2006 has officially kicked off as far as work is concerned. Everyone in office look and sound sluggish. I guess the first day back at work after a long layoff is always a challenge. It was a 2 week holiday which everyone in office had looked forward to. Most travelled. David and Lynette went to Western Australia, to Perth and Bunker Bay. Cordelia was out in the Grampians. Andre was in New Zealand. Tim was in Canberra. Young David was the luckiest fellow – went to Africa! He was in Morocco and South Africa. Vicky was at Anglesea and Lorne.
So I was the only one in Melbourne right through the 2 weeks. I had planned to visit Port Fairy/Warrnambool but honestly, I didn’t feel like travelling all by myself. I had thought it would be nice to be on the road by myself – do a bit of Jack Kerouac (is that the correct spelling…) but I guess I am too much of a family man by now. Every time I sat down to plan a trip, I realised no matter where I go, I’d miss my family and I’d much rather save any trip I was going to make, for another day when I could go with them instead. So I ended up staying in Melbourne the entire time.
I spent the first week mainly at the MCG watching Australia belt South Africa. Ponting, Symmonds and Hayden were fantastic, as were Brett Lee and Shane Warne. It was sheer pleasure to watch legends like Warne and McGrath work their magic. South Africa put up a gallant fight but apart from the application and efficiency of the Aussies, the South Africans also did not have luck on their side. Some of the decisions which went against them were quite bad.
The MCG is a great stadium. I had thought the Nou Camp in Barcelona was magnificent, especially when it was the site where Manchester United dashed Bayern Munich’s dreams within a minute in the dying stage of the game. I can never forget the slow sweeping motion of Teddy Sheringham following Giggs’ mis-kick to level the game. Ole’s toe poke to send the ball into the roof of Bayern’s goal was like a rapturous moment. Every time I think of that night in Nou Camp I still have chills running up my spine. A few of us walked all the way back to the La Ramblas after the game, stopping to order a bottle of champagne. The early flight the next morning back to KL did not tire me out, such was the level of adrenalin.
So to have the MCG up there to be mentioned in the same breath as the Nou Camp, must be really something. I felt something special in there. The atmosphere was fantastic. The cricket knowledge, the teasing of the fieldsman on the boundary close to Bay 13, the constant to-ing and fro-ing of the spectators between their seats and the bar, all add up to a special category of spectator sport sensation. Of course the match was a very good one too. Ponting hit a century in the first inning. Symmonds went to town with the ball to cement his claim in the side in South Africa’s second inning. Brett Lee with his blinding pace which first intimidated and threatened Kallis (number one batsman in the world at that point in time) and then snared Kallis next ball with a Yorker. Hussey’s magnificent last wicket stand with McGrath was extra special. How often does McGrath get a mention in a batting performance? It did not matter that he was very much the supporting act. It was a supporting act of the highest order – one which gave Hussey a chance to drag Australia out of jail, thus allowing Australia to win the match.
No – not as good as the night in May 1999 in Barcelona, but not too distant also-ran either. The MCG is special and I hope to make many more visits there, hopefully with ET and Theresa alongside me next time.
Ante 