The American astronauts narrowly won a side contest that they didn't even know they had entered.
With so much to play for, Melbourne's sluggish start was all too predictable for their fans, who haven't seen their side contest a final since 2006.
As the contestants labored over their respective fires, the rest of us kibitzed, ate Spanish cheeses and cured meats and compared the virtues of rosé and white-wine sangrias in a side contest.
It was a comment that happened to strike a chord with the public and the race became something of an unofficial side contest to see who could create their own personal piece of history first.
Peter Gentle's side, contesting their first final since the 2008 defeat by St Helens, have managed to carry their cup form into the league since stunning Warrington, although they were made to come from behind twice by a spirited Salford.
Congo were barely in the game but the half-time team talk delivered by veteran Frenchman Claude LeRoy, coaching at his eighth Nations Cup, galvanised a side contesting its first Nations Cup finals since 2000.
After the three matches in Antigua, Ashley Giles's side contest three Twenty20s against the world T20 champions in Bridgetown, Barbados, before travelling to Bangladesh, where their World Twenty20 campaign starts against New Zealand on 22 March.
While Ajax are more familiar with this tournament than a United side contesting it for the first time since 1995, Sir Alex Ferguson's men are among the title favourites and will be confident of making it past their youthful opponents".
In the 20 years since, England have lost the 2002, 2006 and 2010 finals to New Zealand, but their experience and quality finally told against a Canadian side contesting their first.
They had been hoping to savour the extra ingredient provided by Pietersen's return but the weather failed to match the occasion and it was a dreary autumnal picture at the famous Kennington venue when umpires Richard Illingworth and Tim Robinson, the former England internationals, abandoned any hope of even a five-over per side contest at 21 07 BST.
