I understand the story with the e-mails etc. might get a bit tedious for some, so let’s have an interlude from the planning of a holiday and all that and get more into the business of supporting an England test team overseas and my experiences with the knighted one. Until this trip, as you will probably note from the photographs of the cricket grounds on this blog I like taking snaps, I’d attended four test matches at four different venues outside of England, and a good number at both Lord’s and The Oval.

 

Overseas I’d seen England’s 384 run demolition by the Aussies at the Gabba in 2002 . That was notable for one major thing – the toss. England won it, but because Nasser Insane had no faith in his bowling attack, he stuck the Aussies in on a belting batting surface. At the end of Day 1 Australia were 364 for 2, Bully Boy Hayden had 186, Ponting looked serene in scoring 123 and we traipsed away from the ground all melancholy and deflated. Although we had a reasonable Friday, a half-decent Saturday, the game was up well before England set out on scoring 464 to win, and when the collapse ensued, and England were dismissed for a paltry 79, we were on the Gold Coast availing ourselves of Bald Eagle’s swimming pool and barbecue facilities. Oh, I almost forgot, but Bully Boy Hayden helped himself to a second innings ton too.

 

I think a number of things stick out from my first test overseas. The service in the ground was first class – no ten/fifteen minute waits for the beer or food. The stadium itself was a little soul-less but the atmosphere generated by what was, in essence, a “footy” stadium now was pretty good. I’d seen England get put to the sword at The Oval on relatively few occasions, but to see it having paid a good deal of time, money and effort seemed somehow less painful. The memories of the crowded Gabba Hotel after the day’s play were also fresh, with the constant horse-racing action on the TV. There was our frizzy haired acquaintance from Birmingham, I wish I remember his name (maybe Sir Peter can help), who put us in the direction of the Wotif.com site which helped us to a couple of bargains on this and the 2006 tour – another top chap. Then was our old mate Craig Ian Savage… but less of that the better. I do wonder what would have happened if he’d taken us even further down the road before my suspicions got the better of me.

 

As for England’s display, there was not a lot to credit it. Simon Jones looked good before he got that terrible knee injury that has so blighted his career. The fielding on the first day was awful with some absolutely horrific dropped chances. Hoggard dropped Hayden when he skied the ball up in the air, hardly laying a finger on it, while Vaughan dropped the same batsman to an absolute sitter. I still have the video from that 1st day and Botham’s reactions were priceless.

 

I still have a ton of memories of the interviews and newspaper reviews I did for the Sir Peter produced “Lord {—–} – Live and Uncut Down Under” – one of my favourites was the interview on Day 4 when I’m looking at the Sunday papers in Brisbane. As I start my review you can hear a crack of the bat, and the cheers of the Aussie crowd. I look to the action, and then turn to the camera and say, rather sardonically “Matthew Hayden has just hit Craig White’s first ball for six…..” It summed up my mood. The feeling that all hope had long since evaporated and that the Aussie juggernaut cared little for English endeavour had pervaded my enlightened mood. As we left The Gabba at lunch on the 4th day we had plans to return the next day if England were making a fight of it. As our train pulled out of South Brisbane station en route for Helensvale, news reached us via Danno on the text to Sir Peter to tell us Michael Vaughan was out second ball for 0 – and England were 1 for 1. Well, we thought, that makes the task harder for us….

 

Beep Beep – Oh no, Trescothick has also gone and it is 3 for 2. I exclaimed “tell Danno to Go to Bed Man…he’s making us depressed” – to which, shortly thereafter, he did. When we got to Helensvale we saw the farce on TV as England collapsed to 79 all out, and we enjoyed a day on the Gold Coast and the very charming town of Beaudesert before returning to our place the night after and flying off to Port Douglas the following morning….

 

The second test I attended was the second of that Ashes series at Adelaide Oval, the scene of this story. I’m not going to go into much depth on this one as a lot of what I experienced in 2002 will be included in the 2006 story. At the time of this test I did not know of Adelaide Exile, I did not know at the start of the test that I’d still be there at the end, and I met some great people and saw some good cricket along the way. The story of Adelaide 2002 will be told later…

 

The second test tour I went on commenced on 29 December 2008, when Sir Peter and I flew to Cape Town to watch the third test of the South Africa v England series. When we departed England were leading the series 1-0 and had turned a very hairy situation in the 2nd Test at Durban, a first innings deficit of 193, into a dominating one as England piled on 570/7 declared, set the hosts 378 to win and had already removed Graeme Smith. When we landed we saw England denied by a combination of obdurate batting and bad light (a year later, when Australia found themselves in the same situation, they were allowed to play on… consistency, eh?).

