Sydney, Australia (The Cricket Ground)
I Packed Five Days of Sandwiches for the Ashes
A cricket Test match can last five days. In Melbourne it lasted two. I had a lot of sandwiches left.
The Ashes, the old cricket rivalry between England and Australia, ended in Sydney. Australia won the last Test by five wickets and the series 4–1. A Test match can last five days, so I packed five days of sandwiches. In Melbourne, the match lasted two.
Melbourne
England won in Melbourne, their first Test win in Australia since 2011. Everyone was very excited. I was very full.
The match was over in two days, which left me with three days of sandwiches and nowhere to go. I ate them in the car park, slowly, with dignity. By the third day, the car park staff knew my name and my fillings.
Sydney
In Sydney, the match went the full five days, and Australia won on the very last one. Naturally, I had packed for two. I ran out of sandwiches on day three and had to buy a meat pie, which turned out to be wonderful.
Australia won the series. England won in Melbourne. And cricket taught me its biggest lesson: nobody knows how long anything will take. Next time, I’m packing for both, and bringing the pie money.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Ashes?
Cricket's oldest rivalry, England against Australia. The trophy is a very small urn. I'd have gone bigger.
What does winning by five wickets mean?
It means you reached your target with five wickets still in hand. It took four people and one sandwich to explain that to me.