Your first live international cricket fixture.

[Meth]

I thought it might be interesting to find out what everybody's first live international cricketing fixture was (including scorecard if possible) and what your memories of it are.

This is mine-

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64578.html

Was 16 years old. Got there before everybody else and snuck in early, through a gate opened for the Australian team. A security guard found us sitting in the stands and we tried to tell him that we were Mark Waugh's children. Got kicked out and re-entered legally.

Of the game, I vividly remember Paul Wilson copping it on the boundary by the terraces and giving it right back. I remember Harris and Nash dragging us back from the dead and I remember the place going nuts when Bevan was dismissed.

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65492.html

crowd absolutely loved Mick Whitney

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Eastern hill below the old fig tree at the gabba. Got to see Richardson and Lara bat well but we lost when mike Whitney came in with still a few runs to get. I remember walking out past the old net area where bobby Simpson was packing up and this punter was giving it to him big style through the fence.

http://m.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65488.html

 

[jargan83]

New Year's Day 1996, Australia vs West Indies.

Went with my Grandfather, old man and my brother. Will never forget it that's for sure.

http://m.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65531.html

 

[steggz]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63629.html

Dad took me to day 4. We thought it was going pretty well. Then, well, you know the story

 

[Meth]

New Year's Day 1996, Australia vs West Indies.

Went with my Grandfather, old man and my brother. Will never forget it that's for sure.

http://m.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65531.html

Bevan was such a master of ODI cricket

 

[Gina Minehart]

He was also a massive cat!

 

[roofromoz]

Australia v Sri Lanka ODI at the SCG in December 1995. Sat in the Churchill Stand, but as the run chase came to a conclusion, I wandered down to the seating either in front of the Doug Walters or Bill O'Reilly Stand, and recall the crowd chanting for Shane Lee.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65530.html

 

[Gina Minehart]

My first game was the one where the crowd threw chickens at symcox and Jason Taylor got kicked out. Was all over the papers the next day. Can't remember the year - was the SCG

 

[roofromoz]

My first game was the one where the crowd threw chickens at symcox and Jason Taylor got kicked out. Was all over the papers the next day. Can't remember the year - was the SCG

December 1997

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/37039.stm

 

[TheParraboy]

I watched a bunch of Sheffield Shield games before an international. We were fortunate our school, and our PE teacher in particular was a cricket nut and he organised a yearly trip to the SCG for those of us interested of which there was about 15 of us.

We ended up eventually watching the WI play NSW. I cant talk highly how friendly the West Indians were. Joel Garner even sat on the hill (rip) cause he wasn't playing that game. Malcom Marshall (rip) was an absolute legend and a true gentleman. When posted on the boundary (no ropes in that era), he would come right up to the fence and chat with us quite often, even though we were just school kids.

Doug Walter was a funny bloke. Would drink a beer if someone handed one to him on the boundary LOL. One time someone smuggled in a playboy magazine and handed it to Doug. He flicked through it through a whole over before handing it back LOL

3-4 of us from that era still manage to get out to a ODI per year if we can, or DAY 3 of the the SCG test. A few times over these years, we see our PE teacher there as well, and of course we catch up and go for a few drinks after stiumps.

 

[El Diablo]

My first game was the one where the crowd threw chickens at symcox and Jason Taylor got kicked out. Was all over the papers the next day. Can't remember the year - was the SCG

Poffo full of shit as usual

they happened in two separate games

Taylor was January 1997

Symcox was in December 1997

 

[hineyrulz]

My first game was with my dad,Uncle and Cousin at the SCG in the 3rd final against the Windies in the 88/89 season. It was a rain interrupted game but we managed to score 230 odd in 36 or 37 overs. Deano scored a great 90 and smashed one over our heads of Walsh and Steve Waugh got 30 odd in a hurry. Back then 240 was a winning score and we got them in 37 overs i thought we were home and housed. Alderman got Greenidge and Richardson early and i thought we had them beat. Then the rain came on they only needed 60 odd of about 11 or 12 overs and Viv and Haynes got them in a cake walk.

It was one of Mark Waughs first games and he had his huge Mullet and a few of the crowd were giving him shit for looking like a girl lol. Some pissed merkin passed a drink over to Ritchie Richardson who had a swig but he wasn't impressed he said where is the rum mon???lol. Not a bourbon drinker was Ritchie Rich.

