This Sporting Life

A huge day in sport for me today, with the opening of cricket's County Championship and the start of the Masters golf at Augusta. It's hugely frustrating to be again denied access to the cricket, as the empty seating at Headingley shows.

Sport has been a huge part of my life. Cricket, mainly, as a player, and I have ticked may boxes as a spectator - Test matches at the great Melbourne Cricket Ground (the G) probably being the highlight.

I also played rugby union and crown green bowls, and was a keen pot-holer (caver) as a young man, the Yorkshire Dales my favourite playground, but I also visited Slovenia, where the Postonja system is the caving equivalent of Lord's or the MCG.

The golf course at Augusta is a box which is unlikely to be ticked, but I did witness Ballesteros winning the Open at Lytham. I've added an 'extra' from the YouTube coverage of the Masters. Can any other major sporting event be played at a venue half as beautiful as this?