Come On Aussie, Come On, Come On

YES, it's repetitive - but certainly a lot better than that God-awful "Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi" rubbish that parts of our great country feel it necessary to foist on an all-to-suspecting world that really doesn't want to hear it again.
But the Ashes are coming, hence why the old Mojo classic should be sung with greater gusto than that two-word bore that should have died about the same time as the Olympic flame in 2000.
Actually, the Fanatics (a group of Australians that follow our sporting teams around and generally provide the most vocal support) are publishing a songbook with a series of mixed-up songs to sing back at the Poms (ok, English for those with squeamish dispositions). I'd link it, but apparently record company EMI are cracking the sads because it uses their songs as a basis, but if you Google "fanatics ashes songbook" (without the quotes) you'll get there.
But what of the game itself?
At the time of writing Australia look like they'll play Stuart Clark and Michael Clarke now that Shane Watson's been ruled out.
Watson's injury couldn't have come at a worse time, and not just for his embryonic international career (three Tests thus far).
My theory is this. Watson playing gives Australia a reasonably steady third seamer, so that he's helping out Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne by keeping things on a leash. This gives Brett Lee more chances to go all-out for a few overs at a time and make life uncomfortable for the batsmen.
But the big part of all this is that it would allow Australia to play one of Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait or Stuart MacGill. All three can win you matches; but by the same token they can also go for 5-6 an over.
With Watson in the team, if one of those three started going for plenty captain Ricky Ponting would still have somone fresh to stem the flow of runs.
As for the batting, Watson averages nearly 50 in first-class cricket: given the chance he could make some very handy scores down the order.
For England, they need first of all to pick Monty Panesar. He's simply head and shoulders above Ashley Giles, and can win you matches. As someone has pointed out, Giles may make 30 runs or so, but will that win you a match?
I think not.
Anyway, we'll see how things go on Thursday - come on Aussie!

I Might Arrive But I'll Be Gone The Very Next Day...

AS I may have mentioned one or two thousand times before, I've just finished up travelling around Europe as a tour guide - or on-board guide as the boss would prefer us to say.

When I first mentioned I got the job (which happily coincided with my 25th birthday and Australia qualifying for the soccer World Cup), most people's first comments were along the lines that it would be a dream job with plenty of "fringe benefits" (most people were reluctant to further explain just what they thought those fringe benefits would be though).

As things turned out, it truly was the dream job. I got to travel Europe for six months (seven if you include some of the most intensive training I've ever come across), meet an absolute truckload of people (good, bad and very ugly), and generally have not just a good time, but THE best time.

I don't think I'll ever beat some of the experiences, including the following:

1. The night "Little John" (he's actually quite tall) and I took around 31 people into San Sebastian. While the fact that around 26 of those people were of the fairer sex does slightly come into it, I'd spent a couple of days off with a lot of them in Madrid just before heading north, while I already knew a lot of the others. A great night that finished around 0430 the next morning, with me back up at 0730 to take people to Bordeaux. The night also had a sequel when I had to come back and everyone came out again. Great nights, great people.
2. Swiss National Day on top of a chalet in Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland. To hear the fireworks reverberate off the Lauterbrunnen Valley was something else - even if I was a touch annoying the next day as a passenger down to Nice!
3. Each and every time a passnger came up to me and thanked me for doing a good job. As with anything else, it's always good to get good feedback, and even though I may have fobbed off plenty when they tried to compliment me, rest assured it was always appreciated!

But that's not to say there's weren't a few downers.

Discounting the times I brought things on myself (late-night drinking, late for coach etc), the job was at a very basic level a series of one-night stands with thousands of different people. Whereas as a passenger you generally kept catching up with people, as a guide any plans to catch up may be derailed at any time if the boss decides to change your sequence (around six times for August).

Meet someone special and your reward is a series of text messages or e-mails in an effort to stay in touch. Make great friends, and say goodbye each time you leave because you just don't know when or if you'll ever see them again.

But I digress. It truly was the dream job - you only had to see people's faces light up when they saw you sitting in the front seat to realise that yep, might just've done good.