I spent the whole morning watching the Australian Open semi-final between Andy Murray and David Ferrer. I have to say you Aussies provide a great show. If it isn’t the Australia Day fireworks in the middle of the Nadal-Ferrer match, it’s a flock of seagulls invading the stadium, shortly followed by a very large moth who obviously wanted a closer view of the match. It was a very colourful spectacle, with wee Scottish flags being waved here and there, along with a group of young ladies holding up cards spelling out “Marry me Murray” and at least one supporter with the saltire painted on his face. Then there were the Ferrer fans with their “Ferrero Rocher” banner. I loved the Foreign Legion caps complete with neck protectors of the ball boys and girls, though I thought most of the matches were played in the evening. It was good to see Ken Rosewall among the spectators, who gave great support to both players. There was the idiot who shouted out “Come on Murray” just as our hero was serving, but he might have been a Scottish rather than an Aussie idiot.
The tennis itself was fantastic and to top it all, the Scot won. That’s not something I can say very often. Roll on Sunday!
Boadicea's Chariot 
I’ll have my fingers crossed for you, Sheona. 🙂
Hi, Sheona.
I worry that you may have been furth (one of my most favourite of all Jock words) of Scotland for too long. Your post strikes me as coming parlously close to premature naked triumphalism or Englishness as we call it up here.
Could we just accept that the boy Andy is doomed on Sunday and that it will undoubtedly all end in tears? Saves a lot of time and grief, in my opinion.
On the other hand, Tim who? C’mon Andy.
Oh I know he’s going to lose on Sunday, JM, through physical tiredness if nothing else, since Novak has had a day of rest more than him. I just like to celebrate what little victories we Scots do achieve. You know there will be a new Scot on the F1 grid this season? Paul Di Resta will be driving for Force India, so no holding your breath there. Still he’s Dario Franchitti’s cousin, so there’s good racing blood there and he has to start somewhere. I shall continue to shout for Fernando as well, since I don’t think there will be much competition between them.
Of course the Six Nations starts next weekend. Que sera sera.
Aye, Sheona, I seem to remember that the Clan Di Resta fought on the right hand side of
Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden and that the Franchittis were prominent at the Battle of Bannockburn.
For any non-Jock observers and for the avoidance of doubt, this is what we call joshing. Dario and Paul are just as Scottish as Sheona or I. They were born here, they have good Scots tongues in their heads and we share a common Jockishness. We’re a wee thing Aussie in that respect.
Mind, they might be Hibees or Sellick fans and that would be a worry.
I’m very broadminded about which football team people support. Dario and Paul are as Scottish as the Nardini family; they just don’t make icecream.