Boxing Day Test 2013

Our first Boxing Day Test was in 1995 - the infamous test where Murali was no-balled for throwing. Stuey was so lagered up at the time he didn't even notice! We moved to Sydney to live before the test in 96 then returned to Melbourne in 99, where we went to every Boxing Day until left for the UK in mid 2010. We then missed 3 more until this year, so we have only missed 4 in 15 years, and unfortunately one of those was the last time England won the Ashes in Australia....

....which clearly didn't happen in 2013!! Awful, but that didn't detract from a wonderful day out with Debbo, Jason, Frankie, Sonny, Geoff, Abi and Olly. As the photo above shows, we were in the VERY top row of the Great Southern stand.

In the lunch break we walked around to the Members side of the ground and met up with Ruthy and Richo et al, who like us were still recovering from the feast on Xmas Day. We also met Steve, see below:-

And an amazing thing happened. We were all in the new England kits and a Graham from OPSM, one of the promo tents you can see behind us approach Stuey and asked if he would like to take part in a competition in the tea break. He didn't explain too much, except Stuey would be in the pitch watching some old Ashes appeals and he had to be the umpire and decide if they were out or not. The sponsor was OPSM, an optician.....eyesight....being the umpire....get it???

Anyway, Stuey expected to be on the pitch with a number of other contestants....not so, just Stuey!!

So to the decisions - the first was clearly not out, down the leg side. The second, as shown above was given out by umpire Stuey with the big glove. And the last decision was also given out, all correct which meant Stuey won a $50 voucher, a pair of Ray-Bans and a new iPad mini!! Woo Hoo!!