Australia- Again!!

By Barmy Kev
February 5 2003

After the Caribbean tour, i thought that was a one off. My best mate Cathy had a year out in Australia and I promised I would visit her. It just happened to coincide with the Ashes tour. So i booked to go out there for Sydney test and some 1 dayers.

Luckily got tickets in advance for Sydney. The first two days were 43K sell outs. Being in such a big crowd was an experience in itself. There was a high from our win at Melbourne, eventhough the Ashes were sewn up.

This was an incident filled match. Aussie bat first, 3 wickets down by lunch. Then the Waugh's are batting with ease up to tea, with play meandering out after tea. Then, the new ball was taken. Gough was on fire and both Waughs were dismissed. After Mark Waugh, Healy out first ball-hattrick on-MacGill facing- out plum LBW. Massive celebration amongst 10,000 England fans on Hill. I went berserk. Fans who left early
must have regretted it. This wasn't even on TV because it was after 6 and Neighbours was on.(hmm!). Fans remaining stayed behind 1/2 hr, non stop singing. As good as winning match. Next day, bit of anti climax, our batting was abysmal. We were 90 behind. Talk of Aussie at close setting us massive target. Yet day three Dean Headley was on form, a wicket riot. Then
the turning point. A dodgy second by Slater, great throw from boundary, from where I was, looked clearly out. Sky TV showed it was out. But the 3rd umpires view was blocked by Peter Such so given not out. Slater naturally didn't walk, despite knowing he was out. Aussies all out for 199. Slater gets a century. A 280 target as opposed to 180. We were 120 for 2 overnight.
R*mps was still there- still had a chance. Next day, surprise surprise rush of blood R*mps stumped first over of the day. By lunch 9 we were 9 wickets down. 120+ wanted with Hegg and Such in. Needless to say didn't last long. Was a classic test, amazing support, but was decided by a wrong umpire decision?

Off to Brisbane for 1 day series. We beat a strong Queensland side. Then the real thing. We struggled batting first against Sri Lanka. 99 for 8. Then Croft and Gough with some great batting took us to 170. Sri Lanka started
well, then a series of rain breaks disrupted their rhythm and fell behind D/L
target and somehow we won it. We then played Aussies and in current England style as they were closing in on target with ease, collapsed. Goughie was on fire again. Bevan was left on 55 not out.

Back to Sydney for next ODI Day Nighter against Oz. First over Knight and
Stewart out. Jokes about being day/lighter game. Then Hick and Hussain put on 200+ . Hick gets century. Best batting performance I've ever seen from Englishmen. The target Aussie would have to break ground record to achieve. Looked like they will do it, early on. Then a mini collapse. We used our better bowlers out early. Giles was left to bowl at end-proving expensive. Hollioake did a good containing job. 13 needed with 1 over left and 3 wickets in hand left Bevan facing Giles bowling. He gets single off first ball and MacGill is stranded on strike. He needed 7 off last ball. Didn't bowl no ball. We won. Bevan again 1/2 century +not out on losing side. Who would have thought four years and 13 games later we still haven't beaten them.