5th TEST FIFTH DAY

FRIDAY 7th JANUARY

                                                              3-1

                                      And I was there for all three of them!!!
                              (The magic lasted even after your departure Mark!).

  The first time Australia have lost three matches in a series by an innings!  And today was the day at the SCG.  We got there about 9.30 and later discovered that Len and Patrick had left nothing to chance and had arrived at 8.30!  We got the second row of seats (row B) in Bay 7 and waited the start of play.  It got under way at 10.03 but it wasn't long before a sharp shower had driven the players off the field.  Play was almost ready to restart when it rained again and the covers were rolled out again.  However the rain didn't last long and play got underway again.  The Barmy Army were solidly gathered with the rest of the stand packed with presumably predominantly English supporters.

Just after play started Ian Healy the former Aussie wicketkeeper turned commentator walked past us.

Siddle and Smith continued offering stout resistance and played their shots.  Irritatingly I had an English lad with his Aussie girlfriend sitting in front of me, and everytime Australia scored a run she would hold up a large Australian flag above her head completely obscuring my view!  However as the Aussie's were being thrashed I decided not to air my grievances to this poor demented lass.  Her boyfriend on the other hand jumped up and applauded everytime England fielded the ball well.  Behind us were some brash Aussie guys who kept on chanting "Aussie, Aussie Aussie, oiy, oiy oiy".  There's no answer to that!  However they also chant "Go Aussie Go", in very strident tones.  I was tempted to reply that the only place the Aussies were going was "Down, Down, Down", but feared my voice was not up to matching their raucous volume!

  And of course ultimately Siddle was out and the remaining two batsmen didn't last long and to tumultuous applause England won the game by an innings. 

Alan proved to be an able substitute for Mark, as between the two of them they witnessed all three of England's victories.

  The Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards went deservedly to Alistair Cook.  Alan won the Red Nose of the Match award!

  Much of the success of the campaign I feel must be laid at the feet of the captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower.  Strauss became only the third England captain to win the Ashes home and away along with Len Hutton and Mike Brearley.

  After the interviews with Michael Clark and Andrew Strauss, the England team embarked on a lap of honour stopping for some time in front of the Barmy Army.  After they went back into the pavilion we left.

  I texted Len that we would meet him at the Korean War Memorial and they beat us to it by about 5 minutes.  I guess this must just about be the apex of my 54 years of going to Test matches which started with the Lords Test in 1956 where I saw Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller and Ritchie Benaud and co beat England.  Other than seeing a 5-0 victory it is hard to know what could surpass this magnificent victory.  What a second leg to the World Trip!

  The four of us walked to the Dolphin where we toasted the victory and had a selection of mini dishes consisting of chili garlic prawns, lamb koftas, zucchinni stuffed with ricotta cheese and pesto rice balls, all of which were very tasty.  Eventually Len and Patrick bade Alan farewell whilst I suggested we met again next week after they had been to see Len's sister in Woy Woy on Sunday.  Alan and I walked to Central and caught a train to Epping.  I went and did some grocery shopping in Franklins and we then went to catch the 545 bus home.  After a quarter of an hour wait a 515 bus pulled up followed by a 545 to Chatsworth (wrong direction).  When they pulled forward we discovered that there was a 545 to Parramatta (correct direction) behind them.  However he pulled away and deliberately ignored our waving and requests for him to stop.  There was three of us there at the bus stop and we were all outraged.  It was another quarter of an hour until the next one came along.  I am determined to get the number of Sydney Buses and put in a rigorous complaint about this ignorant bast*rd of a bus driver - in fact I think I want him sacked!

  In the evening we went to a Thai restaurant in Epping where we bumped into Kevin and his son Steve and wife Val.  We never made it round to them on Christmas Day - I left it to Robert to explain!  We then went to the Eastwood where I found their Chardonnay to my liking.  We didn't leave until about 2.00am. (Well it was Alan's last night and we had won series 3-1).  There were some final celebrations to finish off the night.