Dec 20, 2001 07:40 AM
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(Updated Dec 20, 2001 10:47 AM)
factNew Zealanders love cricket.
factNew Zealanders love it when our team wins a cricket match.
factNew Zealand doesn’t win very often.
Gone are the days of the great names of New Zealand cricket. We used to have such greats as Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe and Lance Cairns.
These days the names of Vittori, Parore,Vincent and Fleming aren’t quite as well known.
The NZ team is affectionately known as the BLACKCAPS , most NZ sports teams are linked in one way or another with the word black which is our national colour. (rugby.. ALL BLACKS, basketball.. TALL BLACKS, Americas cup.. BLACK MAGIC)
The last couple of years have just about brought NZ Cricket to its knees with a spate of injuries you would only dream about in your worst nightmares. Every time the team turned out for a match I was asking my husband who was who. I didn’t recognise any faces or any names at all.This team of guys have pulled together and are starting to look extremely promising.
The NZ public is looking forward to the summers cricket season with anticipation again.
We have two tours to look forward to with Bangladesh and England touring NZ but the one that’s got everyone going is the One Day VB World Series.
Starting in Jan 2002, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa will be competing in this series. Nothing brings out the passion in a New Zealander more then facing our neighbours…AUSTRALIA ... undoubtedly the best Cricket team in the world. We seldom beat them but when we do victory is sweet! NZ has just completed a tour of Australia and it has left us with a shimmer of hope about this upcoming series.
One Day Cricket is where New Zealand does best. We seem to have a tendency to play as if there is no tomorrow; not the ideal style for a 5 day test match but it suits the one day game. One Dayers are full of excitement with heroes and villains. You just can’t beat the atmosphere when, with 5 overs remaining and 30 runs required for a win the challenge is laid down. The crowd holds its breath with every delivery and the air is thick with tension.
No matter who the names in the team are, when those guys play with the silver fern on their shirts they play with the nation behind them 100%.
