This wasn't quite how I'd planned my Sunday.
After pushing myself a little too hard on Saturday, my knee was making its objections known. My original travel plans were looking increasingly ambitious, so I decided to simplify things.
There was another reason to change plans. New South Wales had given themselves a chance of winning their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Cricket Central. Heading into the fourth and final day, Tasmania were fighting to survive, and there was the possibility of an interesting finish.
I decided to take the gamble. Cricket Central in the morning, then across to Afterpay Arena for the Sydney Kings against the Adelaide 36ers in the afternoon. That was a rematch of last season's Grand Final series, so I wasn't going to miss it.
I arrived a little after play had started, catching a wicket as I approached the ground and watched through the fence. Sean Abbott had bowled another Tasmanian batter, taking his third wicket.
That seemed promising.
I collected my usual coffee, settled onto one of the aluminium benches in the shade, and watched New South Wales take another wicket. Tasmania were largely playing for survival, with plenty of dot balls and the occasional close call. A couple more wickets and New South Wales might have been on their way.
The field was crowded around the batters. Between deliveries, I found myself studying the positions, wondering what the bowler was planning and why particular fielders had been moved.
You almost need to deliberately look away when watching cricket.
A delivery, a shot, perhaps an edge to the slips. Often the whole thing is over in a second or two, followed by a pause while everyone prepares to do it again.
I've found that concentrating continuously on the players eventually makes my attention wander, sometimes just as something happens.
So between deliveries, I watch other things. Fielders adjusting their positions, conversations around the wicket, a fielder moving around the boundary when a left-handed batter replaces a right-handed one. There's plenty happening within the game that isn't immediately about the ball.
And there's everything else.
Cricket Central had aircraft passing overhead throughout the morning, including a surprising number of helicopters. I found myself wondering where they were going. Around the ground there were people coming and going, and occasional movement among the small crowd.
There were even fewer spectators than Saturday, perhaps half as many. A couple of familiar faces were back, along with some players from the Sydney Thunder and Sixers squads who appeared to be involved in training activities nearby. Some wandered over to watch the Shield cricket during their breaks, largely left alone by the small crowd.
One of the pleasures of Cricket Central is being able to move around freely. I started on the aluminium benches, then moved beside the boundary fence to get closer to the action and enjoy some sunshine. During lunch, I retreated into the air-conditioned café for a second coffee, before settling on a stool at a table in the courtyard after lunch.
Meanwhile, Tasmania were gradually working themselves out of trouble. The defensive batting became more positive, the runs accumulated, and New South Wales were facing the prospect of having to bat again.
By the time I left, Abbott had four wickets, Tasmania had built a lead, and a New South Wales victory was looking increasingly unlikely. I would have liked to see Abbott take his fifth, particularly after how well he'd bowled.
There was still the possibility of a dramatic finish, but I wasn't going to be there to see it. I'd have to follow the rest on the Cricket Australia app.
The gamble hadn't quite paid off, but I'd had a few relaxing hours watching cricket. Given how the weekend had started, that was probably enough.
And the Kings were about to play the 36ers. That had the makings of a very different afternoon.
