A Day at the Test

On Thursday I attended the first day of the Old Trafford test between England and Pakistan, the first cricket match I've been to for something like twenty years. It turned out to be a great day for England and not such a good day for Pakistan, who collapsed to 119 all out in the middle of the first afternoon. Over the next two days England went on to win the game by an innings with two days to spare.

American readers probably find it strange that most individual spectators only attend a single day of a five-day match, and only follow the rest of the game on TV or radio. Only hardcore fans like Norm actually attend all five (or in this case, three) days.

I'm not so sure I agree with on this....

Anyone out there envying me my holiday should understand that, in this heat and humidity, it's really hard work sitting in the sun all day watching cricket. You have to concentrate on the game while you're sweltering. Plus: for much of the time there are people around you making what can only be described as an unpleasant racket. So it's hard, I tell you. Others don't realize. I arrive home in the evening exhausted.

The only 'racket' I remember a was group of kids chanting "Pakistan zindabad!", and a middle-aged Pakistan supporter telling them to shut up with the words "Every time you lot chant that we lose another wicket!"