Smithson: Final innings election jitters with a beer-pouring twist

“A little paranoia” and a check on front bar pouring credentials in the state election’s final innings, Mike Smithson scrutinises the final fight for SA’s political ashes.

The final days of an election campaign often resemble a cricketer batting through the nervous ’90s.

The major parties have put in the hard yards to consolidate their innings over a four-year period, but that last 10 runs become an unexplained mental hurdle.

They’ve offered edgy chances throughout their knock, but they’re now so close, yet so far, from holding their bat aloft and doffing their cap to the crowd.

That cricket analogy could almost be extended to Peter Malinauskas being compared to the almost invincible Don Bradman as he strode to the crease at The Oval in London for his final innings in 1948.

Just four runs were needed to end his career with a test batting average of 100.

Labor’s leader has used his fancy political footwork and played every shot in the book since rising to the party’s top job eight years ago.

But for Mali’s sake let’s not get too ‘Bradmanesque’ as the Don was bowled for a duck on the second ball he faced.

Despite Labor’s healthy lead and predicted victory to rewrite the record books, I can feel a perceived sense of tension more in the red camp than the blue.

Then, of course, there are also high expectations from the green and orange teams as well.

That’s what makes the next three days fascinating, whether you follow the sport of politics or not.

The inward pressure, from the Premier downwards in the Labor camp, is that expectations are so high,........

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