The first T20 cricket match between South Africa and England last night was nothing less than absolutely crazy cricket. We did not see the England innings, but followed the score on our cell phone while eating a beach front dinner.
Julian mentioned he would like it to be a bit of a match and not just a walkover. With England scoring so low (134/8), it looked like South Africa should have no difficulty reaching the required target.
Walkover was not going to happen.
Reaching the required target without too much difficulty was also not going to happen.
If your house was anything like mine, there was a lot of commenting, raised blood pressure, raised voices, heads in hand and ‘oh noooooo!’s
When the stress got too much, the kitchen got cleaned.
I cycled my way through the last half hour, pedalling madly in front of the TV, sweat dripping down my neck!
14 runs needed off the last over.
Cool as a cucumber, smiling to show it, Chris Morris faced the music, hitting a 6 and a 4, to reduce the required score to 4 off 3 balls. 4 runs were needed off the last two balls, then 2 runs off the last ball.
Run two, regardless.
So they did.
It would have been a draw had the bowler, (I’ll leave his name out – it was so hard for him) fumbled the ball and missed the crucial run-out.
We snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
South Africa didn’t deserve to win.
England didn’t serve to win.
A draw would have been fair.
But so often, the Proteas seem to have lost when the games are poised as this one was…remember the “chokers” label they carried for so many years?
Last night, it got buried.
Chokers so longer.
We kept saying, ‘it’s only a game’, ‘it doesn’t really matter’, ‘it’s only T20’ – but somehow even though it’s only a game and doesn’t really matter and is only T20, it was FABULOUS to see our boys win.
Whew!
That was a cliff-hanger.
They kept us hanging on until the final ball.
The atmosphere at Newlands must have been electric.
The crowd on their feet roared as the final runs were made. And then there were the English supporters, standing stunned in the crowd….sinking to their seats, burying their heads in their hands. Mortified.
So close.
But it’s only a game.
But it’s great to win!
Truth be told,
Ecclesiastes 9:11
“Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.”
Time and Chance!
Tomorrow may be different!
Talking of tomorrow, I really don’t think I’m going to get to see the cricket or get in a blog.
I’m off to Johannesburg tonight for some work tomorrow. I’ll be home by about 11pm tomorrow night. I’m thinking of not even taking my laptop and without it, it’s a bit tricky to not put up a blog, but I’ll see what happens.
In the meantime,
Keep the smile going.
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