The New Black Caps.
It's underlined & bold because I think its worth thinking of them as a new team. This is a team that seems to believe in what they're doing & that they can achieve. Scary stuff.
Recently the Black Caps have been winning, which is awesome, but it's also a bit hard on the kiwi cricket fans nerves. Over the last ten years we've become a bit reluctant to consider ourselves favourites for anything - including com contests with perceived whipping dogs like Bangladesh (who we lost horrendously to twice now...)
Our test win against the Windies was a fresh, controlled affair that raised hopes which were further buoyed by the remarkable thrashing in the Queenstown ODI (Oscar will never forget the 36-ball 100 by Cory Anderson and thinks I too can hit sixes at will like that - he's gonna realise our back-yard taps are a bit short of the boundary very soon I fear!).
But then it came - the 200 run DEFEAT in Hamilton. Oh dear; the highs and lows of Black Caps fans. And furthermore, a loss in the 5th (fourth if you remove the rained off Napier ODI) match meant a series DRAW 2-2. Wow - where was the consistency?
All of a year ago, that would have sent the media into a spin 'Off with their heads!', "New coach or Bust" and that sort of palava - but there was barely a whimper. Why so easy on them? Surely a test series win isn't enough to silence our harsh (and battle hardened) media/critics.
Ah, the Indians are on the horizon. This'll be the litmus test.
And it has been. We've been nigh on brilliant!
Oscar & I have watched all the matches, either live (well after his bedtime - but don't tell mum!) or delayed/highlights packs. And its been unreal.
It's consistent too. Perhaps relying a little much on Messrs Taylor & Williamson a touch; but consistent all the same. Setting the target or chasing - consistent. Wow. We managed a 4-0 'Whitewash'. Not unheard of, but a long time coming (2007 I think?!?!).
So now the test series looms large on the horizon. The weather in Auckland is looking a little unfavourable (70km/hr winds and rain sound like summer cricket weather?)
We wait with baited breath. Sadly I think test matches will be lost on Oscar. Not yet Four years old and a coloured clothing fan to the core - the whites, slow run rates and lack of SIX's will probably dampen his enthusiasm a little. But he'll watch the highlights anyway.
How awesome would it be to see Jesse Ryder crashing boundaries left right & over long on at Hagley Oval in the CWC opener on Valentines Day 2015?!?!?
With less than 17,000 seats in the new stadium its going to be a bit of a mission to get tickets to the opener but we're hanging in there. I've signed both of us up to the CWC 2015 website to get access as early as possible, but it seems like it might be a bit of a lottery.
Sadly these types of worldwide sports events see a large number of tickets issued to sponsors, host partners and officials - all going well there'll be some left for Oscar & I.
I headed to South Africa in 2003 but sadly missed the opening games - but saw probably the best of the tournament and the best game I've ever seen New Zealand play - NZ vs South Africa at Wanderers where Stephen Fleming played one of his greatest innings (134 n/o). Wanderers was full - 34,000 people jammed in and it was amazing. I trust we'll do the same here in 2015 - it's just 'How do I get tickets!?' that concerns me!
This is Oscar. At about 18 months he started watching cricket with me in our little Mt Eden flat. He started imitating the cricketers and their shots so I took him along to the NZ vs Zimbabwe T20i at Eden Park in February 2011. Oscar stayed till the end and was transfixed by the game, loving the ebb & flow and the roar of the crowd.
In the interval I bought him a kids Black Caps hat and a miniature 'autograph' bat - and then the love affair really began.
We had plenty of soft balls at home and Oscar immediately began hitting them around the lounge with gusto and grace. I started rolling them along the ground but he insisted I 'bowl' to him. The result was a magnificent recreation of true batting and real cricket shots, by a two year old!
While he's still a bit impetuous with a bent for the leg-side heave (think more Dan Vettori than Jesse Ryder though) he can unfurl the most graceful cover drive you could ask for.
Oscar's an all rounder though., A left handed batsman, he prefers to bowl right handed - ala Jacob Oram. There's a bit of a bent arm tendency, but I figure he'l grow out if this.
You might think I'm driving him hard to play, improve and get his eye in, but I can swear it's Osc that comes to me with bat & ball in hand begging for 'Crick-it'.
As we draw closer to Cricket World Cup 2015, I have hatched a plan toy take Oscar to as many CWC matches here in NZ as the bank balance will allow. We're planning on all the Black Caps matches (Tickets allowing!) and any others at Eden park that we can fit in.
Yes, there's a chance of cricket burn-out, but I'd rather die trying than let a chance like this pass us by.
