I have been stung by the "Taipans" and they had me cheering.

I’ve never been into sport, in fact some would call me unAustralian. I don’t like watching cricket and I really hate football, so one would not expect to see me at a basketball game, but there I was with my husband, waiting for our National Basketball team, the “Cairns Taipans” to play the final home game of the season against the “Sydney Kings”.

Sitting in the crowd, it’s hard to not get swept up in the emotion of the game. I find myself chanting with the crowd, “Defence” as our team tries to prevent the Kings from scoring and then silently cursing our Taipans players when they stuff up, giving the other team another chance to score.

Unfortunately, on this occasion the “Sydney Kings” were just too good, defeating the “Cairns Taipans”, 93 to 86. Let’s hope the “Taipans” have a better game against the “Perth Wildcats” on the 9th Feb.