicket!, and his second soon after..you're right the aussies are REALLY worried this time..and I'm not so sure if we can actually win the Ashes if McGrath were to miss the 5th test, retain with a drawn series maybe.

Minal said...

True Mary,
Suddenly that one man's presence could be pivotal in the Aussie win/loss.

Knowing the Aussies they would hate to retain the Ashes through a draw, knowing them they would want to win it convincingly!

Anonymous said...

btw, Minal, dont you think the Aussies have just made cricket boring? Dominating everything and everyone?

Barring this Ashes of course ;)

Minal said...

Hey Truman,
I did agree to that else why would I support Poms over Aussies!

They are turning the tide and that's why the game looks alive again. It's good for the game you see.

That's why I think even India did a good job against the Aussies. One team to have held them back for sometime in their own den.

Tugga said...

My two cents worth:

1) I thought Punter batted quite brilliantly in the 2nd innings. Thoroughly disappointing though, was his reaction on getting out, most definitely pommie, and very unAustralian.
2)It is amazing how many times I have seen the rub of the green go the way of the dominant team over the years. The WIused to get all the marginal decisions in their favor when they ruled cricket. The aussies had quite a few strokes of good fortune as well. And now that it looks like the mantle might pass on to the Poms, they seem to be getting the some really dicey decisions in their favor.
3)Just funny and I consider myself quite lucky that I have been able to witness a change of guard in test cricket on two occassions; Sabina Park 1995, and a decade on, here, now, at Trent Bridge(possibly)

Minal said...

My one cent worth on the match I will put up on the blog tom:-) Don't want to miss the Brits' chase.

Btw I'm lucky too, you see I was as hooked onto the game in '95. I will never forget that double by Steve and the partnership between the Waugh twins!

More later.