Guest Blogger ANNA DeWINTER shares the emotion and excitement of sitting next to Ashton Agar's girlfriend Madi during his record breaking debut Test innings.
"I had the pleasure of sitting with Madeleine Hay, the lovely girlfriend of Ashton Agar, who has watched every ball with nervous anticipation of this amazing day 2 survival innings of a young man on a fast track to stardom. There were tears and a standing ovation on his 50 runs and every run since has been met with a heightened level of awareness that can only be fully felt by a significant other or close family.
As "cricket family" the girls sitting with her have ridden every ball with tears in our eyes as he edges closer to his 100, a dream come true for a man on debut. Records are being broken for a last wicket partnership ever as he and Phil Hughes take Australia to a lead and help to erase the heartache of the cascade of wickets of the first session. The tension rises as both bowlers creep their way to the individual pinnacle of Test cricket.
At just 19 years old, Ashton seems to have quickly become the crowd favourite as even the most parochial Englishmen show respect for this debutant - many sitting around her wishing young Madeleine well.
A couple of mad slashes with two runs to go and this composed young lady, shaking in her boots wills him toward his 100. And he's out.. two runs short of a 100 but a most amazing innings and a standing ovation at Trent Bridge on debut. What an amazing effort by a young man on his way to the top. Good grace and humour from the English crowd who have applauded this innings for what it is... a fabulous Australian effort." - ADW
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| Ashton Agar's girlfriend Madi applauding his extraordinary achievement |
