6/3/15

Dear Diary,

After the game ended yesterday I hung around for the post match presentations. Kyle Coatzer was awarded the man of the match for his stunning 150 odd which would normally be one of the best and happies days of your life but he looked a man on the edge of breaking down. You could tell for a fact that he would trade in every single one of those runs for a Scotland victory. Alas, for everyone, that wasn’t to be. Not today anyway. Scotland do have two last chances to get that breakthrough first world Cup victory they are desperately looking for but they have missed their last best chance in this match against a Bangladesh team who held their composure from the start and throughout.

A harsh critic would say that Scotland have two chances of getting a victory from here: Slim (Sri Lanka) and none (Australia) but I prefer to remain optimistic and still hope , and believe, that we can still pull off an upset and want to be there when that happens. And so, I am off to Tasmania to see how our boys do and support them in doing it. But there’s still plenty of travel to do and cricket to watch and adventures to have before then.

After the presentation I need to go to the lavatory and mum choses to phone me at that moment to see how the game is going and I tell her that I'm in the toilet as are Scotland's dreams. It’s not quite accurate (on either point) but it sounds poetic and ask her to come pick me up. On the way out of the ground I pick up a placard that reads "Dream Big" it's a sentiment I want to take away from this game, and life in general, and seeing how busy the road is decide to use it as an attention getter so that Mum can see where I am a little bit better. Holding it above my head like a poor man’s John Cusack by the side of a busy road earns me a few beeps and honks from passing motorists who either agree with the message or who think I'm too close to the hard shoulder, it's hard to tell. A couple of hippies walk past and we have one of those conversations that can really only happen when fuelled by a little too much alcohol but before too long we have all agreed that advertising boardings everywhere should be replaced with inspirational messages like "Do your best" and "Try your hardest" but before we can right all the wrongs in the world my Mum arrives and I have to go home.

Stepdad Murray, who usually enjoys finding even the slightest thing to humourously needle me about, is actually quite conciliatory and says that there is a lot of positives that Scotland should take away from this match. He seems genuine in his conversation for a change and I am dubious of his motivations but agree that there was a lot of good from Scotland out on the field today. My suspicion of his conciliatory chat is aroused when he serves up dinner but places the wooden spoon on my plate!!! He says that I'm seeing insults where only patronising sympathy exists ... and life returns to normal.

Next morning we are due to all fly to Auckland together, me to see more cricket, the olds to see more countryside, but a storm front has moved through the Nelson region resulting in whiplashing wind and rain that threatens to cancel flights out of the tiny city. The tiny airport is packed with people whose flights have been cancelled and are desperate to move on and the small foyer gets even busier when the Bangladesh team arrive to get on their plane only to have to wait around like the rest of us and even busier still when the Scottish team and entourage arrive trying to fly out at the same time.

I over hear a few of the players talking to their parents about how the game went and how it could have gone differently and I even spot a few familiar and friendly faces in the melee including the two hippies from the roadside/inspirational advertising conversation from last night and stop for a brief polite conversation. None of us are as drunk as last night and I start to wonder if anything we talked about under the influence yesterday evening made sense at the time… because nothing they talk about now does. When they pull out some mandolins and start harmonising in the corner of the waiting lounge I leave them to it and silently wish that the freaks of the world (of which I am one) could be a little bit more normal!

Thankfully the storm passes over by early afternoon resulting in a small delay to our flight and not a cancelation and before you could remember all the words to 'losing my religion' we arrive in Auckland. This is my second time in the land of the Aucks on this trip but this time will probably be a little less rambunctious as I'm with the ‘rents and also because I spent way too much money last time I was here (for the amazing/classic new Zealand V, Australia game!) and have only had $20 in my wallet since I left last week. Since then I have been getting Mum to pay for everything for me as I am cash strapped for Kiwi dollars. She either hasn't noticed I've been bludging off of her for the last 5 days or doesn’t mind as I've been getting away with it. But it does mean there will be no tagging along with random stag nights like last time I was here.

Never mind, the cricket promises to be entertaining and BIG: SOUTH AFRICA V. PACKISTAN

I don’t have money or emotion invested in this game or these nations so I am hoping for a really good game with lots of action that is incredibly close at the end.

Or, a tie!

Mostly I just hope that this 'Day/Night' game makes it to the 'Night' part of the game. Something that hasn’t happened in the previous 'Day/Nighters' I've to (New Zealand v. England, New Zealand v. Australia)!!! The Kiwis aren’t playing in it so perhaps it will. Tomorrow will tell at THE BIG GAME!!!



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