Once I arrived in New Zealand, I learned that the Cricket World Cup was being held in New Zealand and Australia. It made finding a campervan and accommodations a little more difficult actually. As seeing a cricket game was on my list of things I wanted to do before leaving, I figured seeing a world cup game would be just the way to check it off my list.
My plan was to see the New Zealand vs. England game in Wellington on February 20. I had tickets, but relinquished them when I realized accommodations were extremely hard to find. I found some but figured watching a game in Christchurch would be easier especially since I already had a place to stay there.
Being truly American, I didn't know much about the game. Back home I walk in a park where a group plays cricket every Saturday, so I have some exposure to it. What I've seen and picked up on would probably put me in the top 10% if a national test was given in the States on the subject. But I found a 20 minute explanation from the guy handling the campervan rental and one of equal length by Graham, the owner of the Airbnb rental, very helpful on the matter. It made watching the game a bit more enjoyable.
I arrived at the game just after 2:00 PM - the time I thought it was to begin. Turns out it started at 11:00 AM. Those not familiar with the game may think this a catastrophe. Not so, at least to this American : ) It hit the equivalent to halftime about an hour after I got there. It can be a 6-hour game and those very familiar with cricket would jump into the conversation at this point and tell you that the full version can take days. They love to add that even then it can end in a tie. I'm helping them by telling you this now..
As there were no shaded areas, I was in the sun for the game. I lathered on 70+ SPF sunblock (SPF equivalent to being in a brick house with the windows closed) twice over my 3 hours there hoping not to get burned. But a few hours later a cold wind blew in (from the ocean, I believe) making things colder. Locals pulled out their sweatshirts and jackets, as I pictured my sweatshirt sitting on the passenger seat of my car (for accuracy you need to picture the passenger seat on the left side of the car). In shorts and short sleeves I was getting cold. Hungry and now uncomfortably cold, I asked the guy a couple seats down from me how long he thought the game had left. He'd been the one to tell me when we'd hit "half time". He said he thought the game had maybe an hour and a half left. Or maybe an hour. For me this was equivalent to telling runners towards the end of the Boston Marathon, "You're doing great. Just as a heads up, the finish line has been moved to Columbus, Ohio." I watched for about 20 more cold minutes, then headed out. I did enjoy what I saw and the whole experience, and with about 3 hours of watch time, I felt like I had enough time to savor it.
My plan was to see the New Zealand vs. England game in Wellington on February 20. I had tickets, but relinquished them when I realized accommodations were extremely hard to find. I found some but figured watching a game in Christchurch would be easier especially since I already had a place to stay there.
Being truly American, I didn't know much about the game. Back home I walk in a park where a group plays cricket every Saturday, so I have some exposure to it. What I've seen and picked up on would probably put me in the top 10% if a national test was given in the States on the subject. But I found a 20 minute explanation from the guy handling the campervan rental and one of equal length by Graham, the owner of the Airbnb rental, very helpful on the matter. It made watching the game a bit more enjoyable.
I arrived at the game just after 2:00 PM - the time I thought it was to begin. Turns out it started at 11:00 AM. Those not familiar with the game may think this a catastrophe. Not so, at least to this American : ) It hit the equivalent to halftime about an hour after I got there. It can be a 6-hour game and those very familiar with cricket would jump into the conversation at this point and tell you that the full version can take days. They love to add that even then it can end in a tie. I'm helping them by telling you this now..
As there were no shaded areas, I was in the sun for the game. I lathered on 70+ SPF sunblock (SPF equivalent to being in a brick house with the windows closed) twice over my 3 hours there hoping not to get burned. But a few hours later a cold wind blew in (from the ocean, I believe) making things colder. Locals pulled out their sweatshirts and jackets, as I pictured my sweatshirt sitting on the passenger seat of my car (for accuracy you need to picture the passenger seat on the left side of the car). In shorts and short sleeves I was getting cold. Hungry and now uncomfortably cold, I asked the guy a couple seats down from me how long he thought the game had left. He'd been the one to tell me when we'd hit "half time". He said he thought the game had maybe an hour and a half left. Or maybe an hour. For me this was equivalent to telling runners towards the end of the Boston Marathon, "You're doing great. Just as a heads up, the finish line has been moved to Columbus, Ohio." I watched for about 20 more cold minutes, then headed out. I did enjoy what I saw and the whole experience, and with about 3 hours of watch time, I felt like I had enough time to savor it.