Exciting cricket

The South African tail is just hanging in there. If they can survive for a bit over sixty balls, then its a draw. Now sixty balls to come. 8 for 253. I almost feel like live blogging the end. Now 58 balls.

Yes, I have played cricket, although I was not very good at it. At home, we played cricket in the backyard a lot of the time. I played at school, too, but only in the low grades.

Posting. 8 for 256.

52 balls remaining. Will Smith bat? His hand is broken. A wicket. Will Smith come out? Yes, he is. A standing ovation. 9 for 257. As Kerry says, high drama. Smith has a bad elbow and a broken hand.

I love cricket sometimes. It's a strange game, much beloved by those in the old Empire. 49 balls remaining. Smith has survived two balls.

A dropped catch! 47 balls to go. The crowd is on its feet.

The last significant match I played was for the University of New England History Department against, I think, the English Department. Smith has taken his plaster off.

We were behind. I hit well, catching us up. One ball remaining. We needed three or so. The bowler bowled just to stop a hit. Johnson has bowled off the stumps. Thank you very much, says Smith. The crowd boos. Johnson on the stumps, the crowd cheers.

9 for 257. 36 balls left.

Eldest, Helen, played cricket for Randwick. Hard ball, modified rules. At school, both girls stopped playing cricket because of the silly rules at school. They were already playing proper cricket, and then because of the school's obsession with safety had to go back to kindie cricket.

31 deliveries left. Tell you what, sometimes I love cricket.

Siddle bowls. Smith is off the mark. This, and I quote the commentators, is heroic stuff. Siddle bowls. Smith responds carefully.

9 for 259. Playing junior cricket, Helen was part of a winning team. Australia changes bowling. Johnson bowls. No problems.

Helen's presence as the only girl at the presentations created a problem. Find a spinner, any spinner, say the commentators. Two more runs off Johnson.

Johnson bowls. Succesful defence. The commentators are having a wonderful time. 18 balls left to go.

At Helen's presentation they kept on saying boys and then add a reference to girls. The Australians are all around the batter. No luck so far. The field keeps on moving in. A four. Another four!

9 for 272. The Australians are forced to send the fielders back. Just two over overs to go. Smith is about to face the last ball of the over.

The crowd is getting behind Johnson. Smith is in pain, but holding. Can Johnson get - Smith is bowled! The game is over with ten balls to go.

The crowd and Australian team applaud the South Africans. What a great match. A standing ovation for the South Africans. And so this post ends.