Thursday/Rāpare
Test cricket between England and Australia is played for The Ashes. Australia are the defending holders of the Ashes, having won in 2017–18. The series has been going since 1882. It is played over five tests and each test over five days. We were going to the first test.
Prior to the Ashes series, Australia had its top-order batsmen David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft available for international selection, who were banned from playing international cricket for 6–12 months due to the 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town against South Africa. All three cricketers were named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes.
England had just won the Cricket World Cup. Five of these players were playing in the Ashes.
And Australia won the toss and chose to bat first.
I loved Shane Warne and friend Boris Johnson being in the crowd. (At least that is who I think this was?)
Summary of the cricketing day. It's probably England's day but Steve Smith's heroics have got a bit of momentum going for Australia. From the Sydney Morning Herald ..."Smith put on a batting masterclass to mark his comeback to Test cricket with an outstanding century. The star batsman made 144 out of Australia's 284 after the visitors had slumped to 8/122 in the middle session. England survived the final two overs of the day without loss to reach 0/10 at stumps but it's very much game on."
Summary of my day - I absolutely loved this day. It was like one day cricket. It was exciting, the atmosphere was fun with all the Barmy Army songs and chants. I recorded them as they were a bit close to the bone!
Singing to Steve Smith: "Cry on the telly, Cry on the telly, We saw you cry on the telly."
When he came in: "Cry in a minute. Cry in a minute. You are going to cry in a minute."
There was a regular "Championes" chant, about the World Cup.
To David Warner: "He’s got the sandpaper in his hands, he's got the sandpaper in his hands . . ."
Every time the Aussies appealed or reviewed unsuccessfully: "Same old Aussies, Always cheating."
And then the whole stand with the Barmy Army (the Hollies Stand) had a song that they sang in three parts: "We are the right side over here (the right 1/3 of the stand). We are the middle over here (the middle 1/3). We are the left side over here (you get it now). Then all three parts stand up, and point to the Aussie tour groups who are in the stand beside them, and sing very loudly "You are the convicts over there!" We were in the stand on the opposite side and it was very funny to watch.