Been quiet for a while

I have been back in Sydney for a month and have another six months to go. Although a lot has been happening I must admit to doing very little in the way of posts.
In fact I was here earlier in the year for just over four months on that occasion. I took the opportunity to visit New Zealand for a couple of weeks and the highlight of the trip for me was when I was a passenger in a two seater glider (Duo Discus) and we went on a four hour flight from Omarama to above Mount Cook and back.

I did video the whole trip and there are various length versions of the video on my YouTube channel peeewit. Glider flight video
I also had a quadcopter with me and uploaded a few videos of that too.

On this trip I will be watching some cricket matches with both the Ashes (men and women's) plus some Big Bash matches.

I also have a number of visits to local places in mind.

Luckily I live just across the harbour from the Opera House and so often see this view from the ferry.

As much as I would like to be a citizen and come and go to Australia when I like, in fact I return to the UK each year as my mum is now 95 years old and I need to visit her. So for the moment I need to keep within the requirements of my residents visa and clock up 24 months of residency within a five year period. This is my second five year term as an Australian resident.

Until the next time. 

Being back in Sydney and watching some cricket

Hooray, I'm back in Sydney.

Firstly, just a heads up on something you should know.
It is apparent that Google are carrying out a systematic campaign of breaking their programs in order to force you into doing things that you do not want to do. I know that both Youtube and Picasa now have serious issues of things that used to work and now do not. There are plenty of rants on these problems to be seen on the internet.
I will be avoiding any new Google apps from now on.

Anyway I was back in Sydney in time for Australia Day. It was a bit cloudy on the day. Here is the finish of the Tall Ships race.

The view across the harbour from my new apartment. By the way you can see my webcam showing the view over to Circular Quay by clicking here. The link opens a new window.

The bridge and opera house from Milsons Point.

There was some racing on at the North Sydney pool.

At the NSW art gallery.

Opera House seen from the Harbour Bridge walkway.

I can see my apartment in this photo from the bridge.

I watched all of the Women's Ashes matches being played in Australia. I had to watch them with media, either streamed or on tv. I had seen some of the previous Ashes live back in England last summer. England had won that series but it was a tough challenge to take on the Southern Stars on their home soil. The test match was held over a four day period at the WACA in Perth. It was like a roller coaster ride with both teams taking apparently dominant positions. The English women bowlers found themselves bowling in temperatures of 48 degrees C. However England won the match that gave them a 6-0 points lead in the series. England won an ODI then subsequently sealed the retaining of the Ashes in a T20 at Hobart where the skipper Charlotte Edwards hit the winning 4. Out of all of the seven matches played, the Southern Stars did win four of them but not the test match. There were comments afterwards that the points system placed too much emphasis on the single test match. However even if the points had been 5 for a test match win, 3 for an ODI win and 2 for a T20 win, England would still have retained the Ashes.

It was now my chance to actually go and watch some live cricket at a ground.
I chose to watch the two T20 semi final matches of the Women's state teams. The games were being held at the Blacktown Sportspark. I had vowed never to go there again after a visit last year when the match was rained off. Apart from that the place is in the middle of nowhere and it is a one hour train ride and a half hour walk to get there. However I thought that I would give it another go.

Part of my walk to the ground from the Rooty Hill station is alongside the M7.

 

The first match started at 10am and was between the NSW Breakers and the ACT Meteors. The Breakers were the strong favourites for the match and I had seen them play quite a few times and they always won.
The ACT Meteors were batting first.

The ACT girls batted really well and got 146 runs during their 20 overs. This did seem a competitive total but I have seen the NSW Breakers chase down these scores in the past.
However a certain Rhianna Dick put on an amazing bowling performance for the ACT Meteors. Here is the scoreboard just before the last ball. NSW are going to lose this one.

A wicket off the last ball as Southerland plays and misses and is stumped.

Celebrations for the ACT Meteors for a well deserved win.

The teams leave the field.

The final scores with R Dick getting an amazing 6 wickets.

So the ACT Meteors are in the T20 final. There was now a long lunch break before the second semi final was due to start at 2:30pm.
As the QLD Fire came onto the field to warm up they did look rather like a bunch of kids in the local park.

However there were some of Australia's best cricketers amongst them. Here is Holly Ferling who is the emerging fast bowler for the Southern Stars. She seems to be quite good at getting the wicket of the England skipper.

With these players from the Victoria Spirit I must have seen almost the entire Women's International team that played in the Ashes on the field today.

The match gets started and Holly Ferling claims the wicket of Villani in her first over.

It was a mainly cloudy day and was only just warm enough for spectators.

