Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson were probably aware of the fact even if they might not have wanted to acknowledge it.
The second day of the Lord's Test between Pakistan and Australia should have been all about these three Aussie fast bowlers, each with points to prove. Their Ashes berths are not entirely secure, with Ryan Harris and - if he can be fit in time - Peter Siddle ready to lay down challenges of their own.
But, like an uninvited party guest who arrives late and goes home with the prettiest girl, ruined their special day.
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Two things happened on Tuesday that summed up the tug-of-war between commercialism and tradition in international cricket.
In New Delhi, India captain with a 'talent management company' that will net him a minimum of 2bn rupees (about £28.2m) over the next two years for a mind-boggling string of endorsements.
In London, the first neutral Test at Lord's since 1912 began, and a healthy crowd of nearly 15,000 turned up to watch Australia take on Pakistan. Pointedly, the two-match series is sponsored by the MCC itself in the absence of any interest from commercial partners.
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It looked like a Test match that would attract only cursory interest in a calendar so bogged down with international fixtures.
But now Sri Lanka's match against India in Galle starting on 18 July will be a very special one,
Should Muttiah Muralitharan take eight wickets in the match - and for a player with his record it is by no means a distant prospect - he will end with an extraordinary haul of 800 wickets.
With the volume of Test cricket set to drop in the coming years, it is almost unthinkable that anyone will get close to that mark ever again.
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When Graeme Swann chipped a catch into the covers last Saturday evening off the bowling of Shaun Tait, cricketing hostilities between England and Australia were brought to a temporary end.
But fans with an unsatiable appetite for seeing these famous old rivals in action do not have long to wait until it all starts again, and this time the Ashes will be on the line.
England won but given how heavily they were beaten in the last two games - and how close they came to throwing the third match away at Old Trafford - there was not too much to gloat about for Andrew Strauss and Co.
Perhaps a whitewash for either team would have adjusted the balance a bit, but Australia were warm favourites for the Ashes before the ODIs began, and they are still warm favourites now.
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After the solemn realisation at the age of 12 that I might not be good enough to play cricket for England I decided that the next best thing, writing about cricket, would have to suffice as a career. That's what I've been doing for the 91Èȱ¬ Sport website since 2001, in which time the sport has changed immensely. You can also follow me on .
