Of University and Cricket

[athersgeo]

I got the confirmation today that I passed my OU course - passed and, in fact, rather well, too. Got a 77 overall which, if I've read my mark books right, is a mid-range 2:1 sort of pass. Would have probably been higher but for 'only' scoring a 66 on one of my assessments, which significantly dragged my average down. Doh! (Funny thing: When I was doing Accoustics, I was delighted if I got over 50 on any assignment, now I'm disappointed [sort of] with scoring 66. Hmmm. I know hindsight is supposed to be 20-20, but it's not supposed to come with glaring bold highlights too...)

And on the subject of OU: witchy_rachel do you still want my copies of the A103 set books?

And then...the cricket.

If I just described the match situation, leaving out names and teams, you'd know it was a match the world no.1 team were playing in: One team piles on the runs while their opposition struggle with all facets of the game (yesterday, it was fielding and bowling, today it's been batting) and faces possibly being asked to follow on tomorrow. Sounds like Australia, or perhaps the West Indies, in their pomp and heyday.

Except that it's not.

It's England who are on top. It's Australia who are fitting the phrase "can't bat, can't bowl, can't field" (I exempt Shane Warne from this statement and also Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath - mostly cos they HAVEN'T batted yet and both bowled pretty well [with no luck, in the case of McGrath]).

And to say that I am confused is an understatement.

I will also say that I said at lunch that England would be crackers to enforce the follow on and risk batting fourth on a wearing pitch. Seems that CMJ, Aggers, Geoff Lawson and Graham Gooch agree with me - and Michael Slater is inclined to agree too. (Geoff Boycott doesn't, but then again, as I seldom find myself agreeing with him, that's hardly news!) Guess we'll find out tomorrow whether Australia follow on for the first time in 17 years (!)

Comments

[bigtitch.livejournal.com]

The phrase "Australia may be forced to follow on" has a lovely ring to it, doesn't it? And such a novelty.

However, don't build your hopes up - they're forecasting rain here tomorrow. Probably no play til after 3.

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

*nods* Oh, my hopes are strictly tethered - my boss is in Warrington (which she's been blythly describing as Manchester all day!) and has kept informing me of the forecast.

If it does rain, it DOES mean I'll actually get stuff done after 10:30 tomorrow morning, though!

You're right, though, there is a LOVELY ring to Australia following on. *grin*

[(Anonymous)]

Huzzah for the cricket it fine :) And yes, the fact they could be made to follow on is very amazing, it may still happen if the weather is really bad.

My TMS highlight of the day was Geoff Lawson telling Aggers that her had a great batting technique, and that it was just a shame he could never hit the ball. :)

[allygatorkin.livejournal.com]

And that was me not logged in *rolls eyes*

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I was wondering.

Also, love Geoff Lawson's comment - he had me in fits while I was driving home with his explanation of the physics of reverse swing bowling (which is probably not a good thing!).

[(Anonymous)]

TMS is truly great - particularly when they're trying to dig themselves out of a verbal hole :)
And there's always the old game of "count the mentions of Panama hats" to fall back on in quiet periods...
I hope they continue on form - I'll be relying on TMS for the rest of this match (am going on a conducting course and have no idea if there's TV access - eek!)

Bizarre situation though - am, slightly worryingly, starting to be cautiously optimistic (but trying to smother it as am aware that this is probably tempting Fate...). Still can't quite get to grips with even the faint possibility of Australia following on! Really not a phrase that's heard often, is it?

Beth
*off to find spare batteries for radio*

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean; there's this faint sense - at least at this point - that England might just do the unthinkable. Of course, it's raining today at OT (how unusual!) and Trent Bridge is, traditionally, one of Australia's more favoured haunts in this country, so, who knows.

Hopefully, we'll have some play later today, though!

[germankitty]

Congrats on your results ... and can I PLEASE send my husband over to your place?!? He's been hogging the TV, sitting on the remote, for DAYS now, watching cricket. Gerrit and I are getting sick of it *major grumbles*, especially as he doesn't react kindly to being spoken to while watching.

Of course, he usually takes a nap during the match, but woe if we DARE to switch channels! No, we have to endure both the cricket AND his snoring. Grrr.


(not a cricket fan, sorry)

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* I remember that problem. I went through a period of cricket being 'boooooooring' when I was about six or seven and I HATED that I couldn't watch kiddie TV while it was on. I grew out of it, though :)

If your husband can fight his way through the cats, there is space on our sofa :)

(And on the brightside, once this one's finished - which is scheduled to be Monday 5:30pm BST! - there's a break of about a week and a half before the next one.)

[germankitty]

Just sic the cats on him. :) He won't mind ... much. *evil grin*

And by August 22, school will have started again anyway, so he just won't have the time, mwahahaha ...

[witchy-rachel.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on a very good result!

And yes, I would dearly like to scrounge your set books as I am doing the identical syllabus!

Which modules etc. are you going to do be doing next with the OU?

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

Thank you :) And no worries - if you drop me an email at finkes@blueyonder.co.uk with your addy, I'll pop them in the post on Monday :)

I haven't signed up for the next course yet, but it'll be another history one (I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up doing the History BA). It's *probably* going to be A220 here (http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01A220_1_30) or A221 here (http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01A221_1_30). I'm still debating a bit, though (and I have time, since neither of them start until January or February next year!

[witchy-rachel.livejournal.com]

MailerDaemon doesn't like you and tells me you don't exist. You do, don't you? I'm sure you aren't just a figment of my slightly overactive and wholly bizarre imagination!

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

Congrats for passing OU!