After their 20 overs, the Victoria Spirit had only managed a low total of 118 runs. A bit of a surprise considering their batting lineup.

Now it was time for the Queensland Fire to come on and bat.

They raced up to 117 runs in just 15.2 overs and only needed 2 more runs to pull off a famous victory.

Mooney hits 4 to score the winning runs.

The final scoreboard.

Handshakes and it is yet another upset as the Queensland Fire get to the T20 final.

Back at Rooty Hill Station ready for my one hour train ride to Sydney.

Later I heard that the final will be played at the WACA and so I will not be going to watch it, but at least it is on tv.
It had been a really enjoyable day of cricket, with some great skills on show, and both underdog teams making the final.

Peewit

The Women's Ashes, Wormsley August 2013

Today I went to watch the second day of the four day Ashes test match between the England Women and the Australian Women. The match was being played at the beautiful Wormsley ground. The weather was fresh, just like the previous year when I visited this ground for the last England v India ODI(England Women won the series) and spent the whole day shivering while wearing five layers of clothing.
The day before the Australian women had batted and put in an excellent performance so at the start of today's play they had a score of 243 for only 3 wickets down. The England bowlers had been finding it hard work to take wickets with lots of toil for little reward.
Sarah Elliot (95) and Alex Blackwell take the field for today's continuation.

Those empty seats in front of me soon filled up.

Sarah Elliot was creeping towards 100 runs

 

Nervous times with 99 on the board

 

Eventually that elusive run is scored

 

Elliot acknowledges her performance

 

The scene at Wormsley

 

Is that Isa Guha on commentary ? I spent one day sat next to her dad at the previous test in Bankstown where she was bowling.

 

Jodie Fields decides to declare at 331 for 6 as almost a day and a half of play had taken place.

 

Australia now take to the field

 

Heather Knight and Arran Brindle open for England

 

Holly Ferling is Australia's new glamour bowler

 

Holly prepares for another bowl and takes Sarah Taylor's (33) wicket

 

The England skipper Charlotte Edwards also fell lbw to Ferling for just 3 runs.

 

England manage to get 100 but with 5 wickets already down.

 

Heather Knight gets fifty while the majority of her team-mates seem to be all scoring six or less.

 

Eventually I got so cold due to the wind and lack of sunshine, that I decided to leave and head home. The run rate was diabolically slow, but even so, had the weather been balmy, I would have stayed on.
I see that the day ended with England on 172 for 6. Heather Knight had scored 85 not out.

It is hard to see how England can win this match, but maybe they can produce something special over the remaining two days.

Perhaps the other ODI's and T20's in the series will come to their aid.

Peewit

Test match special

I have spent four days watching a test match at Bankstown. It was the Ashes test match between the women's teams of Australia and England.
Bankstown is about a 45 minute train ride west of Sydney. The town centre is a mixture of Lebanese and Vietnamese shops.
It was hot and sunny throughout the four days of play. Having seen on tv the England women play five T20 games against Australia and win the series 4-1, I was looking forward to a good match.

The field of play

 

Bankstown oval

 

The England openers come onto the field

 

After lunch it was time to get back to work

 

At the end of Day One England were 181 for 8 with Charlotte Edwards on 103 not out.

Team photo at the start of Day Two

 

Team talk

 

England were all out for 207 in the first innings with Charlotte Edwards unbeaten on 114.

Lauran Griffiths has to stretch for that one

 

Australia were on 159 for 9 when they declared which was a bit of a surprise.

Our bowlers warm down having had a good day.

 

At the start of Day Three the scores were England 207 & 9 for 0, Australia 159 for 9 declared.
Edwards strikes out

 

Pressure

 

At the end of Day Three the scores were England 207 & 149, Australia 159-9 dec & 29-1

So as the last day began if England needed to get nine wickets and not allow Australia to score more than 168 runs during the day.
Wickets were hard to come by but Australia were scoring very slowly during the morning.
Charlotte Edwards was injured whilst fielding and she awaits to rejoin after treatment

 

At lunch it was still anyone's game.
However during the afternoon we just could not get any wickets despite multiple appeals for LBW and run outs. It seemed like the umpires were giving nothing, unlike the day before when England were batting and they were putting their finger up for everything.
Australia get the winning run

 

It's all over and Australia win back the Ashes

 

Our captain Charlotte Edwards thanks the team for their efforts

 

The England team stand back in disappointment

 

The winners

 

England seemed to be in a winning position for most of the first three days but a hat-trick by Australia turned the game and then we just could not get the wickets on the last day. It was a valiant effort for no reward. At least I will get to see them play again in the UK during the summer.

Peewit