Enjoy it while you can

The Adelaide Oval is by far the prettiest cricket ground in world cricket. Without the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain at its only serious rival for the title but with a Cathedral on the hill behind the ground, an old fashioned scoreboard that celebrates its 100^th anniversary in 2012, two grassbanks at either end, and a walk to the ground that surpasses even that through Bishops Park on the banks of the Thames to Craven Cottage. It's also the scene of the worst sporting disaster in modern times or the greatest comeback ever depending on your nationality. Where England managed to declare on 551/6 and still lose the game on the last day.

Adelaide is nearly always the setting when myself, Nathan, Danny and Mark get together to look back at 2006/07. It was the only Test where we had the better of play for an extended period (for the first two glorious days), where the Barmy Army could congregate en masse on the grass banks, where I enjoyed one of the greatest wicket celebrations of my life, where the nightlife was second only to Melbourne but the weather far superior. They say never go back but that's what I've done and so far it's lived up to the memories. Well on the pitch anyway.

<b> "We hardly celebrated the third. Doesn't feel real." Text from Nathan 17 minutes into the first session

Under a cloudless sky Ricky Ponting won the toss and as expected decided to bat. With 35 degree temperatures set for tomorrow it looked a huge call and a couple of day's hard yakka in the sun for our four bowlers. With six players with experience of scoring centuries on this pitch and everyone predicting a run fest on a wicket that traditionally offers plenty for the batsmen it looked like we were set for a grim opening couple of days. Three wickets in three overs later & with the press box in a commotion I stared in disbelief at what was happening. So far this series is defying everyone's expectations and long may that continue.

But it's not all good news as it appears the grass banks can be added to an ever expanding endangered species list. Where once they were a regular feature of all the big five stadiums now it's just Perth that will have them by the time that England return in 2014/15. The changes have been underway since we were last here and they have already installed an imposing new stand square of the wicket although in fairness it is in keeping with the style of the ground. Disappointingly the authorities also have there eye on the banks and play to build over them so the stadium can cater for AFL. It's a shame but at least I've got all the memories that I listed before and if this Test continues apace a whole host of new ones to go with it by the time the Ashes circus moves on to Perth in just over a week.