We went for a drink in the centre of Auckland after the New Zealand v Australia match this evening.
Kaned!
Dave writes:
Privileged to be at one of cricket's greatest games with New Zealand edging Australia by one wicket in front of a capacity 80,000 crowd at Eden Park in Auckland.
A big six by Kane Williamson back over the bowler's head clinched a famous victory.
New Zealand had managed to bowl Australia out for just 151 and thanks to Brendon McCullum's half century looked to be coasting at 131-4.
But Mitchell Starc, highlighted in an earlier blog of mine!, took six for 28 to reduce the Kiwis to 146-9 only for Williamson who ended on 45 not out, to close it out in the best possible way.
Great match but if the two meet in the final - in Melbourne - my money is on Oz.
I don't think they'll bat as modestly again and their pace attack, with Starc at the top of his game, is very impressive.
Sent fr my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
The match, by the way, was thoroughly absorbing, and we were delighted that any break in play, even a small one, was not used as an excuse to play snippets of (loud) music - as at the Saxton Oval. There were some, of course, but at least the boundaries and wickets were marked with four blasts of flames as opposed to music.
Dave and I had got on different trains from Eden Park to the centre and I was waiting for him outside the Britomart station. There was quite a police presence, which I put down to the cricket match, but actually, it might just have been trying to pre-empt any Saturday night high jinks.
On our way back from the bar, we saw many scantily clad females, looking as though they'd filled up with booze before venturing out - very similar to our observations on Broad Street In Birmingham when we've been there for the All England badminton championships!
It was also the first example of beggars on the street since we left Vietnam.
Looking confident?
While waiting for Dave at the bus stops outside the main Auckland station, somebody approached and asked which stop was for Albert Park. I explained that I was a visitor so didn't know, and she admitted that she was a local so was rather embarrassed!
Integrated Transport
We bought an AT HOP card for Auckland transport - train, bus and ferry. We've only used it on the trains, but it seems to be an efficient way of paying for journeys and saves queuing up to buy single tickets which, incidentally, only last for two hours after purchase.
No idea what AT HOP stands for!
The stations we've used are pretty modern. We only wish we had longer to use the system to get us around to all the locations we've not been able to see in Auckland. Another case (there must have been at least ten already!) of saying, "We'll have to do that next time we're here"!
Kaned!
Dave writes:
Privileged to be at one of cricket's greatest games with New Zealand edging Australia by one wicket in front of a capacity 80,000 crowd at Eden Park in Auckland.
A big six by Kane Williamson back over the bowler's head clinched a famous victory.
New Zealand had managed to bowl Australia out for just 151 and thanks to Brendon McCullum's half century looked to be coasting at 131-4.
But Mitchell Starc, highlighted in an earlier blog of mine!, took six for 28 to reduce the Kiwis to 146-9 only for Williamson who ended on 45 not out, to close it out in the best possible way.
Great match but if the two meet in the final - in Melbourne - my money is on Oz.
I don't think they'll bat as modestly again and their pace attack, with Starc at the top of his game, is very impressive.
Sent fr my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
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