27/2/15

Dear Diary,

Auckland : Land of the Aucks. Brilliant city. Lots to see and do. I’ve been here before (on an anniversary trip with the wife) so I’ve pretty much done everything touristy that there is to do here, that is besides go to a epic cricket game !!!

The big game between Australia and New Zealand doesn't start until 2pm so I have a free morning to sleep in. The only thing I really want to do here is revisit one of the greatest record shops in the known universe, a place called ‘Real Groovy’ at the top of Queen Street. last time I was here I discovered it pretty early on and gave the wife four days notice that on the last day of our holiday I was going to be spending a sizeable amount of the day in there. Had a fab time, picked up some treasures, and spent four hours in a record shop without the wife complaining. Brilliant.

Record shops have had a habit of disappearing over the last few years and I had fears for this one too but was relieved to see a hand painted sign outside it claiming ‘33 1/3 years strong’ and it didn't look like it was going anywhere for a while yet. Brilliant. The wife isn’t with me on this trip so I had the full morning to browse the bargain stands for magic and after 3 hours of rummaging around I managed to find about £60 worth of forgotten masterworks on CDs (including one from my favourite Canadian band “The Pursuit of Happiness” that I’ve been looking for for twenty years). Best record shop in new Zealand, definitely in the top three worldwide.

When I eventually drag myself away (I might go back tomorrow before my flight) I head straight out to the stadium. There are loads of volunteers along the way giving out stuff I don't need.

“I sun viser sir?”

“yes. thank you.”

“A black caps wristband sir?”

“um, ok. Thanks”

“A mini flag sir?”

“Sure.”

“A moustache sir?”

“What? What the actual ... NO. No, I’m good for mustaches. Thanks.”

“They're free sir.”

(The temptation to say, ‘oh, alright then. give me two.’ is overwhelming ... but I resist.)

Despite spending half my life in a record shop this morning I make it to the ground in time to see the toss. Australia win it and choose to bat first. According to Shane Warne there might be a bit of swing in the air but the pitch is flat and hard so a lot of runs will be scored. He claims 350 is a par score and I relish the encounter that is due to come. One of the things I’m looking forward to the most is being at a day/night game that actually makes it into the night part of the schedule (yeah, I’m looking at you England V new Zealand in Wellington!)

The sun is out and it’s roasting hot in Auckland today so I’m glad to find that my seat is in the shady part of the stand. I’m showing my allegiance by being dressed all in black and it has pure melted me but when you have money invested in a team you do that type of thing. But Its cool, the Aussies are outnumbered 10 to 1 and the only guy who blows my cover, the chap sitting next to me, promises to keep my Australian heritage a secret.

The Aussies are up to their usual noisy behaviour from the start of the match, and with good reason too as Warner (not a favorite person in New Zealand) and Finch get off to a flying start. 15 off the first over. This is gonna be a great total. The Aussies are up for this. Southee Bowls Finch with a beauty that nipped back in the third over and the crowd erupts. I’ve never heard so many people cheer so simultaneously before, the noise is deafening and the atmosphere is electric. The Kiwis are up for this.

After 6 over Australia have pushed the score up to 51/1 and it looks like Warnies prediction of a huge total is spot on. McCallum brings on the experienced Vettori to slow the rate down. Spin inside the first ten overs, you don't see that very often. The captains hunch works and Vettori’s first over goes for only two runs. Warner and Watson continue to move the score along at the other end and things look back on track for a huge total until the breakthrough sees Watson caught playing an undisciplined shot of Vettori and immediately after Warner L.B.W. to a close call of Southee. From there on it was a procession of undisciplined batting from Australia and great bowling from Boult who ran through the Australian middle order to claim five wickets. Only Haddin offered any resistance to finish with a top score of 43 and build Australia's total up to a woeful 151 and all out off 33.2 overs.

Once again the Kiwis have annihilated a team so thoroughly that they need to come out and bat before the scheduled inning break. It’s becoming a habit with them.

Defending such a low total means that Australia have to get of to a good start and as Mitchell Johnson steams in for the first ball you get the sense that is exactly what will happen, but he bowls a no ball that is glanced away for four and the free hit is dispatched by Guptill for six. 11 of the first ball of the over and it’s business as usual from new Zealand. Guptill's wicket in the fourth over doesn't slow McCullum’s excessively fast scoring rate and neither does being hit on the arm by a Johnson thunderbolt and his 50 comes up in 21 balls. Quite slow for him really! When McCullum is out shortly after making his half century the scoring rate slows down but this is no real problem for New Zealand, they only need another 73 runs with more than 40 overs to get them in. Taylor is out for 1 only four balls after McCullum and the scheduled innings break is taken during which, former New Zealand captain and legendary batsman, Martin Crow, make an emotional speech as he is inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame.

Directly after the break Elliott is bowled by Stark who is now on a hat trick which gives the Aussies in the crowd enough hope of pushing it close to start making some noise again. A 50 partnership between Anderson and Williamson goes some way to quieting them down again until Anderson looks to be caught by Cummins taking a low catch. The Aussies are up and crowing again and when the replays on the big screen show that the ball might, MIGHT, have brushed the ground as well as the catchers fingers it’s the Kiwis who are up and making noise. The discontent rumblings raise even higher when the umpires decide that there isn't enough evidence to overturn the original decision and Anderson has to keep on walking.

Ronchi is out eight balls later for minimal contribution and the Aussies think their in with a chance but when Vettori, one of the best allrounders in the world, walks in batting at eight I have flashbacks to the Scotland V. new Zealand match ... sure Scotland took some wickets along New Zealand's innings, but there was never any real pressure and Vettori only need 10 runs to win, this time he needs 12 to send Australia down, plenty of time to do it in(about 25 overs still remain) and there's no real pressure on him.

He's out playing a ridiculous chip shot off a full toss eight balls later and all of a sudden this game is there to be lost by New Zealand and stolen by the Aussies. GAME ON !!!

Milne comes into bat with the score on 145/7 , seven runs to win, and leaves with the score on 146/8.

Southee comes into bat with the score on 146/8 , six runs to win, and leaves with the score on 146/9

Stark is on a hat trick for the second time in the match and the last man in , Boult, wicket would give it to him and Australia the victory against all the odds.

Stark does his best to undo Boult but is denied his hat trick by some solid defense. There are still 6 runs required to win it for New Zealand. One wicket required for Australia.

The tension is unbearable and suddenly no one in the crowd is crowing at all.

Kane Williamson, rising star for New Zealand cricket, puts everyone out of their misery and smacks the first ball of the next over straight down the ground for a massive six to finish that game and win it for the exuberant Kiwis.

It’s a phenomenal end to a phenomenal match and one worthy of being regarded as a World Cup Classic and another awesome battle between these competitive neighbours.

While this game may have been short no one feels short changed and loads of people hang around after the match to watch the presentations and catch our breath. Trent Boult is awarded the man of the match (probably for blocking out that hat trick delivery form Stark that would have won it for the Aussies as much for his five wicket haul) and the Chappell/Hadlee trophy (which should be on the line every time these two nations play against each other) is handed over to New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum by legend of the game Sir Richard Hadley.
After such an entertaining game it seems unlikely that Auckland nightlife will be able to live up to anything like this, but I head into town to find out anyway.




"Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it." Jules Renard - (1864 - 1910)