Kiki and Sassy: a day at the cricket
It's amazing who you run into on a Sunday afternoon at North Sydney Oval watching the cricket. This weekend, Stuart MacGill was scoffing a sausage sandwich with his adorable son, while the gorgeous Virginia Lette from Nova 96.9 and everywhere else you can think of was cheering on Tasmania with Penrith Panthers coach Matt Elliott.
Even the ridiculously awesome Jo of Jo Blogs fame was there generally soaking up the atmosphere and being hilarious. A woman who loves cricket, and Australia's Next Top Model and the Contender is our kind of woman.
The NSW Speedblitz Blues boys brought out some of the big names for the game - Michael Clarke and Brett Lee were back and rocking the seventies blue uniforms that NSW always wear. If we had to be more specific, we'd say they're exactly the colour of a powder blue authentic vintage 1970s wedding suit (preferably worn with ruffled shirt underneath). In short: they're lovely.
One of the greatest things about state cricket is that at the smaller grounds, the little kids with bats to be signed can get even closer to their cricket idols and beg them for autographs while they're in the field. One of the down sides? The men who decide to whip off their shirts (even though the weather is CLEARLY not hot enough to require shirtlessness) and heckle the boys are also even closer to the unsuspecting fielders.
We should probably make it clear that we have nothing against hecklers. The fact that Aussie cricket fans can be kinda loudmouthed and occasionally inappropriate is one of our favourite things. It gives cricket a bit of variety to know that at Lords, the crowd will be well-behaved and respectful; in the Caribbean they'll be half naked drinking in wading pools; and in Australia, they'll be smart-arses. But damn they need to work on their jokes. A few sit-ups also probably wouldn't go astray. Shape up please, cricket fanz.
The big names couldn't hold off the Tassie batters though - unkindly referred to in the papers as 'no names', Um, have these people not heard of Brett Geeves? Cricket Australia blogging superstar, owner of some impressive facial hair, and all around legend? Michael Dighton and his full face of white zinc? (Apparently no one has alerted the cricketing fraternity to the fact that Megan Gale now sells INVISIBLE zinc. To be honest, we hope no one ever does, because giggling at cricketers with ridiculous white zinc mime faces is one of our favourite things).
Anyone who thinks the Tasmanians are no names also obviously didn't see Eddie Cowan's freak-of-nature catch in the first innings. That was some mid-air, slow-motion, horizontal-diving, Keanu Reeves in The Matrix stuff. Seriously.
But in between the dramatic moments, there's almost nothing more relaxing than a day at the cricket. For us, the sound of cricket is the sound of summer and christmasses spent lying in wet swimmers on the couch having an evening nap all tired from a day in the surf. It's one of the only places where eating, drinking in the day, and lying in the one place for seven hours is actually encouraged.
The only possible landmine of a day at the cricket is that - for people like us - the proximity to the players can be ... awkward. We have little to no volume control and some pretty piercing voices. Whatever you say .... SAY IT QUIETLY. Despite what cricket-haters might say, cricketers are human. They might wear broad-brimmed hats that hide their ears, but they do still have them. They WILL hear you. So to anyone planning a trip to the state games - Sheffield Shield is coming up! - our advice is this: bring food, bring sunscreen, and speak softly.
Any important things we missed?
Fast Fact
Former Prime Minister John Howard once suggested that the only job in public life more important than his own was that of Australia’s cricket captain.
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Right. So you're saying that perhaps I shouldn't have exclaimed "Oh my god! Look how ridiculously pert Brett Lee's buttocks are!" QUITE so loudly?
Gotcha.
Lesson learned.
ahahha I was actually thinking of when I answered "THEY REALLY ARE PERT" ... but nonetheless, still a good lesson to learn.
also, I like to think brett lee was flattered. I would be.
lol u guys r so funny! r u gonna b blogging 4 cricket aus this season?