The distance between Box B3 and Box C6 at the ICC Hospitality Pavillion of Eden Gardens was barely a 30-second walk down the corridor. But the rollercoaster of emotions inside ran on opposite graphs on Thursday during the second semi-final of the ICC Men’s World Cup. The first had two Australian consuls general and a consul in attendance, while the second housed the families of the South African team members.
Rowan Ainsworth, flanked by colleagues from Bangalore Hillary McGeachy and Andrew Collister, applauds the team after the victory
The match turned out to be quite a contest despite South Africa’s stuttering start with the bat at 28 for 4 in 12 overs.
Andrew Collister, a Melbourne boy who started watching cricket in the mid-90s at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as a five-year-old, said attending a match at Eden was on his wishlist for a long time. “It is quite a sight. So much history here,” he said referring to the V.V.S. Laxman-Rahul Dravid show against Steve Waugh’s seemingly invincible team in 2001 on the ground.
Sourav Ganguly walks in to greet consul general Rowan Ainsworth
He was accompanied by his senior colleague, the consul general of Australia in Bangalore, Hillary McGeachy who had chanced upon the website selling tickets for the match. “I was in India. Here was an opportunity to cheer for Australia in a World Cup semi-final. So I put in my name in the queue and within two minutes my turn came. I picked up a couple of tickets and here I am,” she said, as a flag was hung with great care from the balcony railing.
The South African squad family members watch the match from the box
Her counterpart in Calcutta, Rowan Ainsworth, had brought her own mini flag and lustily responded with “Oi Oi Oi” every time the DJ chanted “Aussie Aussie Aussie”, the popular warcry, on the stadium sound system.
But with the wickets falling in a heap and then a drizzle stopping play, the conversation turned to the weather. “Doesn’t look like it will last,” Collister reflected looking at the sky.
The South African team family box keeps a tense watch on the proceedings
Soon enough, the sun came out. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller stitched together a partnership, taking South Africa past 100. As Adam Zampa got hit for the fourth six, Ainsworth, who had admitted to feeling “a bit bad for the South Africans” during the rain break, was no longer relaxed. “It’s still a contest. And Australia has to win!” she exclaimed.
She had two reasons to smile soon enough. Travis Head, the eventual player of the match, broke the partnership, scalping Klaasen and Marco Jansen on consecutive balls. And Sourav Ganguly, the Prince of Calcutta, dropped by to say hello.
As 150 came up in the 39th over, Collister reckoned 250 was still within sight of the Proteas. Sure enough, that was the conversation in the South African box too, with members out for lunch reckoning 250-260 to be a “defendable total”.
Miller reached his ton with a six over midwicket and the crowd started chanting the IPL star’s name. The South Africans, who had returned to international cricket post-apartheid at Eden Gardens on a November day in 1991, did not lack support, though yellow shirts with Glenn Maxwell’s name on the back were significant in number.
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The team eventually stopped short, getting all out for 212, one run less than their 1999 Cup semi-final score against Australia.
There was diversion during the Australian innings with an intruder breaching the security cordon and running to Miller to click a selfie. With the Australians losing wickets every time the chase looked like a cruise, there was no lack of diversion in the on-field action too.
As two wickets fell in quick succession, including Australia’s Mumbai match hero Maxwell, the South African box got animated. The crowd got behind the underdogs, sniffing an upset at 137 for 5.
Consul general Rowan Ainsworth and her colleagues at the Eden Gardens gate for the World Cup semi-final
Despite several swings of the pendulum, with catches being dropped and then Steve Smith and Josh Inglis departing, the match finally went Australia’s way with a hit to the fence by skipper Pat Cummins.
Ainsworth and her colleagues heaved a sigh of relief. Some spectators flocked under the box on spotting the flag and congratulated them. The message from them, though, was simple — not an inch would be spared in the final!
“I was never in doubt after the fabulous start they made in the field. Of course, South Africa is a tough competitor. It was tense at times but I have faith in the team. The final against India will be a different kettle of fish. India are playing so well!,” Ainsworth signed off.
