A champagne cork pops loudly behind us provoking the inevitable ducking of heads. The teams are on the pitch practising last minute drills before the anthem and this is the one match we have really been anticipating. Yes this is Lords, the home of cricket and we are gobsmacked to find that one is allowed to bring a full bottle of wine in here to drink. This is presumably the only cricket ground in the world to allow this.
Of course the match is England vs Australia and at Lords of course we are heavily outnumbered. England come into the match ranked number one in the world and being on home turf there is a condescending smugness all around us. An Australian victory today is about as likely as a Scott Morrison win at the last election. England are as sure of victory as Shorten was and a loss for them today would leave their supporters as devastated as Labor was.
Australia post a middling target and Anthony and I fear that we may be beating an early retreat. England comes into bat and in the first over the ball crashes into the stumps and sends a shockwave through the crowd. We dare to dream and ultimately prevail with a comfortable win. We have dented the home team’s chance of making finals and they lose their number one world ranking. Happy days! To their credit the crowd was very civilised towards us and we copped a few congratulatory handshakes. Very British!
As great as this experience was it was nothing compared to the elation I was to experience next. It has begun! I was privileged to be asked to be a support person for Chris and Tenae for the birth of my first grandchild. It was always going to be tight as I already had this trip booked and I was upset to be flying out before the birth. I was proud to be a part of the labour via the internet helping with the decision making and coaching throughout what would prove to be a long and complicated labour. I was up from 3 am that night to be involved and help out and regularly throughout the next day in Italy. Beautiful little Phoebe was born when we arrived in Barolo. Looks like will have to invest in some of this wine for her 21st birthday celebration. I haven’t met her yet but I love her to bits!