One word - OUTSTANDING.
The day began badly with a cancelled train due to the hail storms the night before. A potential wait for a bus and a late arrival was saved by the champions Andrew and Daniel (strangers) whom offered me a lift to the next station. Some great conversation later and I was saying goodbye and good luck with the baby and I was off to greet my friends at the Captain Blood statue.
Hunger struck on the way and I coughed up nine bucks for the worst potato cakes and chips ever. The chips remained on the steps of Richmond FC but I downed the cakes and awaited my pals with a couple of Coopers' finest.
Stoph and family arrived soon after and it was hellos and laughs until Outey finally lobbed at around ten o'clock.
More beers and laughs and it was off to the G for the real stuff. It had been a long year of waiting. Entry went off without a hitch and we were safe and sound in the standing room awaiting the first ball of what would be a great day of test cricket.
Warner and Cowan displayed the two opposite poles of batting, Warner going nuts and lifting the crowd with a rare six and some pure stroke play, Cowan the dead bat of Boycott at the other end. Bill Lawry would have been proud. Stoph's bro decided to pull the pin, which was a shame. Hope the back's a bit better today mate. Stoph alluded to some sly beverage he might have snuck in and uncertainty about it's true nature, or what I might have referred to it as provided yet more laughs.
Some light rain before lunch provided the opportunity to duck off to the bottle O and get some more of Coopers' finest. This time a drop of '62 which I had yet to sample. Not too bad indeed. We ambled through Richmond's back streets and eyed some pretty decent street art on the way back to Sir Jack.
Beers were downed, and wasted on drunken old teachers with even drunker tales that I won't dignify with an airing here. Apologies are in order however, Port Melbourne were never in the old VFL... A couple more beers and we were back to the G for some more of the real stuff.
Another batting collapse seemed a certainty and eventuated, but little did we to know at the ground how much the DRS would have been appreciated by the Aussies rather than the Indians. Two howlers truly ruined what would have been a good day for us.
Attention turned to our current seating arrangements and the possibility of better ones. It was acknowledged that possibly the less fortunate than us may have better seating opportunities. Needless to say it was decided we would be more than looked after next year. Outey's reaction to the plan provided yet more laughs. It will be interesting next year to say the least.
And so the cricket rolled on, Outey left and Stoph and I were treated to an up shorts view that will be remembered for a while. Quite a few heirs suffered because of that sight and will continue to do so. Not long later and we were saying goodbye and looking forward to Sydney.
And so my friends I say thank you for another great Boxing Day. It doesn't matter if we stay till the last ball, or get booted before lunch. It's the company and it was OUTSTANDING once again.
