We decided to have a team outing at the England v/s Australia One Day International at the Oval. It was a fun time, full of warm beer and chips, despite England losing the game. Here are some of the photographs that I took.
The nets were being taken down when we arrived.
Fairly empty stands, but slowly filling up..
One of the presenters was quite easy on the eye :)
Two pens, one for humans, the other for gas.
There was a smattering of Aussies in the stands as well.
The welcoming committee was ready.
The groundsmen with their chalk unit and broom walked off.
A plane heading towards Heathrow. I have been on that flight path so many times and have looked down at the grounds several times. Wonder what they are thinking? Probably nothing related to cricket anyway, just wanting to get home and sleep, eh?
Very near kickoff if you believe the clock.
And everybody was getting ready, specially making sure that we have the beer ready :).
The umpires wearing a hideously coloured shirt walk out. Good Heavens, what on earth did the grand poo bah’s think when they decide this colour? bah!
England walking out on the field.
Paine and Watson walk out, preceded with a cameraman and we are off.
Starting with a damn wide.
Walking back to bowl again.
And bowling very hard, you can see the dust rising from the bowler’s feet.
Ricky Ponting doing his usual brilliant stuff.
I feel sad for these chaps, and for the guys on the high rise cranes, sitting way up there with nothing to do but to do their work. Pain, eh?
Several people on the ground were wearing these little radio headsets listening to the commentary on the radio.
A certain 4 saved..
There you go, poms versus Aussies.
And the Aussies were really hammering the English bowlers.
Somebody needs to know that it has to be a nice curve, not drunken meandering all over the ground.
A confabulation between the batsmen.
Now Paul Collingwood comes in to bowl.
He wasn't successful either. With the batsmen merrily hammering him as well.
There were ladies present as well, with a particularly eye poking colour of cap preferred.
Supporters were perched on roofs outside the ground.
Throwing the ball back to the keeper.
The Aussie innings nearly coming to an end
Another wicket down and the English players are celebrating.
Walking back to the pavilion.
Even the tail enders were hammering away.
Collingwood ready to field.
That’s the end of the Aussie innings.
Players walking off, the spectators applauding the players and also getting ready to go get some beer.
The roller comes out.
And the lines are drawn again. I head out to get some food and more beer.
The famous Oval clock. I head back in. People are having fun.
Great hat there, mate.
People were making towers out of the beer carriers.
Picking up a drink from the coolers.
A supervisor came around, can you see him wearing a headset with a video camera? very amusing.
The Aussies come out and it wasn't a good start for England either.
Batsmen regularly kept on going back and coming out.
Not happy reading…
The lights started to come on.
Here’s the broom which is used to sweep the strip.
The Aussies were really hammering the English. But I decided to leave a bit early as didn't want to get stuck in the giant queues that are the feature after every game.
An Oasis :)
Exiting the ground.
The UK flag, the English Flag and the Australian Flag on the roof.
And here is the Oval Station where I exited stage left. More photographs here on the slideshow with greater resolution. It was not a big hairy match, bit boring I have to admit.
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