The first few days in Adelaide

Settling back into Adelaide is a rather interesting experience. Having lived in the city for nearly two years returning back is rather like going back to home, or at least a place you know well. As much as people from Adelaide like to abuse the place it is a rather fine place to visit if you have friends and an even better place to raise kids, not that I intend to do that anytime soon!

No sooner had I arrived back into Adelaide was I attending my first BBQ, actually held in my honour, at Jess’ house. I was rather amused, surprised and extremely happy to see some 20 or so people arrive but felt rather weird at having such an event take place in my honour. As I socialised the thought crossed my mind a few times as to whether they had all arrived for the right Will Page! However, with a few ‘steaks on the barbee’ and a rather large supply of beer I proceeded to drink with friends until the early hours of the morning.

Now there is one thing that I love about Australia perhaps above all else – beer! Australia produces a truly amazing variety of beers, one of which is produced in Adelaide called Coopers Pale Ale. Although I like Coopers a great deal my favourite is called Boags which hails from Tasmania’s shores. I mean no disrespect to Tasmania when I say that it’s fair to say it is the islands contribution to Australia!!!

This summer, winter for all you Europeans and Americans, the Australians are playing the West Indies in cricket. After a summer full of spectacular cricket back in England (where we bet the Australians for the first time in something like 19 years) I could not resist going to the Adelaide Oval to watch the Third Test between Australia and the West Indies. Australia had already won the three test series but this match people hoped would be competitive with the West Indies putting up something of a fight, or at least looking like they were actually making an effort.

Adelaide Oval is one of the prettiest and arguably best grounds in Australia. The stands are extremely close in proximity to the pitch providing superb views and glitter in the sunlight. To the far ends of the pitch lie the two hills where supporters congregate sitting on the grass or in deck chairs they might have brought along. The ground has the oldest score board in the country which dates back something like a hundred years which overlooks one of the hills. Australians congregate in this particular part of the hill, standing up and make so much noise and entertainment for themselves and all the other spectators one wonders whether they are even watching the cricket! But you can feel the atmosphere they create and the enjoyment they obviously feel at being there even though one of the things they tend to do is throw beer and an assortment of other drinks at any poor person who happens to pass by in front of them! As well as the 'throw beer game' they also shout songs, jump up and down and try to throw Mexican Waves which never seem to get more than 10 metres down the ground!

The West Indies won the toss and decided to bat first. We arrived after lunch to find that although the West Indies had collapsed to 102 for 4 they were putting up a rear-guard effort led by their former captain and master strokesman Brian Lara. To anyone who knows about cricket Brian Lara is a legend, holding the record for the highest one day scores, Test scores and second in the rankings to only Alan Border for the most Test runs scored. When Lara reached his 100 everyone in the ground stood up in appreciation of his effort clapping and applauding his cricketing. Watching Brian Lara play is something very special. He is completely unfazed by the fast bowlers hurtling the cricket ball at him in speeds of excess of 130 Km per hour which would make ordinary men like me run away rather fast! Even the master spin bowler Shaun Warne who who terrorised England during the summer barely troubled him. He plays beautiful strokes scoring boundaries without even looking like he is making an effort. As the runs pilled on the spectators realised that they were watching a true legend of the game in action and supported him in a way I doubt many other countries fans would do. As he continued to score runs Australians throughout the ground edged and cheered him on to his second century even though it meant that Australia would obviously have a challenge on then. In any other country I doubt the opposing sides supporters would cheer on a member of the other team and I have to say as an outsider I have a great deal of respect for this.

As Lara approached his 200 the day was running out and people wondered if he would have time to drive home the final shot before the close of play at 6.30pm. In the penultimate over Lara hit two fours and took his total to 201 off 261 balls. The crowd all stood and cheered for what must have been nearly five minutes in admiration of his effort and his truly world class skill. When I think of all the sporting occasions I have seen this is the most memorable as I was watching one of the greatest sportsman of his sport in practice just a few metres away.