Diversion at The Oval

Just home from an exhausting, yet thoroughly enjoyable day at the Oval. India levelled the One-Day-International series at 3-3 in a nail-biting finish.

As a traditional Charlton die-hard, I always feel slightly guilty when questioned on the subject of cricket. I know there is a long association of football and cricket, Winter and Summer, Charlton and Kent, Colin Cowdrey and all that. And yet I feel a fraud. The land of my birth doesn't do cricket. I can never recall having played cricket properly and my passing interest has been akin to that of my interest in American sports - not great. I have been at the Oval once before and also once to Lords. On both occasions it was for the first or second days of test matches, against India and South Africa respectively. Both were tedious and turned into drinking sessions.

Today was completely different and I was entertained from the off. There was no hanging about. The fielding was aggressive and the batsmen cracked on. India struck early with two wickets and our sweep on the England score was immediately looking generous. However, they rallied, Pietersen weighed in, Shah made a ton from nowhere and new-boy Wright posted 50. As lunch approached fellow debutant, bowler Dimitri Mascarenhas, decided to hit out and I was astonished to see him smash each of the last five deliveries for 6 with exactly the same shot. Amazing - England finished on 316 after a rocky start - 20 runs above the top end sweep predictions of eleven of us!

I was looking forward to watching Sachin Tendulkar and he didn't disappoint in a strong opening partnership with Ganguly after lunch. They raced to 150 never looking in trouble before Ganguly went. India batted on and lost Tendulkar following what looked like an injury. Their scoring slowed and the odds looked to have swung back toward England as the overs disappeared. Needing 10 off the final over Uphappa made two boundaries and that was that with two balls left. I was immediately reminded of our recent finishes against Wednesday and Stockport and the traditional association of football and cricket. Maybe I won't feel so guilty next time cricket comes up in conversation and I might just make the effort for another one-dayer!