 

[Iafeta]

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/55/55561.html

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, McClean Park, Napier, 1992 Cricket World Cup. As always seemed the way for what is actually a really nice sunny summer locale, it rained in the Hawkes Bay that day. Used to be the saying, if the farmers want the drought broken in the Hawkes Bay, bring an international to Napier. Anyhow, play did get going, and I was able to see a terrific partnership between Andrew Jones and the absolutely amazing Martin Crowe. Crowe was magnificent in that tournament, and that day was no exception. I recall one stroke he played where he smashed a cover drive for six with a high elbow, straight through the line, beautiful stroke. Andrew Jones was caught at long off just in front of me. Danny Morrison cartwheeling Andy Waller's off stick was also awesome.

 

[undertaker]

ODI between West Indies and Pakistan at the SCG, January 1997

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65551.html

Managed to sneak past security with my father during the dinner break into the old Bradman Stand (before the SCG renovation a few years ago) and got Ian Chappell's and Greg "Fat Cat" Ritchie's autographs, as well as photos with both of them.

I remember most of the crowd were very disappointed the Windies rested Lara, Ambrose and Walsh. Went to this match as it was a reward from my parents for previous years' school grades, but both the Australia vs West Indies and Australia vs Pakistan SCG matches sold out. Back before T20 cricket, most ODIs involving Australia sold out and were very hard to get tickets to (this was in the days before buying tickets online, and the only way was to battle the clogged phone lines).

 

[undertaker]

It was one of Mark Waughs first games and he had his huge Mullet and a few of the crowd were giving him shit for looking like a girl lol. Some pissed merkin passed a drink over to Ritchie Richardson who had a swig but he wasn't impressed he said where is the rum mon???lol. Not a bourbon drinker was Ritchie Rich.

What? So, Richie was fielding on the boundary and someone offered him a drink and he had a sip?:lol:

We ended up eventually watching the WI play NSW. I cant talk highly how friendly the West Indians were. Joel Garner even sat on the hill (rip) cause he wasn't playing that game. Malcom Marshall (rip) was an absolute legend and a true gentleman. When posted on the boundary (no ropes in that era), he would come right up to the fence and chat with us quite often, even though we were just school kids.

Doug Walter was a funny bloke. Would drink a beer if someone handed one to him on the boundary LOL. One time someone smuggled in a playboy magazine and handed it to Doug. He flicked through it through a whole over before handing it back LOL

3-4 of us from that era still manage to get out to a ODI per year if we can, or DAY 3 of the the SCG test. A few times over these years, we see our PE teacher there as well, and of course we catch up and go for a few drinks after stiumps.

In response to you and hineyrulz's posts, oh what I would give to have been born a decade earlier! Missed a great era of cricket that even watching on YouTube doesn't do it justice (not so for Australia, as that was during the dark Rebel Tour years, but you guys were well and truly spoilt to have had the privilege of watching many of the all-time legends of the game who played during that decade).

Also, met good old Dougy at a post-game function of an ING Cup match at Bankstown Oval back in 2001. As they say, they breed them tough up in Dungog. Regarding his boundary theatrics, imagine the huge outcry in the media if a player did that today (accept a drink from someone in the crowd, let alone skim through an adult magazine!:lol.

 

[hineyrulz]

Yeah UT Ritchie rich took a big gulp and horrified to find it was Bourbon and not Rum lol.

Rightly so as well, can't stand bourbon it tastes like dead ants.

 

[undertaker]

Yeah UT Ritchie rich took a big gulp and horrified to find it was Bourbon and not Rum lol.

Rightly so as well, can't stand bourbon it tastes like dead ants.

Well, I don't drink so I wouldn't know how it tastes like (like beer, the smell is disgusting though). But judging from your post, doesn't look like I'm missing out on much

 

[hineyrulz]

Well, I don't drink so I wouldn't know how it tastes like (like beer, the smell is disgusting though). But judging from your post, doesn't look like I'm missing out on much

Im not a beer man either, a rum or good scotch does me fine.

 

[Twatface Magee]

You guys are all old f**kers.
My first I ternational fixture was this one.
http://espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/291352.html

Main memory from it was Harbajhan the merkin getting Ponting out then carrying on like a dickhead in probably the stupidest looking wicket celebration of all time.