Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Unscripted Drama

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  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    English disease? You're seriously comparing a few thousand pissed up dudebros in ill fitting onesies to the ICF? If you chucked any of the English firms from back in the day out of the Caketin, they'd headbutt their way back in through the foundations.

    Anyway, the way the UK fixed its football violence problem involved widespread availability of MDMA. Maybe we could legalise it just for major sporting events - it would also help ticket sales.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Wain, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I had the cricinfo ball-by-ball commentary on pretty much the whole game and it wasn’t delayed.

    It only seemed to be delayed via the Cricinfo mobile app, for some reason.

    I found the opposite – delayed on the newsroom PC, worked on my phone at Eden Park in the press box.

    Since Nov 2006 • 155 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Wain, in reply to Martin Barry,

    Did you happen to catch the Swami Army in the South Stand? Unwavering support for their team, all spiced with marvelous humour and irony. I particularly enjoyed the chants calling for the DRS when it suited them and ” We’re BCCI and we do what we want”

    The Swami Army also turned around at one point to chant amusingly to some folks above us, presumably some officials or maybe the announcers... they sang "We pay your salary!"

    Since Nov 2006 • 155 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Anyway, the way the UK fixed its football violence problem involved widespread availability of MDMA. Maybe we could legalise it just for major sporting events – it would also help ticket sales.

    I've seen arguments to the contrary, but that's how it felt there at the time.

    Being at The Trip in 1988, realising you were standing in front of a mob of beefy, chanting Chelsea supporters yet there was no reason at all for concern -- that was memorable.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Wurr,

    Was at the ground all four days, a superb test and completely nerve wracking/compelling on the last day. Having done the same for the English test and ending up completely wrung out at the end of that one, I wasn't sure I was able to go through it again, but it was fantastic to watch. So much better at the ground too.

    And yep, $45 is way too high. The food ain't too hot either, and they DEFINITELY need to either change the beer, or bring in a decent premium, 'cos the certain brand they sell (hint: successful t-shirt catch campaign) is just plain awful.

    At the moment though, as a fan you couldn't ask for anything more. I might even have had a beer or two.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 97 posts Report Reply

  • Louise Gardiner,

    My 6 year old discovered cricket in a big way in January - the perfect confluence of a love of sport and a talent for maths. On the subject of pricing - we got a four match membership (GA seating) for the Blues for an adult and a child for $96. I reckon that's good value.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2014 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to Richard Wain,

    I found the opposite – delayed on the newsroom PC, worked on my phone at Eden Park in the press box.

    It could be that it was cached where you were. Proxy servers will often cache Cricinfo aggressively - since it's the type of page many users can have open at once and it has a short auto-refresh time.

    I find at home it doesn't cache at all. At work it gets cached badly and to get an up-to-date score I have to do a CTRL-F5.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Mike O'Connell,

    Have really enjoyed reading this thread only catching up with it now. Totally agree, nothing beats a test match. Three in a row, has NZ ever done that before on the trot, same season?

    Our side boasts a classy bowling line-up and the batting is maturing where it needs to, getting the runs and occupying the the crease - though the collapses are unnerving just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!. Will need that Bondy quick (Adam Milne?) with 145/150 km/hr pace I think to trouble S Africa and Australia line-ups down the track.But we're heading in the right direction.

    Living in the S Island, most test cricket of recent has been in Dunedin, No tests in Chch because of Lancaster Park (a diehard for the old name!) becoming a rugby/one-day only ground - and the quakes. I've trekked to one or two at the Basin since (4 years ago, the last time I went, the India test admission was I think $29 per day on the gate). But after eight very long years, test cricket could well re-appear in 2015 (vs. Sri Lanka) in Chch at the redeveloping Hagley Oval as a 'dress rehearsal' for the one-day World Cup.

    I think with the novelty value of test cricket returing to Chch eight years in the waiting, Hagley Oval being an attractive venue (parking may be an issue) plus Sri Lanka likely bringing a superb batting line-up (Jayawardene, Sangakarra, etc), there could be some decent crowds (I believe it will seat up to 20,000 for the WC one-dayers). It's an ideal opportunity to bring in a new pricing plan and other features to entice spectators.

    Early days yet and don't want to get our hopes up but can you say anything more on this Richard (@NZC)?

    By the way, on Sommett Sports (Ch 14 on Freeview), over the last couple of weeks have been catching bits and pieces of live coverage from the two-test Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka series. Those guys know how to occupy the crease - and get big scores. Jayawardene (M) especially is a joy to watch.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    If you were to search for a greater social benefit, you might observe that sport (sometimes) sets an example that benefits overall public health, provides opprtunities for young people who may not have any other choices as good and generates substantial economic activity. But you’re soon stretching there, and it really doesn’t matter. People read detective and romance novels, or pay to see comedy films – we don’t trouble ourselves too much with grand justifications for those.

    Good call. My main bug bear with some of those that don't like sport is their hypocrisy: they bang on about how open-minded they are about minorities A - Z, or arts 'n' culture A - Z, but are utterly dismissive of sport or treat people that like it as inferior and / or stupid. It's flagrant ignorance and stupidity.

