The Moment

A great deal of this blog has been about how I became a cricket fan.

I've mentioned that I fell in love during the first Ashes test at the Gabba back in November.

I've said that is the reason test cricket is my preferred format.

I've talked about how that's made me and Australia.

I haven't yet said that I can actually pinpoint the exact moment that I was in on this game called cricket.

Now I realize this is a little like the girl at the party putting up pictures on Facebook, while still at the party.  But I don't have a history of the game.  This was my first day in cricket.  Lets go back to that November night in Brisbane.



It was after tea on Day 1 of the test.  England had won the toss and elected to bat, and at this moment the game looked fairly even.  England had made it to 197/4 after losing Andrew Strauss in the very first over.

Alastair Cook was on 67 and Ian Bell on 39.  Peter Siddle, who even for a newb like me, looked like Australia's most dangerous bowler, had been brought on for another spell two over before.

After 2 dot balls to Cook, Siddle gets Cook to edge one to Shane Watson at first slip, to drop England to 197/5.

This would bring in Matt Prior, who judging from his stats is a more than decent batsman.  Siddle runs in again and I hear a clanging sound, and suddenly the middle stump is on the ground!

It was at this point that the commentators go on about Siddle being on a Hat Trick.  This was my first time watching the sport, so I spend the next thirty seconds frantically searching for what a Hat Trick is.  I was still neutral at this point, but after finding out what a hat trick is, I decided I wanted to see a bit of history.

Stuart Broad was the next man to bat.  Siddle runs in again and it appears to hit Broad on the foot.  All the Australians turn to the umpire, who raises his finger giving Siddle the Hat Trick.  My video stream starts buffering every two seconds, but I don't care, I saw the hat trick.  England decides to review it, but it doesn't matter. The batsman is out, but I am in on cricket.