Buttler goes DownTown

Hobart Hurricanes 189-3
beat Sydney Thunder 180-8
by 9 runs

Big Bash League/07 T20

Played at Spotless Stadium, Sydney

Monday 1 January 2018

495 Australian Beer Ticks

Woolpack Hotel & Lounge, Redfern

I forgot to have a proper count up. Seven or eight pukka Australian Micros on keg from memory. That is a great place. The manager was very welcoming & helpful. In a neat twist. All the major industrial beers are on one bank of taps on one side of the bar. All the tickable Micros in another bank of taps.

Wayward Brewing Co, Sour Puss, Raspberry Berliner Weisse at 3.8%.
Great balance. A "not too" beer. Not too sour. Not too fruity.
Fixation Brewing IPA.
Even smells bitter. How is that possible? Lots of pineapple going on. Sets it all off. Glorious.

Sauce Brewing Co. Marrickville, Inner West Sydney

A somewhat hidden away, but lovely, modern Brewery Bar. Nine of their own on keg. Plus two guests.

Sauce Brewing Co, Mega Hop Sauce Double IPA at 8.3%.
Thick chewy serious rich. Not oversweet. Resinous hops.

Sauce Brewing Co, Extra Hop Sauce West Coast IPA at 6.2%.
That missed the spot for me. A bit too sweet. No tropics. Underpowered bitterness.

The Henson, Marrickville

Willie The Boatman, Pavlova Pale A Christmas Ale
It's not all about your Raisins, your Treacle, your Candied Orange Peel. It's about your Mango & Passion Fruit.

My second Big Bash of the trip. Look. I'm an old guy. I do get it. The ECB are interested in attracting a new audience. Not me. And, we don't yet know what they'll implement. But, I'll admit. The entertainment surrounding that tonight got to me a bit. In a bad way. Just relentless. No respite. At one stage, the female on field rabble rouser gave it the full - Make Some Noise - Let's Raise The Roof - Thunder (call & response). To NO reaction whatsoever. She tried & tried again. To NO reaction. Presumably she's got targets to meet. I Can't Hear You.

But, later on, during the game, the little fella along from me was loving it. As prompted. Do a Shimmy Dance. Put a KFC Bucket on your head. Break out your best dance moves. Mexican Wave. He had one of them faces. Where you could just see the excitement on his fizzog.

Fifteen sixes. Five of those to Jos Buttler. Who made a 43 ball 81. (Indeed, Matthew Wade ran him out. And has subsequently been disciplined for giving Buttler the Right Royal Send Off). I won't shirk it. T20 is very, very much a skills based game. OK, the reduced number of overs makes it more of a - if you come off, we win - lottery. But, over time, skills will win it. I loved it when Buttler hit straight. Went DownTown. He also went Ramp Scoop. But DownTown is best.

584/1231