There was a period in my life when I was a regular attendee at Sheffield Shield matches.
It never took much persuading for me to skip a uni lecture, or take a “sickie” from work. I would catch a tram up to the MCG and delight in spending a long, languorous day at the cricket.But somewhere along the line, real life rudely encroached upon those days of youthful cricketing reverie. Marriage, mortgage, work, kids, and other normal adult responsibilities, all combined to ensure that even the mere thought of spending a mid-week day at the cricket would set off pangs of guilt.
So, when the yawning chasm of an appointment-free day opened up in my calendar last week, I checked the Shield fixture and was delighted to discover that Victoria were playing NSW at home. Off I go.
When I swipe my card at the entry gate into the Members, it almost feels as if I am simultaneously relieving myself of the burdens of the outside world. For a few short hours at least.
It’s a glorious Melbourne day. I have with me the morning’s newspaper and a pen, fully intending to attempt the cryptic crossword between overs. I settle in not far from the players’ viewing area, which falls eerily silent as Victoria’s spearhead Chris Tremain entices an early nick and gets the first wicket of the day. This dismissal would set the tone for the day: the NSW batsmen never quite able to get on top of the bowling attack, eventually dismissed for a meagre tally of 159. The pitch has a tinge of green about it and, thankfully, appears a touch more lively than in recent seasons.
On a day when there always seems to be something happening on the field, I abandon any thought of the crossword early on, and engross myself in the on-field proceedings. Tremain picks up five wickets, Fawad Ahmed chimes in with three, and the home team has all ten wickets by tea. The Vics’ response is solid, but Peter Handscomb slashes at a wide one and needlessly throws away his wicket just prior to stumps. He trudges off the field very disappointed with himself. He knows he has missed a chance to “fill his boots” against an inexperienced bowling attack. It is a chance that Marcus Harris will seize with both hands in a match-defining knock of 250 not out. And when the day’s play is over, so too is my brief respite from reality.
In time, I suspect that fewer first-class games will be played at the MCG. The Junction Oval has already hosted a number of state limited-overs fixtures, and looks set to play a more prominent role in Victoria’s future. I enjoy watching games at the Junction, but I hope that state cricket is not completely lost to the MCG. For I would imagine that the players get as much of a thrill out of playing on the famous turf as I do sneaking in and spending a rare stress-free afternoon watching on from the terraces.
Smokie Dawson is a sports lover from way back. He can be found cheering on the local teams at Fearon Reserve in Williamstown and in the MCC members.