Such was the majesty of Sam Billings' slog sweep onto Manuka Oval's Bob Hawke stand, the former Prime Minister would've probably celebrated with a yard of ale were he still with us.
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He might just have had another to toast former ACT Comet Nathan McAndrew as he returned to his old stomping ground to claim three wickets as the Sydney Thunder handed a below-par Perth Scorchers their first loss of the Big Bash summer.
Indeed, beer drinking was the order of the day in Australia on Tuesday as an insipid England crumbled in Melbourne to confirm the Ashes would be staying on these shores.
Enthusiastic swillers had the entire afternoon to celebrate Australia's triumph. Those who made it to the evening's Big Bash installment were left wondering thus: Will Billings be a part of the England side for the fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground?
His 67 from only 35 balls was one shy of what the Poms managed in their paltry second innings against Australia. He would certainly add plenty of starch and flair to that brittle middle order.
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The highlight of another brilliant Billings knock came in the 13th over when he skipped across his stumps, crouched down on one knee and deposited Mitchell Marsh onto the Hawke stand some 98m away from the middle of the Manuka wicket.
That brought up his half century.
Moments later he stroked Ashton Agar over cover for another maximum, surely one of the hardest shots one could hope to conjure at the sold-out Canberra venue.
Andrew Tye mustered the ball that brought about his dismissal, to kick start one of the most bizarre overs in Big Bash history.
After removing the Englishman, Tye bowled two full tosses, above waist height, in short succession. Perhaps better surmised, certainly in the eye of the umpire, he bowled two dangerous balls in the same over and was hence removed from the attack as the laws of cricket stipulate in such a rare situation.
The damage was done before Tye's forced withdrawal.
NSW youngster Jason Sangha steered the Thunder's innings to its conclusion of 7-200, finishing with an unbeaten 56 off 46 balls to back up his 47 two days prior against the Sydney Sixers.
Perth fought valiantly with the bat, despite a poor start to their chase.
New Zealander Colin Munro made 64 not out while a clearly frustrated Tye angrily bludgeoned the ball over the boundary three times to score 44 off 25 balls - his highest ever Big Bash score.
He fell to Thunder captain Chris Green, with Tye his 50th career BBL wicket.
The Scorchers finished 34 runs short. None of their batsmen found the top of the Hawke Stand.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
