The Australian Cricket Season 2022/2023

We returned to Adelaide in time to catch the second half of a T-20 World Cup doubleheader match, the important half: Australia v Afghanistan. Why the important half? Because Rashid Khan plays for Afghanistan and the Adelaide Strikers and Carol loves him. 

We attended three more T20 World Cup matches including the semifinal. The most fun was Pakistan v Bangladesh. Adelaide Oval has rarely rocked so enthusiastically.

Next up at Adelaide Oval was a One Day International between England and Australia. At 50 overs per innings it is a match two and half times longer than a T20 match.

Meanwhile the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) was underway with the Lady Strikers playing well at times and not so much at others. We love watching women's cricket. They play the same game but the women are more expressive.

A funny thing happened on the way to the WBBL championship.

The summer of cricket continued with Australian Test cricket with two matches with the West Indies followed by three against South Africa. We got the Windies at Adelaide Oval.

Local favorite, Travis Head scored a career high 163 as Australia destroyed the Windies.

While the best Australian players were tied up with the duties of the national team playing red ball (Test) (unlimited overs) cricket, other Aussie men and internationals were playing the T20 men's Big Bash League (BBL). 

The Strikers tease us throughout the season. They begin with three wins, followed by horrible losses. Then Striker bowling bowls as no team ever! Striker bowling embarrasses the Sydney Thunder into the worse offensive performance in BBL history, all out for 15 runs! How bad was this thumping? The match was over before our best bowler, Rashid got an opportunity to bowl!

Again, the Strikers go into a funk. They announce Rashid will be departing early for the South African T20 league. In his last game the opposition set a massive 229 run chase (a team record for them) the likes of which the Strikers have never achieved. The faithful have no hope. But then, a miracle happens! Matt Short one of our opens gets a century, a ton, a 100 runs and the Strikers win.

Three opening wins, two more victories of historic proportion, and the Strikers don't make the playoffs. Perhaps the most inconsistent T20 cricket team of all time.

In addition to this live action there is daily men's and women's T20 cricket, and four Australian Test matches on television. 

The Pink Test is played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. During COVID when spectators were not allowed, the organizers of the Jane McGrath charity day decided to sell virtual seats since the real ones were not occupied. The concept was a brilliant fund raising idea and continues. Our Pink Test Seats with Jane's husband and retired Aussie bowling great, Glenn McGrath.

During the season, CJ finally took the Adelaide Oval RoofWalk and was able to "fly" over the Oval. Look ma, no hands.