Trans-Pacific Family: Australia Vs The Bilbo Baggins XI

Today we participated in one of the great traditions in Australia - a day at the cricket. It was the first day of a Test Match between Australia and New Zealand (for our American viewers, a Test Match lasts a maximum of about 30 hours spread over 5 days). This was the 2nd of 3 matches to be played between the 2 countries this summer, and Australia opened a can of whoop-ass on the Kiwis in the first match, so we were set of a enjoyable day of kicking their butts again.

Btw, on the topic of "Kiwis", apparently it has become un-PC to call the New Zealand team "Kiwis" any more. Now they are the "Black Caps" (bet you can't guess why). This change seems to have occurred since I have been living in the US. You let a country make a couple of big budget movies and they suddenly think they are better than everyone else!

Anyway, the weather was overcast, which was actually good, because I have done a day at the Adelaide Oval (not the most inventive name, but at least they haven't sold out to sponsors yet) where it reached 40°C (104°F) and it is not that much fun. It even rained a little in the morning. But we had some ground sheets and picnic blankets to keep our butts dry. Adelaide Oval is one of only a few big sports venues in Australia (the world?) that still has grassed areas to sit in, instead of hard plastic seats.

View across the oval.