Iain O'Brien's Cricket Blog

It’s been a while... missed me??

Well, let’s kick this off with a bit of a catch up.  I’ve been back in NZ for about three weeks.  I’ve really enjoyed being back, catching up with friends and actually being able to get into the gym to build some strength as opposed to just doing ‘maintenance’ work.  In saying that, I was very disappointed to not go to the UAE for the One Day and T20 series.  Still, I’ve made the best of a situation I wasn’t too happy with.

So far I’ve played one ‘Plunket Shield’ (four day domestic competition) for Wellington and this last week played for a New Zealand Invitation team vs. Pakistan.  I’ve been really happy with how I’ve gone.  The match for Wellington we drew against Canterbury.  We had a very good chance to win it but just couldn’t break up a very good partnership.  I only took one 2^nd innings wicket when we were trying to bowl them out; disappointed with that but I’ll add it to the 5 I got in the first innings and I walk away from that match happy with my form, my health, my strength, my pace (especially) and how I kept my energies throughout the match.  I really felt good throughout this match.  Pace was good, probably the quickest I have bowled for an entire match and I got through some overs!

Last week, in Queenstown, we played Pakistan in a ‘warm up match’ for them.  Warm up is hardly the words to use for the first day of the match.  Pakistan bowled first and it wasn’t too warm out there.  I know I’ve said how hard it is to play when it is hot, but for these guys it must be so hard to get into it when you are so cold.

Queenstown - Day 1: It's cold out there

The ground at Queenstown is as amazing as it gets in terms of the beauty that is surrounds it.  If you’ve never been to watch a match there you really are missing out.  The pitch is flat, there is always lots of runs scored there and the scenery really is second to none!

The Remarkables: Warming up... slowly

This match ended in a very tame draw at Tea on the 3^rd day.  The pitch was just so flat and without the intensity that a ‘proper’ match would have, taking wickets became very tough.  It was a good work out though, I picked up a couple of wickets, hit for a run out with just one stump to hit (pretty proud of that!) and scored 13 runs while hitting a six and taking a short one that didn’t get up from Rauf on the upper arm.  Not a bad few days on the park really.

Day 3 - Queenstown: View from the lunch room

While I was batting something strange happened.  I was actually willing Rauf to bounce me.  All of a sudden I wanted bouncers.  See, strange!!!!  There’s pretty good rational behind it though.  There is only so much bouncer training you can do in the nets, there is nothing like facing them out in the middle.  If I get under a couple early then I feel a whole heap better about playing from then on.  I swayed one from Rauf early, next ball, straighter, didn’t quite get up and hit me.  No problems, it hurt a little, they always do, but nothing to worry about at all.  It was actually quite good for me.  I was in a reasonable position and it didn’t bounce like it should have.  No dramas, let’s move on.....

So, I’m now in Dunedin with the NZ team, we joined up today.  I drove the 4hrs it took to get here (we went the wrong way care of Tuffey!) in the wind and rain.  It’s a pretty drive but mostly obscured by nasty looking clouds.  It’s good to see all the guys again, catch up on the UAE tour and get the new team kit issue.... I really only play for the ‘kit’; for all the training and playing gear.  It’s my favourite time, the new ‘kit’ issues.    You know me well enough now to know I’m kidding... yeah!!??

Anyway, it bed time now after a Team meal out, a very good Italian feed at Etursco.  Free plug for them because the food was soooo good!!  Nice job, thanks!

I’ll try to be more regular with my updates now. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll be trying!

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