good advice for Aussie rules players (and others)

here is Tuesday's photo

Warming up at Scotch College

Still a long day but

MGS batted first on another windy day, from the Arctic, and made 277-4. Good bowling from the Roy boys and another resilient display in the field made this look a fair target. Alas, alas, alas it was not to be, Hayes and Carleton-Smith batted well together to brighten prospects, but wickets fell regularly after they were parted and we ended well short. Cricket spirit low but tour spirit high as we head off to our first barbie (cue bad Aussie accents all round).

Today's photo has been held up by the hole in the ozone layer.

Long day today

Scotch batted first on a lovely flat pitch and their opening batsman played confidently in the face of good bowling by MacDonagh. Tight spells from Eckett, Hayes and Tugwell skied the scoring rate but centuries from Eldridge and Mitchell took Scotch to 330-3. perhaps this was always going to be too much to chase for a team recently off the plane but a resilient display in the field held out hope. As it was when good balls had done for the captain and Hammond, too many were indeed too far. And the Tom Batty Shield was retained was retained by Tom Batty's men. Conclusion? It might be easier to make Tom Head Master of Eton than to prize the shield from his hands....

Photo currently stuck somewhere in cyberspace

and 28 hours after we set off..

Arrival! 12000 miles away, and at last off the plane. An hour in the queue for immigration and safely away to Melbourne Grammar School for our first practice.

This the plane we took to get to Kuala Lumpur - on Justin Langen's birthday (12 hours shorter than every other birthday he's ever had). Now a three hour transfer - the good news is Ricey's found the bigger font on his Kindle (after curry for breakfast). Everyone still in good spirits.