 

The Cape Town test took place in gorgeous weather over five days, where pretty much from start to finish the South Africans had control of the game. I think the experience of the test could be summed up by a beautiful venue and a beastly performance. I can’t sum up Cape Town without going on at length, but of all the places I’ve been, this is my favourite. Its natural beauty with the backdrop of Table Mountain; its nightlife and drinking establishments were excellent; the food was an absolute joy; the natural wonders of the top of the table, Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope where I saw a wild ostrich for the first ever time; the beautiful scenery on the Cape National Park. Plus, with its slightly underdeveloped edge, a sense of adventure, a sense of tumultuous history and a yet an underlying optimism and hope, it had that intangible feeling of warmth. Cape Town had it all, and then you see their cricket ground.

 

Adelaide Oval may give itself plenty of plaudits for its lovely setting, and it is a charming ground. Worcester is cited as England’s prettiest due to the cathedral and the Severn, but I’ve never been there, so would not know. Lord’s has the history, a reasonably attractive pavilion which should be stormed by the proles, but has soiled some of its charm with deeply unattractive accoutrements like the Media Centre. Cape Town has the backdrop of the Table Mountain range, with beautiful white stands, grass areas with some trees to get shade under in certain sections, and a lovely feel to it. Even the presence of the Castle brewery can’t spoil the view. It is just beautiful. I was absolutely, totally blown away with the place. I have deliberately kept the Cape Town photos off the board so far, as I did intend doing a tribute to the place as a future post.

 

The test itself was a poor one. England had won 8 tests in a row, until Durban. England had gone unbeaten in 2004, drawing only one test in the process to Brian Lara’s 400 on Antigua’s batting practice strip. Cue the jinx. South Africa made 441, of which Kallis scored 149, and Boje got the tail to wag. England’s reply was shambolic and we made 163, with no-one topping Andrew Strauss’s 45. Possibly a combination of England’s comeback in Durban and the increased revenues from a couple more days beer sales, meant South Africa batted again and progressed without much purpose to 222/8. We missed the early action on Day 4 to get malarial treatments for the safari visit a few days later, but got into the ground in time to hear (not see) Trescothick fall second ball. Chasing a forlorn target of 501, no batsman passed 50 in our 304. Steve Harmison top scored, at number 11, with 42. Every player except Trescothick and Hoggard (who was 7 not out at the close) got into double figures. England lost by 196 runs.

 

Cue the abuse from Adelaide Exile….

 

“Michael Vaughan has just been interviewed…

 

“We cannot allow the jinx, Dmitri Old, to continue following us round the world and making us lose.

I call on all English cricket supporters to bash him over the head if you see him at Heathrow while England have an away series.””

 

There’s more stuff like that but Miser is down, as usual. Good job I left there.

 

The fact was that my next test was Johannesburg for two days before we flew home. Having had a crap time in the horror hole of Durban, we journeyed up to Hluhluwe and went watching wildlife. We drove back down to Durban airport as Strauss and Key played so well on Day 1. While we were on the short flight from Durban to Joburg, dodging the thunderstorms, England lost wickets. When we turned up to the ground the following day, we were confronted by rain.

 

I saw about 1 and a half days action – England scored 411 recovering from 329/8 to 411, with Vaughan looking good in making 82 not out, supported by Harmison with 30 not out. It was good stuff. It didn’t expunge my jinx in the eyes of the likes of Adelaide Exile and the Golfing Big Cat.

 

The third day saw a Gibbs century, but England eked out wickets at key times and although the following day, when I watched the action at home, the South Africans passed England’s score, two brilliant performances by the much missed Trescothick, and the cruelly ditched Hoggard took England home.

 

Was I allowed to claim this as a victory by my peers. Was I hell…

 

“You don’t have a good England cricket record do you Dmitri.

2 years ago where you were at Adelaide and Perth or Adelaide and Melbourne. Either way 2 losses.

This series you went to one complete game, Cape Town and we lost.

I now refuse to meet you during the next ashes series over here, in fact I am speaking to my mate in immigration to have you banned. You are not welcome. (unless you’re buying the beers that is and then I’ll let you off).”

 

I responded…

 

“I’m not sure what is more funny AE – your diatribe about my jinx (and it was Brisbane and Adelaide) or that you have confessed that you have an Aussie friend.

I’m claiming Joburg – harrumph!”

 

This is the sort of nonsense I had to put up with. More on this stuff later.