After work this morning I sat down and watched the last 5 overs of the one-day cricket final between Australia and England. And what a finish it was with the game being decided on the last ball of the day. England needed 3 runs off Glen McGrath to win.
Aussie captain Ricky Ponting had the dilemma of what to do with field placement and bowling instructions for the crucial last delivery. ‘Bowl underarm !’, I yelled at the TV. But Ponting dogged it and McGrath was hit for two runs allowing England off the hook for a face-saving drawn match.
It was instructive to note the respective team’s body language at the drawn result. Australia predictably reacted with disappointment. Understandable given they were earlier poised to deliver England a devastating psychological defeat. A defeat which most likely would have consigned England to another generation of cricket oblivion.
England wildly celebrated as if they’d won. As well they might after at one stage being down 5/33. Entirely understandable from a nation which invented the term, ‘glorious defeat’. For England it's been a long time between drinks so good luck to them.
I threw my (soft) rubber cricket ball at the TV when McGrath "no-balled" in the last over.
The look on Ricky Ponting's face at that moment is not one that his Mum would want to keep in the photo album.
Great fighting innings from the Poms facing a drubbing.
I love cricket.
Posted by: PQ | July 03, 2005 at 09:32 PM
About time the Poms were playing some decent cricket. Despite the draw it still was a good match.
Posted by: Huggies | July 04, 2005 at 12:17 AM