Seven wickets to get today and we can get off the park, put our feet up and watch the batters bat on one of the best batting tracks I've ever seen. There is a quote that goes, "you are sure of three things in life, taxes, death and runs at Adelaide." Oh how true it is, except for me and my 'duck' that is! We knew that seven wickets was going to be hard work of the highest order. We knew that we had to pick up wickets early to have any chance of getting off the park, today. And we did. In the third over of the day, Tommy has one of those memorable moments. A double wicket over. Oh, happy days. That's Huss and Symonds out, as massive inroad especially as Haddin hasn't been in the best of form in this series and then after him are the bowlers; in saying that, they can all defiantly hold a bat. So that's five down and if we do this right we could be off soon after lunch. Nope. Not quite that easy. Never is! Haddin and Clarke put on a mammoth 181 for the sixth wicket. A couple of chances in there though, a caught behind that we thought we had, a catch in close, again, that we thought we had, and then a drop catch when Haddin was on 79. If any of those three had of gone our way things could have been oh so different. But they didn't and we hung in there.
I came back on about 20 mins before tea, about time for three, maybe four overs from my end. First ball, oh dear, wide, half volley and the partnership is broken. Clarke gets a thick edge to Jesse at gully and we're back. One of the worst balls I've bowled and I'm actually quite embarrassed that it got a wicket. We'll take it, but it wasn't a typical celebration. And speaking of celebrations, when I got Ponting out yesterday it was reported that I gave him a send off. Well, not quite true. I did say "you've missed out here" to him. He didn't quite hear me and asked me, not so politely what I said, so I told him again. He then broke out the 'four letter word box' to me and the rest of us that we now grouped together around Fulton. He then got a bit of a chorus from there. Just something from nothing, that in the context of the game, means nothing. A reporter want to make a big deal out of it, and it's news! That's how it works! So there you have it, happy!!??
Before I came back for the over I was just talking about I had been thinking about my bowling, what was I missing, what wasn't I doing that I would normally be doing. But the big thing that I hadn't done was the one thing that I should have been doing from mid first session in the park yesterday. I have a breathing routine when I bowling that I use when things are not going well. I hadn't remembered to use this. I got the ball back in my hand, was using my breathing and the words I say to myself on each breath, and I felt better. I felt back in control. First ball a wicket, sure, a very fortunate one, but still, a wicket. This is where I turned my day/innings around. I had intent and energy at the crease with a ball that had long lost its hardness. I had aggression and a plan. Lee was now in, and I was going to hit the deck real hard, make his life as tough as possible. I just wish I could bowl at 145kmph (90mph) all the time, or even some of the time. My 135kmph (84mph) just isn't enough to put the sh*ts up batters to often. But I thought I was going to do my best to Lee, as I had already got a couple from him and his pals. My turn. Wacked a couple in before tea, got him ducking a couple and we go to tea with Haddin and Lee still together.
I start up after tea, same plan. Dots to Haddin and attack Lee. I'm sure Lee was enjoying the competition. A couple more bouncers, a couple getting some flesh, one hitting him square in the middle of his back. He turned and looked at me, like I had been doing to them. He showed me nothing, I liked it, as I knew what he was thinking, as I was thinking it yesterday when he was bowling. Now this plan is either ballsy or dumb. I'm not sure yet, but probably both. It worked though, I got him to flash at one and Rossco, at first slip, takes a screamer. One handed, above his head, he was surprised to have got it too. Now that's one that turns a day around.
We still had some work to do though. Johnson can bat. His 23 of a 56 run partnership was very good. Redders bowled his leggies, he actually bowls better than maybe he gives himself credit for, he got Johnson to pop one up sky high, Baz, with the gloves on takes it comfortably. Redders then picks up two when Haddin tried to take on Fulton on the boundary. Not may people clear 'Two Meter Peter.' Dan then cleaned up Hauritz to add to his 'tail enders' tally.
Off the park, YES! It's a strange feeling, yes you're tired out on the park but you just keep going. Then when you get off, sit down and 'try' to take the boots off, it hits you and you feel knackered. My boots stayed on for a while tonight, I just couldn't be bothered to take them off. Although I had to, to do my hot colds and stretch. And by the time I had finished that we are 35 without lose off the nine overs we had to face. Seventeen of them came of the first over bowled by Lee.
Tonight I had to do the press. Firstly an on field chat to the 'radio' guys, then off to do the press conference. A table for one in front of the sponsors board, lights in your eyes, 15 odd microphones and recorders in front of me and about 15 media ready to ask their questions. It went pretty well, as intimidating as it is, I think I went ok. Even got to answer questions about yesterdays on field stuff with Ponting. It was also nice to know 'the media' had been reading my blog too. Hi all! Well, I already knew that after the big deal over nothing was made of the Gabba crowd comments.
That's me for now, be back tomorrow
