Brisbane Day 5: England 260 & 517-1 declared (is this right?), Australia 431 & 107-1 Match drawn
This is where it gets really hard to explain cricket to, say, a German or an American reader. Why would two teams play for five whole days, then shake hands on a drawn game? And why, having witnessed this stalemate, will the Barmy Army be painting Brisbane red and white tonight?
It's just not something you can explain objectively. The sense of pride at this result, and the manner in which it has been achieved, derives from somewhere deep in the soul of a cricket-loving Englishman. Maybe I will try harder to put this into words in the next few weeks....
After yesterday's great fightback by England, I was already hoping for a drawn game when I tuned in at 7am this morning. But my eyes stood out on their metaphorical stalks when I saw the score. Over 500 runs for the loss of only one wicket? England? Against Australia? That sort of thing just doesn't happen. Not in my lifetime anyway.
Tonight I am flying out to bolster the ranks of the Barmy Army for the second Test in Adelaide. Weather permitting. According to the forecast, 10 centimetres (4 inches) of snow will be lying on Frankfurt airport by the time my plane is due to leave. This is doing nothing positive for my stress levels. However, maybe these would be relieved somewhat if I actually started my packing....
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