The effort was worthwhile

Well, if we thought yesterday was intense then today was something that took it to a whole new level. We should, as England cricket fans, have been quite distraught at what we watched today. But there was an air of resignation and also huge respect for having seen one of the greatest talents ever play the game play an innings like that. And in the aftermath of events that had happened in Sachin's home city it somehow seemed apt (and to an extent inevitable) that he would pull it off.

And more pertinently it proved that this series should have gone ahead. What better way for a shell-shocked nation to get over recent events than to watch Test cricket and watch one of its greatest players produce something like that? And it was a shot in the arm for Test cricket because while we'd sat at home watching India play Australia in front of a handful of people, the stadium here was packed. The noise was amazing and it was quite fun for the few England fans to try singing in the middle of it. We could barely hear ourselves speak, never mind sing, but we persevered anyway.

We also achieved a relationship with the Indian fans that was heart-warming. If I shook one hand on the way out I must have shaken a hundred and they were full of conciliation to us for having watched our team lose. Coming on tour was always primarily about watching cricket, but having people appreciate our attendance in the wake of recent events makes it all the more worthwhile. Hopefully we'll be the ones commiserating with them in Mohali though.