Yes it’s another picture of Queenstown. Yes there’s cricket in it again.

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Look closer.

That’s Greg standing at short mid wicket. Charlie diligently keeps wicket. The bowler is new Elstow CC recruit Ollie. The batsman off-driving? Yours truly.

This was how we spent the lunch break. In New Zealand, where they treat cricket supporters like grown ups (Yes BCCI, that barb was meant for you.), you can wander on to the field of play and inspect the wicket, you can let the soft, closely cropped outfield grass brush your toes, or, like us, you can attempt to emulate your heroes by having a go yourself.

The photo captures my first international boundary. The ball kissed the rope so I reckon it must be my first international boundary. I’m happy with myself here so I apologise for the smug title of this post. It’ll be back to doubt and self loathing soon enough though I’m sure, but at that moment I was, like Colin Zeal in the Blur song, so pleased with myself.

Ah ha.

Greg I met in Kolkata at the third Test, he and his girlfriend and Jackie are following the Test Series here too. A lovely couple, it’s been great to catch up with them. The photographer, to whom I’m very grateful is Keith, another acquaintance from the India tour. Splendid fellow. Charlie is the chap from Essex I met up north who’s undertaking his first England tour overseas. Good player, he’d do a job at The Warren. Ollie, I met him and his charming girlfriend Gemma today. Ollie looks like a cross between Jesus and Serge from Kasabian. And plays a bit like them too.

What an enticing prospect for the Barry Fry Stand regulars….