The 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester were officially the best Games EVER! Four years on, and the baton passes to Melbourne, Australia.

BBC MANCHESTER's Mike SHAFT was the official host in Manchester and now he's off to OZ... And he's keeping a diary:

So it is Monday morning of the second and final week of the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. And boy what a weekend I have just had.

I will just concentrate on just one aspect of this unbelievable few days.

On Saturday, the England Basketball team were playing against New Zealand at a place called Bendigo.

Bendigo is about a two hour drive from the centre of Melbourne and I am delighted to say that transport is provided to take the media out to the venue and to bring us back.

So at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon I am in place ready for the trip. England would have to be on top of their game to get anything out of this.

Included in the New Zealand team was former Chester Jet's favourite Pero Cameron. Some years ago,

Pero was voted to the All Star team for the Basketball World Championship and it is easy to see why. He stuck threes, took rebounds, dished up great assists and generally led his team from the front.

In the end, despite putting up a great fight, England were defeated 84-63 but could hold their head up high.

The New Zealand Head Coach Tab Baldwin was impressed with England.

So I hear you say what has this got to do with my having a bad weekend.

Well after the game I hang around until the first media bus departs at 11:00pm. There was one other person on the Bus. He was journalist Grant Chapman who works with the New Zealand team.

Having travelled about 5 kilometres out of Bendigo, there was a quite amazing sound. It was as if someone had released a number of ball bearings on the top of the bus.They hadn't.

What had in fact happened was that an unseen group had attacked the bus and three windows had come crashing in.

My New Zealand colleague, who was sitting in the wrong seat was covered in glass, resulting in a cut on the back of his neck. Our driver, showed great initiative in not stopping the bus but continuing for about 2 more kilometres before bringing the bus to a halt.

As we surveyed the damage, we were convinced that we had been shot at, as one of the windows had a hole about ½ an inch across. The driver contacted the Commonwealth Games Office who called the police. When they arrived, they took full control of the situation. Searching the bus, they found two rocks and they convinced us we had not been shot at. They said it was probably kids throwing stones.

After taking statements from us we were allowed to catch the later bus returning to Melbourne from Bendigo, arriving in Melbourne well after 3 o'clock.

This is a weekend I am not going to forget in a hurry.

Later