Out of the way

About 4 overs to go in a 50-over (per innings) match that will determine whether or not Australia go to the World Cup as the number one side in international one-day cricket.

Over the last dozen overs this match has twisted and turned "like a twusty turnty thung" as the radio commentator said. I thought, at that point, of how it would be nice to talk to Granny about the very close game, and hear her say how one-day cricket so often managed to end up with an exciting finish. But she and Papa are now scattered together around the eucalypt garden.

Glenn McGrath is bowling his second-last over in the game, and New Zealand need a run a ball to beat the highest-ever score made at Eden Park. And one run per ball is exactly what they are making at the moment. At a dozen overs to go they needed almost 10 an over, a huge ask. But McMillan came in and made his 50 in double-quick time, changing the game from one Australia was cruising through, having just knocked out the Kiwi danger man (thus far), to one which New Zealand should be able to claim as an historic victory. When McMillan went out, Australia got a sniff of a chance, but only a sniff. And there are three overs where they have just 18 runs to defend, the Kiwis still holding 5 wickets.

But the first ball goes for 2. They are now ahead of the run-a-ball requirement. The second a single. 15 needed, from 16 balls. Another 10 minutes will decide this game, but the tension makes each one seem to last forever. Again, a single. And again. New Zealand are 13 runs away from being the second side in a fortnight to win a series against the juggernaut that Australia has been for months and years. And yet again a single run. Last ball of the over, and it goes for another single.

Two overs. That from Tait went for 7, this one must be McGrath. Which would leave Tait bowling at the death - a big job all of a sudden. So, what can the soon-to-retire master do? Two runs, and a bad bounce on the return. 9 from 11. And then a short ball goes for six, and the game seems all over. The formalities remain. A couple of wickets, and no runs, and Australia stay in the series. And the third ball from McGrath goes for two and ties the scores. After bowling for less than four an over in his first nine, the fourth ball of this over goes for a four. 14 runs from 4 balls, and the Australian team has been humbled by the same group who were unceremoniously bundled out of a three-way series with Australia a couple of weeks ago.

Sometimes cricket goes along slowly and quietly. Somehow, New Zealand never seems to be a real champion team. But somehow they have a knack of chasing down Australia in big games. A team that seemed, a month ago, almost unbackable champions having lorded it over the world for a decade and running as hot as they ever had, has suddenly been brought down to earth.

In the last few minutes, it all became horribly clear how it would turn out, but only after a day of waiting to see, of one after the other moment or phase of play seeming to change the complexion of the game.

If you're not a cricket fan, this is probably all meaningless. If you are a sports fan of some kind, and I have written this well, then maybe you will get some sense of the tension and excitement of a great game of cricket. Sitting through a summer or so of cricket at Granny's, going to a game with Uncle Sam (my Mum's cousin), and hanging around with a few people who knew something about it turned me from someone who hated the game into someone who can spends days following a match.

Granny and I were the only real cricket fans in a family that is not really sport-mad, but certainly interested in sports, as participants and audience. Now I have to explain cricket to people I hang around with, or let them, as Granny let me, just soak it up for a while so as to enjoy it with them. Or let them read this with the same indulgence and lack of real interest they show when I start talking about the game...