How’s that for a game to remember

THE weather gods shone on the fans who turned out to support the only international cricket match in Hobart this season at Blundstone Arena yesterday.

In the earliest scheduled international match of a summer in Tasmania, a crowd of 5320 rolled up to watch Australia’s gallant loss to South Africa, which took the series 2-1.

Given the timing of the contest — the previous two in Perth and Adelaide also drew low crowds — Cricket Tasmanian CEO Nick Cummins was pleased with the turnout on a mild spring afternoon.

“We were always a little bit nervous given how early it was in the year. I was looking at the historical records and we have never played a game this early in Tasmania,” Mr Cummins said.

“Being a Sunday night and obviously early November but the weather has been very kind and the result on Friday helped as well. It is great to have international cricket back in Tassie.

“We only get a game a year so it is pretty exciting to see the Australian team here.”

While the Australians were desperate to continue building momentum on the field with huge Twenty20 and Test series looming against India, there was also plenty of significance in the build-up off it with the match falling on Remembrance Day.

National coach Justin Langer, as well as captain Aaron Finch and co-vice-captains Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood attended a service at the Cenotaph, while there was a pre-match ceremony before the first ball at Blundstone.

“We’ve got some of the boys here doing the guard today, we’ve come along to show them support,” said Danyon Michalkowski, who is part of the 12th/40th battalion of the Royal Tasmania Regiment.

“I love the cricket and get here as much as I can.”