A Test at Centurion.
The second cricket test has started between South Africa and New Zealand at Centurion. Today will be the second day of the game. So far we are looking good, and we should be able to restrict the Black Caps to a fairly low first innings total. Then we will have to see how South Africa fares with the bat in their first innings. A lot of entertainment still seems to await us in the remainder of the game.
Centurion is a nice ground to go and watch a game of cricket. It is two kilometers away from my house, as the crow flies, and I have gone and watched a few games at the park over the years. As I have mentioned; it is a nice cricket stadium, and I have enjoyed all the games I have gone and watched there.
The best game I have watched there, was the last game in the test series between South Africa and Australia in 1996. I went and watched the last day, and sat on the grass banks like I usually do. They are very comfortable spots. We won the test that day, although we lost the series, as I recall. I saw the Australian greats like Shane Warne, in the flesh on the field, only a few meters away. It was a very memorable experience for me.
Other games that I have watched at the park were all domestic provincial games, the most exiting of which was a final in which our home side were the hosts. That was a day-night game, and the stadium was filled to capacity. There was a lot of drinking in the crowd, and the beer-tent’s sales flourished. There were long queues to the counter, and me and my friend also had quite a bit to drink that night.
The stadium being so close to our house, it is never a problem for me to get there and back. I can easily walk the distance, and have done so many times before. (Our largest shopping centre and shopping complex in the area, is also in that vicinity.)
So, I will spend the remainder of the weekend watching the game on the tube, and wishing I was down at the field, seeing it live.
