It’s 2 a.m.
This will be short.
I couldn’t sleep tonight, so decided to come downstairs and watch some test cricket. Day 5 of the New Zealand v Pakistan match.
I saw a game played by two teams fighting hard to achieve the day’s aim. New Zealand pressing for a win. Pakistan battling hard to draw. There was spin, pace, medium, left arm, right arm bowling. There is a batsman with a classical style, and one with anything but a classical set-up. There is gorgeous sunny weather, the ground looks superb, the commentary treats its audience like adults, adding insight, but never crowding out the game. There are injuries, people battling through pain to advance their cause. They actually look like they are enjoying. Most importantly, there’s a crowd there. Families, in a venue to cater for them.
I watched, not missing a ball for 80 minutes, before sleep starts to win. But I wanted to write this. For it is what I have forgotten. It is also what I miss. Terribly.
I start hoping that I can get to a county game this year. I feel what I missed last summer.
Thank you New Zealand and Pakistan. You’ve given me joy.
Good Night.
Being Outside Cricket 
These are about the only good things about this particular time, of all things.
So in general, it’s about holding out until spring.
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It seems the NZ vs. Pakistan series is as good as the Aussie vs. India series. I don’t have access to the NZ game, so haven’t seen any of it, but it looks as exciting and interesting as the current Aussie series. And having fans back, even if the grounds can’t be full, is just so wonderful to see. As much as I enjoyed watching cricket again when WI played England a few months ago, having no crowd just made it too surreal for me.
Anyway, I wish everyone here best wishes for the New Year and a return to normality sometime in 2021.
Tom
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If you have access to the Aus v India game the NZ v Pakistan game is on the same platform, BT Sport.
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Happy New Year, Jane. I’m in the US and the only live coverage I can find in my location is Willow via Sling TV. For some reason they never seem to cover NZ series. The really annoying thing about Sling/Willow as they constantly start adverts while overs are still in progress. I’ve got into the knack of when five balls have been bowled in an over to memorize the batsmen’s scores so I can figure out what happened on the sixth ball when they return to the game.
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Happy New Year Tom ! That must be so frustrating for you I’m sorry to hear that . The other option to try would be to download the “ rova” app on your phone and listen to the radio channel Magic Talk who are doing the radio coverage commentary . It’s very good !
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Thanks, Jane. I installed the app and will try it out for the second test tomorrow. I think the game starts at midday my local time. There are few things better than listening to cricket radio commentary as you go about your day!
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I agree ! I’m a late- comer to cricket but am now completely consumed by it !! NZ is on my bucket list as it looks the most beautiful place to watch cricket . Radio commentary is a soothing backdrop to daily life and good luck with the app !!
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Nice to see Fawad Alam get a century.
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Seconded! All things come to those who wait….
As was pointed out on Cricinfo, it’s almost as if a f-c batting average of 55 over a decade when most of your compatriots are struggling to take matches into the fourth day might be a pointer to a good test batsman.
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There were points in the action where he was fighting himself. A ball from Jamieson where he ducked into a slightly short ball, only to jab his bat was amazing. He kept the scoreboard moving, and he was really good to watch. I’ve not had much chance to watch cricket for a while, but this was pleasurable.
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TBH I’m much more enthusiastic about watching cricket this time of year than I am in the summer. In the summer I play cricket 2-3 times a week, that’s all the cricket I really need or can cope with – I might watch a bit here and there of England’s test series but I rarely go out of my way.
On the other hand, when its cold and dark and the cricket season feels a million years away, late night cricket is an incredibly welcome guest into my living room – a little glimpse of summer in the middle of December. Watching antipodean test cricket is probably my favourite cricket to watch bar none – I really don’t care who’s playing.
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Everything about the NZ test, the view, the players, the commentary has been sublime. I huge highlight of the festive season for me. Can’t wait for the next one it’s just a shame I’ll have to get some sleep in order to work !
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…and NZ are now the no 1 test side too, which also brings a glow to my heart…:-)
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Without wishing to be a harbinger of doom, I’m hoping also that this isn’t the high point before bubble fatigue (and hence unavailability) sets in, especially for tours where the players aren’t receiving that much money to offset it.
Noticing especially that WI have twelve (12!) players unavailable for their tour of Bangladesh–almost all of them batsmen, so they’ll effectively be playing a 2nd XI down to no. 8 in two different formats.
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I’m watching the BBL right now and there was some breaking news about five Indian test team players breaking their bubble. I hope it’s just nonsense, but the Aussie/India test series might be at risk if it’s true.
I’ll post a news link if I find one.
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https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/indian-cricket-bubble-breach-rohit-sharma-rishabh-pant-shubman-gill-navdeep-saini-prithvi-shaw/3f868b7d-6b78-4526-bab3-0a428cd5e5a9
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It sounds from Cricinfo as if CA are dealing with it more like Dan Lawrence and Chris Lynn doing the same thing during the BBL–which means that the players could even play in Sydney, albeit with the rather ridiculous stipulation that they would have to socially distance during the game (that would be a novel way of getting rid of intrusive close fielders wouldn’t it?!)
Even if India withdraw all five of them, they can still put out a perfectly reasonable side, although they’d be in trouble if another batsman got injured.
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Since Pant is a wicketkeeper, will be a nuisance if they insist on social isolating on the field. Especially when spinners come on.
Besides I am not sure if they have a specialist wicketkeeper left, even if Rahul is a decent option in case of emergency. Can a cricket match be forfeited on medical grounds (most extreme example would be due to no legal bowling option left)?
Funny how dining in a restaurant is a breach of protocol, but travelling 45 miles to go and golfing is just normal in a bubble, and when a false negative shows up (which could be related to golf travel) that is sufficient grounds to end a tour.
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Re the keeper: Saha is still there and hasn’t been eating out as far as we know…!
Re the golfing: the line in the Root interviews yesterday seemed to be that it was a decision taken higher up the food (or should that be golf?) chain. Which is interesting, since at the time it was portrayed as being pretty much 100% a Morgan decision, de facto if not officially.
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