A Strange Day at The Basin

Valentine’s Day at the Basin Reserve.  And there was more than a respectable number of people in attendance to express the love.

Apart from the test itself, there was the politician studded launching of the promotion around the 2015 Cricket World Cup.  The count-down has begun.

Hagley Oval has the go-ahead, the final countries are known, and the objective is to get a full house at all the matches.  Tickets are well priced too.

And it promises to be high profile promotion for the next 12 months.

Get this?  Giant ODI cricket balls being pushed around grounds by teenagers, while Dean Jones checks his notes and a random New Zealander walks past carrying an Indian flag.  Looking good…

In fact Jones was everywhere.  The historic feud with Sir Richard Paddles 431 promises to be a feature of the build-up; albeit in a slightly awkward way.

Hadlee was a truly great bowler, but his acting skills are pretty closely aligned to those of Shane Bond..

But note how Jones displays the inside of his flashy suit to the female reporter while Hadlee keeps a watchful eye on the New Zealand fieldsmen warming up.  Just like was still playing.

Meanwhile, after the famous people departed there was the matter of a cricket test to play (onceJohn Key had got in the way of the toss).

Following a pretty handy first session of bowling, including 3 wickets in 10 minutes when there was drizzle around, this is how Ishant Sharma warms up for the next session.

The medicine ball resembles the World Cup inflatable.  While Kane Williamson works out other ways not to get dismissed.