Australia's Ricky Ponting, left, rubs his chin as England's captain Andrew Strauss applauds teammate Alistair Cook. AP Photo/Rick Rycroft
My wounds and psychological scars from watching Australia wallop visiting teams on our golden soil have me unable to accept we are in for a hiding like others suggest. And where does that term come from, golden soil?
Australian soils are crap, with a few exceptions. Fact! No point refuting that one all you patriotic types.
But I like to admit I’m wrong, especially when wrong is better than right.
It’s an interesting facet of the human mind how what one feels may not be reality. Knowing that sometimes gives us hope that things might work out in the face of adversity.
But it’s looking good, Australia looked pretty bad. Watching Watson bowl was fantastic, lobbing it down, hoping it would make the other end before it bounced twice, it looked fantastically poor.
Is the Australian self belief wavering? They circle before the start of the day in the field, grabbing each others arses to pep themselves up.
Now what is that all about? I’m a sport loving Aussie male, and I’ve never considered grabbing another mans arse in camaraderie.
But Aussies were obsessed with Diego Maradonna kissing at the World Cup. Should I now be thinking, “What are you doing Diego, grab their arses you weirdo, don’t kiss them!”
I’ve spent a bit of time in Argentina so the kissing doesn’t surprise me, and I’ve kissed many an Argentine male myself. But next time I go to Argentina, should I grab the arse as they give me a welcoming kiss and explain, “It’s our culture mate.”
It’d be good actually, generally when I’m asked about Aussie culture I don’t really know what to say. Now I do.
The negative psychology surrounding the new Aussies is amazing. Fox Sports news commentators state, “They’re killing us in the cricket.”
Australia have won two innings and England have now won three, so maybe it is fair enough to say. Then again, it’s just exactly the opposite of the first test, a carbon copy in fact, eerie, surreal, so I don’t think you can state that yet.
The big Test comes tomorrow. Will Australia be able to bat it out like England did in the first Test?
If they can it evens it up and my scepticism that they haven’t sunk will return.
And they should be able to bat it out, the pitch is pretty flat again. But it may turn a little, may, and that English lad should be able to make use of it.
One can only hope. If the Aussies can’t do it and they keep putting those lovely thick edges to the slips like they did in the first innings, I’ll accept I was wrong, the Australians will be dubbed rubbish by my royal sword, and as I’m whipped for my sins, I’ll be smiling like a B&D addict.
I’ve never looked forward to the morrow like this in years, but I’d better find that gimp mask I think.
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