Smith Smith Smith

England 302 all out
v Australia 328 all out
England 33-2
close on Day 3

First Ashes Test

Played at Brisbane

Saturday 25 November 2017

402 Australian Beer Ticks

Steve Smith has made the difference there. The Bastard. I've always liked him. Test Cricket throws stuff up. Did I ever tell you I was at Trent Bridge for the Donald v Atherton fandango? This morning was riveting. New Ball just out of reach. Funky Root with it all still in his head from the morning briefing & pie charts. They've decided to go short to Smudge. Ball & Woakes. They're not quick enough to menace him. But, it's up to him whether he wants to take them on. Loopers. Tennis ball bounce. Long hops. The occasional one on the money. Ball had one off the shoulder of the bat. Bang in front of the grill. Could have gone anywhere. Didn't go to hand. Riveting.

In a sense, odd. But, fascinating. A Skipper, trying owt, won't be bowed. Against a Batsman. Knows what's happening. Knows his job. Fighting his base instincts. There's byplays all over. Starc swats Broad for Six. Broad smiles, not in hostility, but in admiration. Then bowls him a deceived slow 'un. Starc holes out. Mugged off. Mugged.

It all ends with Australia 26 ahead. Call it parity. Except Cook holes out to Long Leg. Hooking at Hazlewood. Eleven for one. Cook. Hooking. Smith emits evil cackle. Net seven for two at the death. Great Cricket Day.

In general, I love the experience of being amongst an Australian Cricket Crowd. Different folks, different strokes. They just have a different “filter” to us. Which makes for interesting viewing at times. I'm against stereotyping & generalisations. But to my untrained eye, they have a high wage, high prices, spend, spend, spend economy. They're not Spending Machines like The Saffers. But, they have their moments.

Day out at the Cricket. With your mates. Money burning a hole in your pocket. Conspicuous spending the norm. Mid Strength Buffoon Juice four and a half Sterling a glass. It's a heady mix. 0930. The bars open. “I'll get 'em”. The bars have little plastic trays you can put four beers in. That pushes some Australian Macho Button. Compute. “Must buy Beers in fours”. Two of you. “Four Beers Please’. Five of you. “Eight Beers Please”. We sat next to a lovely couple who had recently moved from Mt Isa to Brisbane. He's buying beers in fours for the pair of 'em. We tried to tot up how much they'd spent on Ale. We had to give up counting at Lunch. Eyewatering.

Buffoonery means all that goes West. 1550pm. They've gone one person one beer. Chaos

Aether Brewing Event Horizon Porter at 6.7%
Superb. Nice & bitter. Just how I like 'em. Some rich red fruit up front. Slight burnt apple. But, all the while a background bitterness nagging away. I loved that from the first gobfull.

Aether Brewing Deez Nuts Brown Ale at 5.1%
Feels a little bit neither one thing nor the other. It has many saving graces. There is a lot going on. It slides down the gullet, eeaassyy. Nice balance between malt & bitter. It's just I'd like one thing to set off against another. Very nice beer though.

565/1194