The cricket test

Norman Tebbit, a not especially tolerant British politician once suggested that "A large proportion of Britain's Asian population fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer for? It's an interesting test. Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?"

Well I certainly don't pass this test as an Australian yet. I arrived with good intentions to make my adopted home my second team in all relevant team sports, but when I went to watch the 1st day of Australia-Pakistan at the MCG on Boxing Day, I struggled to emotionally connect with the Aussies, and instead watched the match largely as an interested neutral. Unfortunately this largely meant an uninterested neutral as it was not a particularly engaging days' play for the most part, with the Australian openers scoring comfortably and Pakistan never managing to apply the sort of pressure that made it look like they were about to take a wicket. The highlight came when Katich and Watson did their best to run each other out and dived for the same crease (Katich won by a whisker). Meanwhile I have been internetting late at night avidly following England's progress in S Africa and doing a fist-pumping "Yesss!" at the screen every time the Saffers lose a wicket. Question to anyone out there reading: am I morally obliged to attempt to invest emotionally in Australian sporting teams now I've made it my home?

By the way I wouldn't want it thought that I didn't enjoy my Boxing Day Test experience - it was a nice relaxing day out, chatting with friends, eating leftovers and drinking piss-weak lager (which is better than it sounds - no danger of getting woozy or too dehydrated after 8 pints of it) with the cricket ticking away in the background. And at least I haven't gone for the "anyone but Australia" approach, unlike one of our group, who despite being a) Aussie-born and b) of Indian extraction was proudly wearing his Pakistan replica shirt! Next year might be a slightly more intense affair as it will be the Ashes. Fingers crossed England do better than last time they were out here (lost 5-0 if anyone needs reminding) or I won't hear the end of it for a long, long time...