Saturday, March 07, 2009

Go Phil Hughes, go!

This post is about cricket. So, you can just see yourself out if that doesn't float your boat. In fact go here, its one of the top non-cricket blogs you'll find.

Australia is playing a test series in South Africa at the moment. This means it is on the radio through the night, starting off at about 7.30pm. I actually prefer it when Australia is on tour, and I can wash dishes, sort clothes, draw or snooze while the trusty ABC radio crew bring the game to life with words. A test goes for up to five days, seven hours a day. It can be quite dislocating (in a good way) to be mentally in Johannesburg, or Barbados, or Jaipur when everyone else around you is stuck here.

Last night our new opening batsman, little Phil Hughes, made his debut century in only his second test. I tuned in when he was on 87 - about to enter the nervous nineties. Batsmen can get stuck in the nineties for more than an hour, transfixed by the prospect of a test century that means so much. Hughes noodled a couple of singles to reach 89. On the radio the doyen Jimmy Maxwell said "Hughes is looking a bit nervous, he's pottering around in the crease and prodding the pitch". Hughes proved him wrong by hitting the next ball for 4, to go to 93. The next ball he hit over the fence for six, to go to 99. The next ball he hit for another six. No-one goes from 89 to 105 in three balls, in a test match - the confidence of the young man is staggering. He will be playing for Australia for a long time.

I actually felt pretty emotional about it (it was very late at night.) A lot of great champions have retired from the Australian team in a short time, and these young blokes are finding their own way to a large extent. Following on from Marcus North's century on debut in the last test, I really feel good about the future, at least on the cricket field.

5 comments:

Charles said...

Ahh I love listening to the cricket on Auntie too! I wish I still could - you can't get it here in Deutscland - something about copywrite nonsense that prevents the ABC net-casting it OS...it's agony!

Chris Rees said...

That surprises me. You can follow it ball by ball on Cricinfo if you are hunkered down at the computer, but it's not the same. Shortwave? Longwave? I'll look into it for you. Thanks for following Charles, and love to the Emma and the difficult-to-spell kids!

Charles said...

Actually Chris I tried again the other day and was surprised to be able to actually hear the commentary. Perhaps they"ve changed their policy...shrug. Normally I do follow cricinfo or cricket.com.au . I actually started following the WI v Eng series on cricinfo too. At times it was more exciting than what was happening in SA - particularly if you were rooting for the windies.

We're back in Melb next week for 4 weeks, so if any of you are visiting that part of the world in the next month let us know!

Chris Rees said...

I'm actually going to the Tigs v Carlton game at the MCG on Thurs 26th. I'm flying home the next day tho. Are you going to the game or staying not too far from town? Drop me an email if you like at chris[at]roarfilm[dot]com[dot]au

Chris Rees said...

Very poignant to read this now. Rest in peace Phillip.