We headed back to Auckland. Before we left, we stopped at a coffee shop for a light breakfast. I am impressed with their commitment to reducing waste.
It was another four-hour drive. I stayed off my phone to ward away any carsickness.
The handle of my roller bag lost a piece when we boarded and by the time we arrived, the handle was completely missing. It was much too heavy to carry for a long distance so I had to improvise. Necessity IS the mother of invention a.k.a. find a way or make one.
We took an Uber to a shopping mall to find a new suitcase. Fortunately, I was able to find what I needed … in royal blue!!
We were going to a cricket match tonight between New Zealand and Pakistan. We were told that it was like baseball but more boring. We were pleasantly surprised and had a blast!!
I will tell what differences that we noticed:
- All 11 players bat. He is called a batsman. I think that Batman is cooler.
- The cricket bat (bat) is flat and bigger
- A hit into the stands (like a home run) scores 6 points (like a touchdown in football). It also scores if he goes behind the batter (like a foul ball)
- Unlike the USA, the people in the crowd who catch the ball throw it back!!!
- A hit that grounds out to hit the perimeter scores 4 points.
- There are 20 overs (like an inning but only one team bats)
- One over has 6 pitches to that batter. If he misses the ball OR the fly ball is caught, he is out … of the game as a batter.
- Cheering occurs on every pitch as something is always happening offensively or defensively. Both sides get their 4 or 6 or wicket (out) score up on the scoreboard. In the USA, only the home team gets praised by the announcer and on the jumbotron.
- The bowler (pitcher) must hurl it with a straight arm.
- Flags are waved when a team does well. And fire shoots from smokestacks when a wicket occurs.
- There are three bases and home…but there is a straight dirt path. When a ball is hit, the previous player is at one end (like on base) and when it is hit, the runners change places. They score as many points as they can run back and forth and touch their paddles (bat) to the line. If the fielding team throws the ball and it hits the wicket, someone is out. I’m not sure if it is one or both runners.
- Lastly, if the batsman misses the ball three times, he is out.
Tim Southee is the first man to catch 150 T201 wickets … and we were there to see it.
I am pumped about cricket. Cricket World Cups will be played for the first time in the USA this year. The three venues are New York, Florida and Dallas. The biggest match will be in New York between India and Pakistan on June 9. I’m sure that EPSN will be all over it.
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