Cue queue

Cricket Australia XI 250 all out
v England 337-3
close on Day 2

Four Day Tour Match

Played at Townsville, Queensland

Thursday 16 November 2017

373 Australian Beer Ticks

The Townsville Cricket Experience

Nice, simple setup here at The Riverway Stadium, Townsville. Great setting by the Ross River. In a small parkland which includes a public swimming pool and an Arts Centre & Gallery. I've got great views of Mount Stuart over the trees from my seat in the stand. That stand covers just a small piece of the ground. From deep just behind square to Cow Corner. The rest of the ground is grass banks. But, for this game, only the banks from very fine leg to very straight long on are open. So, roughly 60% of the oval is spectator free.

There has already been an outground no testing fiasco. There are big sightscreen frames. With much smaller actual white screens. Supposedly running along the frame on wheels/casters/pulleys. Moeen went round the wicket to the left hander. Meaning the screen had to be moved during the over, as the strike rotated. Naturally, the screen at that end wouldn't run on its casters. Push. Pull. Wrench. Double teapots from Moeen & The Umps. Mucho delayo.

Groundstaff fella shins up a ladder mid over. Whacks with mallet. Repeatedly. It's been fine since. FFS, needed testing before the game started though.

Have I misheard the PA? He's calling one end The Ross River End. And the other The Ross River Road End. Un. Imaginative.

Have I misheard the PA? Tuuuuuune. He's played There She Goes. But NOT The La's version. Some cover version. Rid. Iculous.

On the way in, us punters queue up to have our bags searched. Then there is a window to buy your ticket. Then a gate opening manned by two, ripping stubs off. All good. You'd think. Except. The Gentleman's Toilet is OUTSIDE that gate. So, once in the ground, if you need a Wee Wee, you have to push past the two gatemen. And effectively leave the ground. Tinkle Tinkle. Shake Shake. Wash. Dry. Then ask the gateman to let you back in the ground. Genius.

The bottleneck getting in on Day One was at the ticket window. What was it Phil? People trying to choose seats next to their mates? Too much change required for some mad $6.65 entry price? Divs trying to pay by Credit Card? What?

No. To get your $10 unreserved ticket, kids free. You had to give first name & surname to the lady on the till. She had to type those into her computer. Which then issued your personalised ticket. Cue queue. Genius.

These warm up games are conducted in the full glare of the dreaded Support Staff. CV equals “I have extensive experience of getting bowlers injured without them actually playing…”. Hundreds of 'em.

I thought Cook looked a bit staccato hard hands at the beginning of his innings. But, he soon got into it. Punishing anything out wide on the off. And whipping away anything near his hips. He seemed to be playing the ball later & later. Good sign.

Stoneman played very well for his 111. Just 159 balls. He was annoyed to get out. Caught & bowled off a leading edge. He knew he was set in for a Big 'Un.

There was a mini collapse. Vince at 214. Stoneman at 217. I'm informed by Social Media that Vince was out. But, it looked ugly on the field. Big appeal on the field. Ump appeared unmoved. Big appeal again. Umps consult. Finger goes up. Fair do. If he's out. He's out. But, the choreography just looks like the continued appeal has influenced the Umpire on the field. Hold fire. At that stage it's a mini collapse. Apply yoursens. Consolidate. Which is exactly what Root (62 Red Ink) & Malan (57 asterisk) did.

Today's Bevvies were
Burleigh Brewing, Duke Premium Lager from a bottle at 4.8%. I'm just going to say. Too sweet for my taste. It's got a bit going on. And, it feels nice n chewy. But, too sweet.
Burleigh Brewing Co My Wife's Bitter English Ale from a bottle at 4.8%. Another sweet 'un. Icing sugar dusting on the lips. But, the malt backbone & background bittering works well enough.

560/1185