Wednesday/Rāapa
The Pakistan team are staying in our hotel. I talked with a guy and then asked for a photo with him - I didn't even get his name ! I thought he must be someone from the Fanatics (they are a travelling supporters group we have seen at the golf a few times) but Bill said this was a different Fanatics. Bill had a look but he said it was no-one that he knew. He told me about how they were so thrilled Pakistan had won and that now that it opened it all up. That is very true. The bus was still outside our hotel when we left for the ground. Bill took the photo of me and the Fanatic, and I am a bit blurry. And there are plenty of me so it doesn't matter, and I wanted to show I was there just the same.
You can't see from the photos below, but it was 98 percent green in the stadium. We were in the two percent. We sat next to Graham Bethune and Brenda Gibbons, two Kiwis who live in Brisbane, who were excellent company. I bonzoed with not getting their photo.
The food and set up was wonderful. We arrived early and below is a picture of afternoon tea. Pakistan won by 6 wickets and an over to spare.
The NZ cricket coach admitted with ground conditions he did not have enough spin bowlers, and it caused the loss. Saturday at Lords will be interesting now. I love having the ear piece with all the commentators including Jeremy Coney. He is fun.
We lucked in going home, with the Pakistani supporters taking over the roads outside the stadium. Bill noticed a bus going to Five Ways, which was right where we were staying. It cost 3 pounds to hop on, and 10 minutes later we were back at the hotel - it had taken us 40 minutes to walk there in the morning. As you can see hardly anyone was on it.
