Place your money where my mouth isn’t
Last Monday’s cricket match was totally eclipsed by the one today. I wrote Australia off, as I did the last match they played.
So, there I was, at midnight, sitting in my room studying. I’ll just check on the score, I thought. Flicked from CD to Radio. “And South Africa are cruising at none for 43.” Swore a bit. Flicked from Radio to CD. An hour later, about to call it a night. I’ll just check the score again. Flick. “AND WARNE’S GOT HIS THIRD WICKET! South Africa are down 3 for 53.” Sat there a bit. Thought I’d study for a bit longer… with the radio on. I ended up rivetted in front of the radio and lost two hours that I could have spent sleeping (it finished 4.15am – same morning as the exam). All this with accounting book still in hand, still at the same page it had been opened at. Absolutely incredible game tho… right down to, again, the third last ball. Klusener is a freakish player. Even though the game ended in tie, Australia moves on to meet Pakistan in the finals on virtue of net run rate.
Now, who says cricket is boring? I’m free to perform bastinado on you.
Cricket.org’s commentary:
49.4 Fleming to Klusener, no run, run out gone, Australia have done it
South Africa 213/10, Partnership of 15
AA Donald run out (Fleming) 0 (0b 0x4 0x6)
I’m going to have a heart failureball was pulled down the wicket, Klusener called him thru, Donald didn’t move and then dropped his bat, both batsmen at the bowler’s end, mid off passes it to Fleming who passes to Gilchrist, Donald running down the pitch without his bat, well short
just a tad of an exciting match, it’s tied, Australia go thru because they finish higher in the super 6 table first tie in World Cup history, and surely the most exciting, the last few overs provided drama after drama after drama
sensational, amazing, astounding, whatever, make your own superlatives up
presentations comign up Cronje looks lost for words, devestated: “up to the fall of the 1st wicket, we were looking good”, poor guy he can barely speak, MC wraps it up quickly
Steve Waugh says “it’s the most exciting match he’s ever played in”, looks a little underwhelmed, sensibly knows the final is still to come
Man of the match is Shane Warne, mentions how “fired up” and “pumped” he was after the wickets… he thinks this tops the Mohali semi final, point is made of Mark Waugh getting a duck in both of the matches
and so we move to Lord’s for Sunday’s final. WC87 v WC92 winners to determine who becomes the second team to win the World Cup twice. It’s Australia 4th WC final (a record) and their 3rd in the past 4 World Cups
so it all begins at 0945 GMT Sunday June 20. The Ripe Bananas v the Unripe Bananas (Aus v Pak) from Lords. Until then, I’ll be laying down and catching my breath.
1:30am (GMT +10.00) tomorrow 