    If you don't like sport, hey, no big deal: but don't rush to judge those that do.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    Can I get an amen?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Irvine, in reply to Mike O'Connell,

    Mike, too soon to say what matches will be played where (discussion on next season's venues hasn't begun yet).

    *Can* tell you how stoked everyone at NZC is that we're going to be playing in Canterbury again - the organisation has very strong roots there and our cricket operations base is, erm, based at Lincoln. HQ was in Hereford St until an earthquake-enforced hasty evacuation. Lot of history was lost in that (including one of each of all NZ's ODI shirts from over the years). Gutting.

    Anyway - everyone's delighted that Hagley Oval will host the fairly plum fixture of the very first game of the 2015 World Cup. Reckon it will be great.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 242 posts Report Reply

  • Mike O'Connell,

    Thx for the update Richard. Looking forward to 2015. Bert Sutcliffe Oval's not a bad venue either but it unfortunately too far removed from its support base. It was great though to see one or two of the recent WC qualifiers there.

    No one really mentioned radio commentary in regard to the Eden Park test. Nothing like listening to Bryan Waddle (though one has to put up at times with excruciating advertising). On that note, I couldn't resist putting up this Bill Bryson quote as an excerpt from his musings about cricket spent while living in Australia (Downunder, 2000).

    But it must be said that there is something incomparably soothing about cricket on the radio. It has much the same virtues as baseball on the radio - an unhurried pace, a comforting devotion to abstruse
    statistics and thoughtful historical rumination, exhilirating micromoments of real action - but stretched across many more hours and with a lushness of terminology and restful elegance of expression that even baseball cannot match. Listening to cricket on the radio is like listening to two men sitting in a rowing boat on a large, placid lake on a day when the fish aren't biting; it's like having a nap without
    losing consciousness. It actually helps not to know quite what's going on. In such a rarefied world of contentment and inactivity, comprehension would become a distraction

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Mike O'Connell,

    No one really mentioned radio commentary in regard to the Eden Park test.

    Martin Crowe. Hours and hours of Martin Crowe. I'm sure he's a lovely guy but his cricket "commentary" drives me utterly barking.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Chapman,

    I found the game too tense on the last day. I had to stop following it with India 150/2 as I knew there would be hours of anxiety ahead.

    Got a text later in the day after the match finished from a friend asking "Are you breathing?"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Chapman,

    Regarding ticket prices, I recall there used to be a tradition at the Basin of a family day where general tickets were half price and kids were free. I remember a match against South Africa where the Basin was packed and people had to be turned away. It was the best day. The cricket was good, but being part of that crowd was incomparable.

    I had a practice of always attending at least one day of each test at the Basin, but I gave that up when the prices went up so much last year. Since discovering the priority pricing, I've given a lot of thought to getting a match pass for tomorrow's test. However, I have a 3-year old with me most of the day and the thought of paying $10+fees for her to attend every day has put me off.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Wallington,

    Cricket was never the same after Kerry Packer hi-jacked the game. Gentlemen in white flannel were replaced by mercenaries in pajamas. The almighty dollar rules and everyone without a financial stake is disadvantaged. So TV, Indian bookies, greedy and self-serving ICC nabobs, and match-fixers run free. Families and kids who might like a daylong experience in the ground have been priced out of the action. NZ will soon be priced out of the game too.

    Waikawa Beach • Since Sep 2013 • 41 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Emma Hart,

    Exorcising free willow...

    Hours and hours of Martin
    ... drives me utterly barking

    Why that could lead to
    ... a murder of Crowes!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Andrew C,

    What playing cricket looks like to Americans

    Thank you, that made my morning...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Mike O'Connell, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Aah, v good. Would that include Jeff and Russell too?! How about a Waddle of ducks (!) if NZ win the toss and bowl first today (thinking of RJ Hadlee's 7/23 vs. India @ Basin, 17.2.76). Trust the weather the will be kinder to both sides than that day.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Wallington,

    Cricket was never the same after Kerry Packer hi-jacked the game. Gentlemen in white flannel were replaced by mercenaries in pajamas. The almighty dollar rules and everyone without a financial stake is disadvantaged. So TV, Indian bookies, greedy and self-serving ICC nabobs, and match-fixers run free. Families and kids who might like a daylong experience in the ground have been priced out of the action. NZ will soon be priced out of the game too.

    Waikawa Beach • Since Sep 2013 • 41 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    For test cricket they know for certain that they will get a couple of thousand at best, essentially they know they will make no money from gate sales maybe $5-10000.

    I wonder if someone at NZC has done the figures comparing the amount of money from ticket sales from an incoming Indian test tour, vs the share of TV hosting rights - said to be $35 million for this tour.

    I mean, if improving the test cricket environment by filling up the stadium with 10 - 20,000 people meant an extra million or two in cut from TV rights in the next tour, that would be worth letting everyone in for gold coin donation on this tour and missing out on a couple of hundred grand at best.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart,

    Seems like the Basin reserve are on the right track. We got 5 day passes for $90, and if we'd been more organised we could have gotten them for $45. It has been gloriously worthwhile. They've also been applying some judicious discounting - a school friend of my lad's got in for the final session yesterday for $5.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

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