The Don's aura

We're standing waiting for Ricky Ponting to arrive for the pre-match press conference when a friendly, unassuming man begins a conversation about India, cricket and everything in between. It's not exactly the best time to talk and I'm fidgeting around, trying to find a way to end the conversation. With one eye on the door, I am trying to keep track of what is being said. "I spent a lot of time in Burma," he seems to be saying. Now that's not on the agenda today, I'm thinking. I have a Ponting press conference, then Anil Kumble, then a preview for the match, maybe something about the 'spirit of cricket' and the usual 'time to move forward' cliché. And here I have someone saying, "And it's great to see cricket in the subcontinent." He's obviously well travelled and well read but I wish I could catch him at a more relaxed time.

Ponting is a bit delayed and the conversation finally comes to a logical conclusion. "Sorry we haven't introduced ourselves. I am Tim Fischer, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Hope to see you around." Work suddenly seemed trivial.

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We spend the evening at the Sir Donald Bradman Oration. Before you fall off your seats, the Oration was established by Cricket Australia in 2000 as a means of marking the Don's contribution to the Australian way of life. John Howard, the former Prime Minister, Richie Benaud, a former Australia captain, Alan Jones, the renowned broadcaster, and Michael Parkinson, the television personality, have delivered lectures in the years gone by. Today it was the turn of Peter Cosgrove, the former head of the Australian Defence Force, who described himself as an ordinary punter, but not of the Ponting variety.

Bradman obviously remains Australian cricket’s most revered and influential figure. Cosgrove remembered his first sighting of the Don, when his father patted him on the back and said in a hushed tone: "Son, that's the Don." It's not so much the piece of information as it is the manner of utterance that adds to the aura. Cosgrove went on to describe the nerve-tingling moments he had experienced as a cricket fan - including the final day of the 1960-61 series against the West Indies at the MCG - and admitted he hadn't seen a day more celebratory.

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