Test cricket

Watching the cricket at the Basin was amazing. I loved the closeness of the action. I loved the dropped catches. I loved the tactics of Vaughan & Vettori. I loved sitting on the embankment square of the wicket. I loved the Barmy Army trumpeter and chants. I loved the Beige Brigade. I loved the company of colleagues, cousins, and a friend from uni days Lizzy & I hadn't seen in several years. I loved the invitation to all spectators to play on the outfield at the lunch break. I loved the history of the venue. I loved randomly bumping into Cathy from church. The weather was (for Wellington!) surprisingly good - sunny and no wind all day Saturday, and some sun and fierce southerlies but no rain on Sunday. The atmosphere was fantastic, with a full ground. Just superb. In fact, the only thing I didn't like was getting a numb bum from sitting on the grassy embankment for two days.

Test cricket is a joy. An ideal summer holiday would be a five day test match that's closely fought with more twists and turns than a snake slithering through the undergrowth. If you don't understand the appeal of test cricket then you're missing out; and are quite possibly from North America, as this tongue-in-cheek article makes clear!

I've just had the most wonderful late-summer weekend holiday. Lizzy and I travelled to Wellington in the balmy North Island on a Grab-A-Seat fare (click here for today's specials) over the weekend for days three and four of the second NZ vs England test at the Basin Reserve.

We went for two reasons. (My reasons, to which Lizzy gracious acquiesced)

1. No test cricket in Christchurch in 2008.
This is shocking, but not altogether surprising. NZ played no tests anywhere in the world in 2007 (don't get me started on that one). In December 2006 I went to a day of test cricket in Christchurch. I went on a Saturday, to a stadium that holds close to 36,000 people. I reckon there were about 600 of us watching NZ vs Sri Lanka. It was a fantastic match, and a real shame so few there to witness it. So I reckon NZ cricket didn't make any money on that, so scheduled tests in the North Island only for the England tour. That's annoying, but fair enough.

2. For many years now there's four places I've wanted to see test cricket.
a. The MCG in Melbourne - the world's largest cricket ground, holding 100,000. I'd love to see the Boxing Day test between Aussie & India. Unlikely, but who knows?
b. The Basin Reserve in Wellington. Easily the ground with the best atmosphere in NZ. I'm well happy to have seen two days over the weekend.
c. Anywhere in India, just to experience the immense passion in that great nation.
d. Lord's - the home of cricket. Obviously.


So - enthusing over, here's some photos:

Play in progress.

Lunch time on the outfield!

Colleagues & friends Ben & Val - on opposite sides of the supporter divide!

Cousins & friends Alexis & Ryan not too sure about the slow run rate....

Anna - our wonderful weekend host, and Lizzy-the-grinning-loon.

Friends all - James, me, Anna and Andrew. Plenty of space before the day's play began! Great to meet Andrew, on a bit of an OE from Salford in the UK with his wife and daughter. Haven't seen Andrew since Lizzy and I were students in Salford. Good times. Love his 'our kid' Mancunian accent.

Fourth day wicket, under a cloudy sky, and yet still it's in top condition. Well done to the groundsmen. In fact, spin only took one wicket of the 40 in the match.

Lizzy managed all day at the ground on the Saturday ('only 'cos it was sunny and warm' she says), and quite a lot of Sunday before the jerseys came out to keep warm, and the crochet to keep occupied. And then the lovely Jen (no photo, alas) rescued Lizzy and whisked her away for a shopping trip.

It was great to join Anna at The Street church for their evening service before flying home. Great to look at Exodus & 1 Corinthians on the theme of 'generosity'. Didn't really get the songs, but the prayers and sermon and even notices were so encouraging.

Also big thanks to Scott for picking us up in Chch, and for Jess for dropping us off on the Friday.

And a big thanks too to both my grandpas for instilling in me a love for Jesus and a love for cricket - what a wonderful combination. If you've got those two you can't go far wrong I reckon. As Ben said - WWJD can easily stand for when would Jesus declare?

Nice one.