ICC World Cup 2015 – New Zealand v England: Who is Partying after the Match?

The cricket tragics had already started. New Zealand’s 3 News reported on England’s Barmy Army holding a pre match party at Featherston Bar and Grill, a Wellington pub, on Thursday evening. Even a retired police officer joined the Barmy Army and travelled from England to watch cricket games.

After this report, 3 News reported on the training sessions of both teams. The Black Caps enjoyed training with local school students at Basin Reserve. Then the weather forecast was presented with sunny and no wind. It would be 23 degrees in the afternoon and good conditions would welcome cricketers and spectators in the New Zealand capital.

Meanwhile, Stuff news website (Fairfax New Zealand) reports that Black Caps’ squad would have no change for the match.

Who would enjoy a post-match party on Friday evening?

Even I did not join any party last night, I feel so tired in the morning today. But I hope I have enough energy to keep up with cricket!

Being hard to get an appropriate room to listen to New Zealand’s Radio Sport live coverage (I thought that no one would use this room now), I am a bit uneasy if someone use this room at the employment program place for meetings.

At 10:10am my time (12:10pm AEDT and 2:10pm NZDT), England is 5-0. England get a two-run two minutes later.

New Zealand bowlers apply pressure, commentators say. Then the English hit the ball and goes to the boundary. At 10:15 am, the score hits 15-0. Meanwhile the radio describes today’s Wellington a glorious day.

Being back to the computer at 10:23 am, England has been caught with a wicket and the score is 31-1.

At 10:35am, the EPSN cricinfo website provides the score at 36-2. But it is hard to keep up with details on the radio as commentators talk about past performances and surrounding areas, for example, cafés and cultures.

At 10:47am, I hear relived voices from fielder (Black Caps), but it is just no run or wicket. I am disappointed.

Just before 11:00 am, I think commentator suggest the English to hit a ball smartly to get two-runs. But I am not sure because it is hard for me to understand whole story what they are talking about. Now England scores at 55-2. Am I worried a lot for not being able to keep up well?

Uh! I missed Black Caps getting a wicket! At 11:09am, the score is 57-3. But it is okay as I have other things to do as well!

Oh I love the sound of the ball bouncing the pitch!

At 11:30am, the score is 72-3. Meanwhile I remember about keeping up with footy on the radio. It is hard for me to convert commentating into screen on my own. Watching games is the best option for me to understand what is going on. It applies to cricket as well, indeed. I should have been in Wellington today!

Sounds of hitting the ball that brings batting team runs are so warm too! At 11:40am, England has just got a three-run (I think).

What I am doing is much different from partying, but I enjoy keeping up with this interesting cricket match.

At 11:51am, England hit 100 runs. Meanwhile I start wondering what ‘over’ means. I think international matches have innings played until 11 wickets are caught. At the ICC World Cup, changing innings may happen when a bowling team has bowled 50 overs (one over is six bowls). Am I right?

I think cricketers have already had lunches, but thanks to a four-hour time difference between New Zealand and Japan, my lunch break is in a couple minutes. See you soon, Black Caps and England!

At 12:20pm, I am back to the cricket. I am surprised to hear that England has been lost eight wickets! They are likely to get caught wickets when I am away from the game for reasons. Their runs are 116 (31 overs).

It is 12:30pm and once again I was not able to get England caught a wicket live! I may try to do many things at once?

A ten-minute break is given at 12:34 pm. Five minutes later, the score board is read at England: 123. It seems that New Zealand is batting after the break. I heard sounds that I reckoned catching a wicket. Now it makes sense.

Meanwhile radio presenters say that it is disappointing for England. I had thought that England would score more runs. The number is similar to it’s scored by Scotland earlier this week.

At 12:48pm, I hear the ball being hit and Black Caps get a four-run. The score is read at 5-0 for Kiwis.

Six runs are awarded to Black Caps four minutes later. The sound of hit ball is not huge. I wonder how the ball went.

At 1:10pm, New Zealand scores 67 runs in less than 30 minutes. Kiwis are doing well!

Kiwis score on five and three six runs summing up the score at 90 in just six minutes afterwards. While typing the sentence, they hit another six-run. Wow!

Meanwhile I am not able to get any highlight video. I am still unable to get visual sense of the game. No video on the Stuff news website. No highlight video of the game on the ESPN cricinfo website.

At 1:23pm, Kiwis are just required 19 runs to win.

Two minutes later, I hear hands clapping and think Black Caps score four or six-run. But they are caught a wicket. As I wanted Kiwis not to be caught a wicket, I am disappointed (NZ 105-1).

Checking the score board at 1:30 pm, it is read at New Zealand 109-1 (7.6/50 overs). However score board is changing slowly now (as four minutes later).

Between 1:40pm and 1:45pm, I hear News Talk ZB on Sport Radio. I start being worried why it happens, even I know that both radio stations are owned by the same company.

Meanwhile the score board has no change so I start wondering what happens, but later I find that they are on tea break thanks to the Stuff news website.

At 2:00pm, Sport News on Radio Sport says that the game is resuming back in 10 minutes.

Ten minutes later, I hear that fireworks are ready to be displayed any time and the live coverage is broadcast in Australia (ABC) and the UK (BBC).

Forty-minute tea break might help England get energy and concentrated. After the break, Kiwis get no run but are caught a wicket (as at 2:18pm). A minute later, Black Caps get a four-run.

Meanwhile a comment on the Stuff website suggests that the decision of 40-minute tea break when only a team is required 12 runs is silly. I think so too.

At 2:24pm, a party seems to have already started by Kiwi spectators as I hear roars. Black Caps get 119 runs.

Unique ICC World Cup game ended at 2:30pm. New Zealand won by 8 wickets (with 226 balls reminding). The final score is England: 123 (33.2 overs) and New Zealand: 125-2 (12.2 overs).

Black Caps won comfortably even if the last 12 runs were hard to get.

It is just over 6:30pm in Wellington, time for Kiwis to party. It is just over 2:30pm here and I have an appointment with a dentist at 5:00 pm, so no party for me.

 

About Yoshihiro Imagawa

Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.

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