Friday Favourite ~ We don't like Cricket, we LOVE it!

Well its that time again, when Australia versus England for the Ashes trophy. For me this time around I can't help but feel a bit wistful. For those non cricket lovers the Ashes comes around in Australia every four years and kicks off at The Gabba Grounds here in Brisbane. Four years ago we were in the stands, Frankie was only mid way in his High School years and Chauncy was about to enter his final year of Primary School. The boy's primary school was right next to the Gabba grounds and that day Chauncy spent most of the day, shouting out to his mates, at school next door.

We love our cricket, Frankie played for years for both school and club cricket, which for Kristen meant long hours of score keeping, umpiring out in the middle and driving many miles to school and club games. For me it meant trying to get grass stains out of cricket whites. Above is Frankie's first 11 cricket baggy hat that still hangs proudly in his room along side one of his most valued possesions, a letter from the great Sir Donald Bradman himself, written to Frankie. My favourite line is..."I hope you learn to love the game of cricket and hopefully play it well." He did both Sir Don!

This photo is what I will always think of when I think of Frankie and cricket. Actually even when I think of Frankie as a young boy. He always was up for a game of cricket no matter where he was.

Here he is running onto the ground when he had the honour of playing a game on the great "Gabba" ground itself, midway during an International Game. Both boys had the opportunity to do this, one of the perks of belonging to both the Mater Cricket Club, now Carina Cricket, and also attending East Brisbane Primary School. Which is the only school that gets to use the Gabba for its sports day...a great honour.

Check out that action! Frankie is the bowler. So four years on Frankie has finished school and no longer plays cricket and Chauncy is half way through high school. But some things don't change, the radio is on, the tele is tuned to Chanel 9 and occasionally you will here Kristen or I yell "Come on Australia". Aussie, Aussie, Aussie GO GO GO!!