International Double Header

England 310-6
v Sri Lanka
close on Day 1
Played at Chester-le-Street

England 2 v Australia 1
International Friendly
Played at Stadium Of Light, Sunderland

Friday 27 May 2016

Twitter @ball_sup

Heady Times. International Double Header today. All fell right. As I'm on my way to Scotland on holiday anyway.

The Cricket

Disappointing crowd at The Riverside. They're saying 6k. More expected today, apparently. The newspaper rumours have it as Durham paying the best part of a Million Sterling English Pounds. To drag the ECB up here. And cannot possibly make that money back. And do not have the money to pay the ECB anyway.

Stop. The. World. Surely that wasn't the intention. The ECB run up extensive reserves of folding stuff. While the Counties have to go into debt in order to lose more money.

Durham CCC remains a superb place to watch cricket. The Beer Offer is poor though. No cask in the two Beer Tent affairs. Greene King IPA on cask in Austins Bar.

Sri Lanka held some great catches. Salute. Common consent has them poor in both batting & bowling. So, taking full advantage of any chance going has got to help them.

Cook failed to get past this 10,000 runs milestone. Again. Hales did the hard yards. Got into the 80s. And found a way of getting out. Again. Compo. Cheaply. Again. Root. Out. Mad with himself. Again. County loses money. Again.

The Football

Last time I saw the Socceroos, they were winning the AFC Asian Cup in the Sydney Suburbs. Tonight, England didn't dominate. But, I thought they deserved that win.

Fuck knows how the money works. It was close to a full house. I presume Sunderland haven't had to go into debt to host it. Nor lose more money in the process.

One more game before the EUROs. When we get there. Chuck whoever you fancy in from Kane, Vardy, Rashford, Rooney and take your chances. They do look a bit iffy in defence though. Routinely & often.

The Beer

Stand Out Beer of the Day was Roosters, Ragged Point on cask at 5% in Fitzgeralds. A lovely bitter, hoppy Stout. Perfectly balanced.

The other two also rans were good as well. Fyne Ales, Jarl on cask at 3.7%. Moorhouse’s, White Mist on cask at 4.2%.

Thoroughly enjoyable pubs, beers & night out in the Land of Sunder playing the Land Down Under. Don't suppose I'll be back any time soon with the TinPot 3rd Division team I support.

324/675