14/3/15

Dear Diary,

Another early start as I have a travel day ahead of me to get back down to Hobart from outside rural Launceston. Breakfast as Aunty Shelly organizes her troop of youngsters and whips them into some sort of shape and then drives them to various destinations before dropping me off at the country town bus station with plenty of time to get the connection at Launceston. We squeeze in enough hugs to last another 20 years but promise that we wont leave it that long between visits next time. Then shes driving away again to continue the family errands.

Bus into Launceston then Launceston to Hobart. The bus is due to arrive in Hobart at 1.30pm and the game between Australia and Scotland due to start at 2.30 !!! it was always going to be tight in the best of conditions and, naturally, things don't go my way. Lots of roadworks on the highway sees the bus arrive in Hobart at 1:55. Thankfully the landlords of my accommodation are super nice and helpful people who offer to come collect me from the transit center and take me to the B&B. Brilliant. that will save me some time. They even offer to drive me back to the shuttle bus collection point in central Hobart and I let them do this favour for me. At 2:15pm I’m waiting at the bus pickup point with a bunch of other hopefuls waiting for the shuttle that will get us to the ground in time for the first ball.

No such luck though as the last shuttle left at 2:12pm with no more scheduled until after the game ends. Public transport then and we all trundled to the next stop down and wait. It’s due now but naturally it’s late and we are all getting a bit agitated. 2:27pm the bus arrives and we are all going to miss the first ball because it’s a local bus and it takes its sweet time wandering through every suburb on the way to the ground.

Eventually I make it to the ground 30 min late and miss Coetzer getting out for a duck.

I make it to a viewing area to catch the score, 36/1, and then instantly watch MacLeod get caught out at point to move the score along to 36/2.

Using the time between batsmen changing I rush to my designated seat and claim it just in time to see Mommsen get out to an awful shot and move the score along to 37/3.

The Scottish 50 comes up in 10 overs, 50/3 and at the 10.1 over mark Scotland are 50/4.

The nightmare of a potential blowout is on the cards. It’s something that Scotland have been flirting with all competition but have so far managed to fight their way away from, but the prospect of being blown away for less than 70 runs is a very real possibility at this stage especially with Australia desperate to claim the points for this match and claim an easier semi final berth on offer. The threat of rain coming into play will also be on their minds as there's a very real possibility of interruptions during the game, so wrapping things up quickly is paramount for them.

Maxwell on to bowl the 11th over, success first ball, Berrington caught in the covers for 1. Scotland now 51/5. Where's the chocolate? My comfort eating begins in earnest.

The drinks break brings a bit of rain, a change of bowler and a wicket. Machen walks of the ground for 40 and takes Scotland's best hope of posting a respectable total with him. 78/6.

Cross out 2 balls later. 79/7.

Taylor out in the 22nd over. 95/8.

Leask and Davey form a partnership that takes Scotland over the 100 run total and was the only real opposition to the rampant Aussies and when rain stopped play at 4:25pm they had moved the score along to 130/8 and looked to be doing well.

Play was restarted at 4:55pm and Scotland needed these two to continue where they left off to hope to press past 150 and beyond.

Davey out instantly. 130/9

Wardlaw out instantly after that leaving Leask stranded at the other end. Scotland all out for 130 with 24 overs left unused.

Australia need 131 runs to win at a run rate of 2.62 per over. It doesn't look good for Scotland with their only hope of walking away with any points in the tournament resting on rain.

Mommsen misses a chance at 2nd slip, Captain Clarke promoted himself to opener in the hope of getting some time in the middle, dropped on 5. Scotland do get a breakthrough in the 4th over as Finch is out for 20. Watson gets out to an ugly looking sweep shot that caught his hand and ballooned to the keeper taking a running catch but at 88/2 (less than 50 to win) it wasn’t really a contest.

The biggest cheer of the day was reserved for local boy James Faulkner coming out to bat but it should have gone to Michael Leask for his superb running and diving one handed catch in the outfield that removed Clark for 47 runs on the boundary edge. A classic catch that was under appreciated by the largely Australian crowd.

Rain again stopped play at 6:05pm and the players took an early dinner break (Australia 92/3) before resuming when the frustrating showers had finally passed over at 7:30pm (Australia need 39 to win).

Showing no mercy Faulkner starts the resumption of play with a 6 and ends the game a few overs later with a 6.

Game over at 7:45 Within 16 overs

Australia claim a crushing win over Scotland and move into the quarterfinals knowing they will play either Ireland or the West Indies (depending on results tomorrow). Scotland know they are going home without a win. Which is a shame as, although there wasn't much good cricket displayed from them here today, they have shown a lot of good over the course of the tournament. The pointless scenario they find themselves in at the bottom of the table isn’t a totally accurate reflection of their ability or position in world cricket, although there is still clearly some work that needs to be done. But I’m sure the upper management will be talking about how to address it on the flight home.

I stick around for the captains interviews but I’m the only one who does, the Scottish supporters stand, which was close to packed at the start of the day, now only has one cricket nerd in it ... and I’m packing up my bag and leaving.
Tomorrow I fly back to Melbourne and wait for my next match. The Big Game : Quarter Final 2 !!!




"Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it." Jules Renard - (1864 - 1910)