The way that summer unfolded was terrific. There was still a bit of breathing space between some of the tests not quite the long tours of the 80's and early 90's but not this current back to back to back shite either. Etched in my mind that summer wasn't just the test matches but the one off T20 game that started if off down at Hampshire, then a terrific ODI series featuring Darren Gough I think it ended up all square but we'd landed some blows on the Aussies. There was real lasting and significant context to those shorter format games that is sadly lacking from most of them. They meant something placed where they were at the front of the summer as a lead in to the main course.
For the Lord's test I was actually at Edgbaston watching Bicknell, Gallian and Hussey's Notts side hammer Warwicks shorn of Bell of course but also missing Heath Streak (of course I didn't go back for day 4 where Notts required just 4 runs to complete their win) when McGrath was running through England's 2nd innings having been working earlier in the week and 7/7 had just happened
Then the tornado that blew though Balsall Heath "like a ruddy great carrot in the sky" I was so glad the kids had all broken up by then can you imagine how many tots would've been maimed at that school on Stratford Road as their assembly hall caved in on them. But it effed with Pontings thinking at the toss even more I reckon than McGrath treading on the ball. Remember fondly too how stupidly early we had to make sure we were inside 9.30ish taking absolutely no chances for those days there was no way we was gonna miss any of that. Getting absolutely plastered in the Price of Wales Moseley after Saturday's play - best day of cricket ever probably tops Melbourne day 4 1998 - and then having to hide in the Dollery Bar on the Sunday as it was too guy wrenchingly raw to watch it in the flesh watching all these Aussies streaming into the game late from Cannon Hill Park or Broad Street or wherever they'd decided to hunker down as they sensed a ransacking. I was first at the bar when we won though TBF...
The breathing space meant I could go catch Bruce over in the Pacific northwest on his Devils and Dust tour (really easy tickets over there) and remember winding these Aussie Bruce fans up in Seattle and then via internet cafés following the unbelievable scores and commentary around the Old Trafford test. Then Bears at a Lord's final and Richie Benaud was to blame for us losing as he made an announcement to the crowd about it being his last domestic commentary stint - Troughton got out very next ball after the extended applause had died down.
Trent Bridge and the clouds rolling in for Hoggy to get to work was ace even though I missed the Gary Pratt run out as I was at the Hawthorns watching Emile Heskey tear the Baggies a new one.
The Oval on the Monday and having to put Five live on as C4 cut the feed straight after the win (I still wish they had the cricket however as I liked their coverage and it was better for cricket overall). TBF to 5 Live they had 2-3 hours coverage of the series finale to listen in to
