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

Women's cricket

Yesterday I went to watch a cricket match.
It was a WNCL (Women's National Cricket League) 50 over match between the Lend Lease Breakers and the Cripps Tasmanian Roar being held at the Blacktown International Sportspark.

I did visit this venue early in the year and thought that I would not bother again as it is in the sticks and has no atmosphere, is hard to get to and the venue's website is usually full of duff information. Anyway, I thought that I would give it another go.

I arrived at 10am after a two and a quarter hour journey from my suburb in Sydney. I did need a quick pit stop, so a little while later when I emerged into the grandstand area the first over was already completed, and the first wicket was already down. It was apparent that Tasmania were batting and that NSW were in the field. Here is the stadium view.

 

I selected a seat making the new spectator total six. This low count may have been due to the fact that the venue’s website said that the match was due to start at 1pm. Ok, so there was not much atmosphere but at least it was not raining. There was some very enthusiastic support from one spectator and she was obviously encouraging the Tasmanian side. This seemed to irk the NSW Breakers management and I was amazed when they contacted the venue and a venue staff member went up to the spectator and was having some discussion. How un-sporting of the Breakers. It seemed that they wanted one of the few spectators to go away. As expected the Blacktown Sportspark staff member was about as effective as a chocolate fireguard and we all got on with watching the game accompanied by some amusing heckling (as per usual at most cricket matches).

Tasmain Roar team members waiting to bat.

 

Doing the business

 

After a slow start, Tasmania get a credible score on the board.

 

End of the innings.

 

The Tasmanian Roar finished their 50 over spell on 170 runs for 9 wickets and this looked like a competitive total. It would make for interesting game as in the past, the Breakers seem to easily demolish most opposition. This is not totally surprising as they have at least half a dozen of the Australian Women’s National team in their side. It had been a rather strange approach by the Breakers as they had used ten different bowlers during their fielding spell.

After lunch it was time for the NSW Breakers to bat. Oh, and the spectator count had doubled to 12.

One of the openers, Leah Poulton seemed to be struggling.

 

A little while later she was LBW.

 

A succession of batsmen trooped off the field. Some hide their faces, some don't.

 

It was interesting to snoop on the Breakers scoresheet.

 

The game got tense as the NSW Breakers wickets kept falling.

 

Nicola Carey was hanging in there.

 

In the end the Tasmanian Roar could not quite take that last big wicket that they needed and they lost the match, but it was close.

 

The Breakers get over the line.

 

Handshakes

 

The weather had remained cloudy and cool all day but the rain had stayed away. Having said that, the forecast was for sunshine.

At the end of the match I had my long journey home.

Luckily for me, next Wednesday there is an International Women’s ODI at the SCG. This is much more local and the crowd will be better. It is the first of a few matches between the Australian Southern Stars and the NZ White Ferns. I expect that I have already seen the form of most of the Australian team yesterday. By the way, Ellyse Perry was injured but on the bench.

Peewit

2nd Aus v NZ ODI also abandoned

What a God forsaken place the Blacktown SportsPark is. I can think of nothing to recommend it.
To get there it is an hour on the train from Sydney and then a 30 minute walk from the station. They seem to conjure up the worst possible weather there. On my previous visit the match was also abandoned. I will not be going there again.

Players hoping that the oval will dry out

 

You have been warned

 

One of the many pitch inspections to come

 

The stand

 

Jodie Fields hitching up her tracksuit bottoms to keep them dry

 

Fighting a losing battle

 

Peewit