Meet me at the Lehmann statue

 

by Bob Utber

DAY 2 IN ADELAIDE

“Meet you at the Lehmann statue” is the new catch phrase at the Adelaide Oval. Coined by that wonderfully  insightful Sri Lankan journalist (whose name I forget at the moment) but goes under the nom de plume of PJ.Flynn in Australia.

ABC’s Jim Maxwell unveiled the Darren Lehmann statue this morning  and Pup and Punter must have touched it for luck as they played in a very belligerent way in the first half hour of the morning they added 36 with some glorious stroke making.

Had a wonderful chat with the legendary “Nugget” Rees before play started.  Worried about the grandson who he says is on the “dark side”.  “Any chance of moving to the Power?  he said with the traditional wink and nudge.

To say that the cricket has become boring is no disrespect to P&P but the first hour one could liken to the games we played in the backyard by yourself and you WERE Australia.  Plenty of runs but of course no wickets. A run a minute and the P’s were scoring all around the wicket.

Such was the quality of the cricket from a spectator’s view point that a woman sitting in front of me has read 10 chapters of a book written by Bear Grylls about living dangerously “Blood, Sweat,Tears” .  The Indians should copy

At 12 noon they break the record for any wicket at Adelaide in test matches when the partnership reached 343 set by South African’s Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock.  After lunch they continue to purge the bowlers and Clarke (210) finally goes. A new record partnership of 380 runs for the fourth wicket.

For the trivia buff. Dean Jones (1986) and Michael Clarke both bowled Yadav for 210.

Walking around the ground at the lunch break the realisation of how beautiful the Moreton Bay fig trees are and how valuable they are struck me. Designated as a family area, many families were embedded (yes, I am using a buzz word for the first and last time!) under the shade of these beautiful monuments of days gone by.  Thanks heavens they will be retained in the new developments.

Ponting’s 200 comes at 1.20pm but he does not show the jubilation that he extended to the crowd yesterday. More like “another 100 ,drop me if you dare !”

The bowling of the visitors improved after obtaining Clarke’s wicket and Hussey took a while to get going.  Like the Punter, Mr Cricket believes he still has something to prove to the new hierarchy.

The big talking point today has been about whether the over 35’s have scored more runs in the last 12 months than the equivalent number of under 35’s.  When you think about it names like Kallis, Ponting, Hussey, Dravid, Tendulkar and VVS the unders will probably struggle.

Hussey (25)is run out to short leg as the team start searching for runs at a quicker pace.

Tendulkar has been patrolling the boundary in front of the members all day like a security guard waiting for the shadows to engulf him. He has not been within 50 metres of the wicket for the entire day.

Ponting (221) hooks Tendulkar rises, marks.  Out!   The two Little Masters in action.

Siddle comes and goes.  Likes a fight does Pete and this was no big deal.

Haddin in need of runs opens with a six and with Harris they put together a resilient partnership with Clarke finally putting India out of their misery when he declares 7/604 at 4.p.m.  Haddin finishes with 42 and Harris 35.  Century makers for India were Ashwin 3/194, Yadav 1/136, and Sharma 0/100

India commenced with some fine stroke making but Siddle executed the play of the day when he caught and bowled Sehwag(18) of his first ball.  It was as good a reflex catch as you could see. Likes to do something special does Pete.

The wall was next to go cleaned bowled by Hilfenhaus for 1. As one trivia expert said it was the 10th time that he has been bowled in his last 12 innings.

Gambhir (30) and the Little Master (12) survived to stumps to leave the visitors 2/61 at stumps.

Once again it has been Australia’s day and they go into Australia day with high hopes of knocking India over quickly and sending the visitors in to bat again.

One person stands in his way. The Little Master. All the Indian restaurants will be closed in Adelaide tomorrow as their owners venture out to the ground to hopefully see him triumph over the aussies.

That’s all from Adelaide for day two; I have to meet someone at the Lehmann statue.

Heaven help me.

About Bob Utber

At 84 years of age Citrus Bob is doing what he has always done since growing up on a small farm at Lang Lang. Talking, watching and writing sport and in recent years writing books. He lives in Mildura with his very considerate wife (Jenny) and a groodle named 'Chloe on Flinders' and can be found at Deakin 27 every day.

Comments

  1. John Butler says

    Good luck with that encounter Bob. :)

  2. Is Marvin Vaas Marvin when in Adelaide, or does he turn into someone else?

  3. How long has this being going on for?

    Best Test in Aus by a country mile.

    Marvin is alive and well. So is Bob Neil.

    I’m sleeping under the best ceiling fan in Adelaide.

    PJF

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