By Casey O'Connor
As this edition of Spin is finalised, I have one eye on the weather forecast like all other cricket fans not to mention the poor curator and his staff at the Gabba.
The respective Australian and English camps will be pondering what to do should they win the toss on Wednesday.
Not all the action on Tuesday morning at the Gabba centred around the pitch. Outside the ground the final touches were being put place in preparation for the unveiling of a bronze statue of one of Australia’s favourite sons and an adopted Queenslander, Allan Border.
Border, Australia’s Captain Grumpy Cricket’s or Man of Steel as some refer to him has been immortalised in bronze after a group cricket greats and mates including Ian Botham, Shane Warne, Brisbane businessman David Conry and Cricketers Club Queensland president David Cook, declared such recognition was long overdue.
Botham going as far as saying, “AB deserves a statue at every ground in Australia.’’
The project has been a privately funded with much of the work was done behind the scenes with the help of Border’s wife before the man himself got wind of the project.
In typical AB style he said, “I am very proud but suitably embarrassed.’’
I hope that steely look AB was so famous for has been able to ward off the storm clouds predicted for days one two and three of this Test. I’m not sure however if he’ll have as much luck with the Bill Lawry’s pigeons.
The bronze of AB will serve as a constant reminder to all touring teams especially the Poms of the pain the great man inflicted on them and his enduring contribution to Australian Cricket.
Casey
