Manchester United set example for South Africa to follow

With so much expectation surrounding the FA Cup Final at Wembley and the South Africa/England World Cup clash at the Oval, London was certainly the place to be today for any sports lover. Unfortunately I was standing in the centre of Lords watching Hampshire cruise to a frustrating county championship victory when the final whistle was blown at Wembley stadium. Even still it is far easier being in London as the big game was being fought out. In the past I would usually have been sitting up at home in Australia, bleary eyed, drinking mugs of coffee, fighting off the sleep and yawning syndrome, in a generally futile attempt to witness one of the biggest events on the international sporting calender. I never truly appreciated the enormity of FA Cup Final day until I started playing for Middlesex and living in England. From the grandstand I had many cricket supporters shouting out the scores from Wembley, leaving me with no doubt that this was an easier way to enjoy the Cup final than lounging like a zombie in my pyjama's in Perth.

Adoring Manchester United and Newcastle fans, dressed in their club football shirts with their hair dyed and their throats coarse, looked to be enjoying the day which incredibly stops the ever buzzing streets of London. If I thought today's World Cup cricket was going to be a big affair I am quickly finding out that FA Cup Final day is comparatively a massive event. The brightly coloured supporters lining the streets and pubs, seem to celebrate the day as only the traditional English football supporter knows how. Driving home from Lords tonight I was overawed by the singing and revelry associated with the cheering and singing of drunk, ecstatic or mourning, football supporters. By the looks of it there could be many sore heads come sunrise tomorrow.

While Hanse Cronje and his closely-knit and talented team won't be celebrating with the same high jinks of the Northerners tonight, I would imagine they will store in their memory banks the euphoria of this afternoons Cup winners. There is a very long way to go in the World Cup competition but the exuberance and elation shown by the Manchester United lads could well act as a significant motivation to keep the cricket Cup favourites on top of their very impressive game.

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