Barmy is right...

[smofbabe]

Turns out the weather yesterday was even worse then I thought: it was the coldest Xmas Day in Melbourne since they started keeping records (1935)! We planned to go to the Boxing Day cricket Test match as we've done for the past several years that I've been visiting Melbourne around Xmas time. However, the rain persisted in the morning so we didn't leave until after the lunch break. We must have been a good luck charm because although it drizzled on our walk from the train station to the stadium, it cleared right away. It was cloudy and windy most of the rest of the afternoon, but it never rained again.

We arrived in good time to see superstar bowler Shane Warne get his record-setting 700th wicket (and his 701st, 702nd, 703rd, and 704th!) England continued on its shaky way, going out for just 159 in less than 75 overs. (For you Americans, sometimes a single batsman can get 159!) And it might have been worse as there were a couple of missed catches along the way. England did get two quick wickets before the day was over but Australia currently stands at 2/48 without exactly a big target to chase.

Our seats turned out to be close to the field but in the next section to a large part of the "Barmy Army," the pack in which many English cricket fans travel. Over 2000 of them came over for the Ashes series. The army has its own merchandise, full-time office staff, and songs. Although they were mostly unintelligible, less than half the songs and chants sounded like they were about England (or against Australia). Most of them sounded like they were about the army itself. At the end of a really humiliating day, they even cheered for a while under the stands. That's when I discovered another difference between Australian and American sports fans: all day long, including the walk under the stands at the end, the British fans were chanting and cheering and the Aussie fans were mostly silent. I don't believe I've ever been in an American stadium for a sport of any kind where the local fans would have let the opposing fans cheer louder and longer without a challenge. (Stephen claims the Aussies are complacent in their superiority :-> )

Comments

coldest day in Melbourne

[calimac.livejournal.com]

And how cold is that? Middle of summer, to be sure, but without checking I've always assumed Melbourne got pretty brisk weather.

Re: coldest day in Melbourne

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

And how cold is that?

The high was 14.5C (58F), which was 10C colder than the average temperature for that day (which would be about 75F).

Middle of summer, to be sure, but without checking I've always assumed Melbourne got pretty brisk weather.

While I've found that Melbourne winters are almost the same as winter in the Bay Area (50s - 60s with rainy and windy days), the summers are much hotter. It can easily get to 100. This Sunday it's expected to be 84. I know that many cities brag about how changeable their weather is and I've even lived in some of them. But Melbourne really does have the most rapid changes in weather I've ever seen: it can swing 30F in a day or so, and 15F in an hour or two, not to mention heavy thunderstorms giving way to sun giving way to heavy rain all in about 2 hours.

[querldox.livejournal.com]

Turns out the weather yesterday was even worse then I thought: it was the coldest Xmas Day in Melbourne since they started keeping records (1935)!

Really, I did leave and wasn't in Melbourne yesterday. : -)

[mondyboy.livejournal.com]

I am jealous (but thanks for the offer a few weeks back). And glad you enjoyed it.