He's in ..... (y)our Head

Australia beat England by 8 Wickets

England 172 all out

v Australia 132 all out

England 164 all out

Australia 205 for 2

First Test

Saturday 22 November 2025

Played at Perth Stadium

Australian Beer Ticks #476

The Carrier Bag Firm cry went up at 0900am.

If not now, when?

This is my first time in the new(ish) Perth Stadium. We explored the ground thoroughly. But, as Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Members, we hot footed to the WACA Members Lounge. According to the map we'd been given, it looked in a prime position on Level 3. Not gonna lie, we were a tad disappointed.

I'd assumed the “big glass windows” would look down onto the pitch, onto the Oval. Just like they do at the old WACA ground across the river. No. The BGWs look out the back. FFS. I want a beer on, in a comfortable air conditioned gaff, with all my peoples, watching the cricket through the windows. Sure, the views across and around the Swan River are picture postcard superb. But. Still.

Positives. Lovely, bright and airy. Friendly staff and punters. Big Screens in lieu of Big Windows. Wine n Bubbles bar. Decent beer selection. And the only place in the stadium you can get a beer in a glass (rather than a paper cup).

A Mad Day One. Prospects of a Mad Day Two ahead. Prospects of No Days Three+.

The Members Lounge is lovely at 0900am. Quieter and more contemplative than it will be later. No queues. Plenty of seats. Conversation flowing easily. Sure, it's early. But the beers are available.

If not now, when?

Gage Road Brew Co (Palmyra, Western Australia), Side Track, Pale Ale from a Tin at 3.5%

Our seats today, up on Level 5 of the WACA Members Reserve were surrounded by English tourists. Not a particularly unusual occurrence. There are tens of thousands of English Cricket tourists here in Perth. Including me…

The bizarre twist was that my enclave was mainly Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Members visiting Perth under Reciprocal Members arrangements.

The geezer sat next to me had “Egg n Bacon” striped socks on. And an Egg n Bacon striped “Jazz Hat”.

A man & woman came along the row and insisted to my Carrier Bag Firm companion that we were in their seats.

“These are our seats, we're here as guests, we're MCC Members…”

He whipped his phone out. To show her his e-tickets. Here are things we could have said;

“Which MCC do you mean kid? We are in Australia after all. Do you mean the Melbourne Cricket Club, with 155 thousand members? Or the much smaller and insignificant Marylebone Cricket Club, with just 18 thousand members?”

“Oh. Right. MCC Members. I see. Surprised to see you actually at the cricket. Haven't you got some fucking Stock Trading to be boring on about out the back somewhere?”

“I'm sorry to pull rank. But, I went to Comprehensive. I went to Polytechnic. We're CBF. I loaded the guns, then ran off home for my tea. These are our seats.”

Instead, my CBF companion checked matey's tickets, and was able to deliver an even more cutting and priceless rebuke.

“Ah. Row 2. You see, this is Row THREE. It's actually a rather simple grid system. Your seats are down there. Easily done. Enjoy your day … (winks to camera)”

With a first innings lead of 40, even with Crawley gone, England were over a hundred on, with just that one wicket down. There was a feeling of - in control. But, when Pope went at 76 for 3, and Brook joined Root in the middle, it felt very different.

“Yorkshire to the rescue.”

Sang out my Carrier Bag Firm companion to the massed ranks of MCC Members. Brook and Root both went without the score changing - 76 for 3, 76 for 4, 76 for 5. Little did we realise that the “Yorkshire” rescuers we were talking about were;

Mitchell Starc. Thirty Six wickets in 16 appearances for Yorkshire in 2012. And, 3 for 55 today - Crawley, Root, Stokes.

Travis Head. Who, with Jack Leaning, shares in the record limited overs stand for Yorkshire, 274, made in 2016. And, 123 runs off just 83 balls today. To win it. With a knock for the ages. As a “makeshift” opener.

Yorkshire to the rescue indeed.

Incidentally, I was amazed to discover that, even as just a Two Day Test, that is still the record Test Match attendance at the ground.

You can find my first Ten years of Blogs at

www.ball-sup.blogspot.com

More recent Blogs are at

ballsup.substack.com

Would you please consider subscribing (free) to have my Blog delivered to your email inbox (via Substack). Thank you.

You can find me on Social Media

X @ball_sup

Untappd ball_sup

Stats

I have now Blogged from 1,710 games in 4,113 days