Well, almost summer anyway. The sun is high, the weather is warm, and the cricket is full tilt. I’m sitting with a nice glass of rather flavoursome Italian montepulciano (made even better by the favourable exchange rate) all the while watching Australia demolish Sri Lanka on the cricket field. Again. Even without the now retired super champions Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, cricket looks too easy for this Aussie side. The first test was won by over an innings, and as I type, Australia have a lead in the second test over Sri Lanka of 382 runs with 9 wickets still in hand. New boy Phil Jacques has made back-to-back tons, Adam Gilchrist has now hit his 100th test match six, and Mr. Cricket Michael Hussey has maintained his batting average at a Bradman-esque 85. Brett Lee is bowling superbly, as has new ball counterpart Mitchell Johnson. The only concern for Australia is that Andrew Symonds has sprained his ankle, but it barely matters. This two-test series is all but in the bag.
Bliss.
But.
One slight problem. This morning I made a fresh plunger of Lavazza and sat at my kitchen table. From there I am afforded a view of the mountain that dominates this town – Mount Wellington. The top half was shrouded in cloud, so I couldn’t see what I knew was happening, which was the annual Point to Pinnacle 21.4km race up the bugger, which was happening without me. The reason? Lack of training, sore knee, too much booze and sausages – the usual reasons. But I’m not unhappy about it. The truth is that I did train for it, and the training hurt. It hurt to the point where I seriously wondered why I was doing it, and then with relief realised that it wasn’t compulsory. And so I stopped. There’s always next year. Meantime, I am happy with an occasional jog and many long walks. I am fond of long bush walks on the mountain, and the walks and run routes around my new home are short but very pleasant, so it’s a kind of low-impact running nirvana. Never enough to get me up my bloody mountain, but sufficient to keep me happy. And I am.
And never better because Ponting is batting and the lead is up over 400, with 9 wickets still in hand.
And after the soft Italian red, there’s a nice bottle of Balvenie Doublewood single malt to prolong the enjoyment.
Life is very tolerable.
Well it got a little interesting there for a moment, before Johnson stepped up and whipped out three quick wickets. No doubt the Crims will waltz it sometime today. Good to see Sangakkara making your boys work for it.
Sometimes it's great to remember that the life/ running mix goes both ways. I'm certainly letting life have a fair crack just now, as the gently increasing spread of my lard layer will confirm.
Feels pretty good, too.
Posted by: Sweder | Monday, 19 November 2007 at 11:57 PM
As Sweder predicted the Convicts cruised home, but by a smaller margin than expected.
If anything the Aussies look even stronger than this time last year, especially now Phil Jaques has found his way into the side and Hussey has kicked on.
They are still the side to beat!
Enjoy the summer MLC man, its gone too soon.
Posted by: Nick F | Tuesday, 20 November 2007 at 07:34 AM