I don’t want to tempt fate as there is still one more day to run at the test match for England and the Black Caps up in Napier but we did enjoy our trip to the match on Sunday.

It was a bit of a worry though as we turned on the radio on Saturday morning only to hear that England were 18 for 3. Crikey, it was going to be a torturous weekend. As you might imagine seeking someone to blame for the Brit’s performance I was called a bad jinx. Last time I went to a cricket match it was in Melbourne to watch England play Australia in the ashes. And we all know what happened there.

The sun didn’t shine on us in Napier but we did at least watch the final overs of England’s first innings and then see the Black Caps bowled out in less than one day!

Fingers crossed we get the right result and the boys don’t let themselves down.

Interesting notice for lunch break

Doh, I think that they meant this lot who were closer to the pitch! It was a wonderful sight to see kids playing cricket and an inspection of the pitch by fans.

More lunch time entertainment – Ian Botham, Mike Atherton and David (hmm, still looking good!) Gower broadcasting for Sky

Afternoon tea entertainment – NZTV and the Dilmah Team sponsored guest spot where every guest get’s their Dilmah goodiebox!

Yah, back on the field again – our boys from blighty

Big night out at the Rugby last night to watch the Hurricanes play the Chiefs. The local team delivered a right caning with a 39-19 win over the visitors.

It was a balmy evening so made for a pleasant night out. Although it seemed like touch and go whether we’d get tickets as the queue went for miles and people were reporting only a few tickets left. Seems that someone needs to go back to school to teach the ticket sellers how to sell and preferably more quickly without having to share the EPTPOS machines. Made me think we could do with Marilyn my friend’s aunt who ran the ticket office at Sunderland Football club for years.

We were seated close to the front which to be honest I didn’t find a great place to be as all you saw were chunky thighs and knees scrabbling around. At least when you’re higher up you get a better sense of where the ball is and what’s happening.

With The ‘Canes dominating play at the opposite end from where we were sitting I was looking forward to the second half when play would be more at our end. But no, the Chiefs were striking back and I’m not sure I really got my money’s worth of action.

Still, it was a warm and balmy night and the locals did win!

Today is the state funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary. There has been wall to wall media coverage since he died last week. An icon of New Zealand, a national hero, has brought 10’s of thousands to walk past his coffin in Auckland before the state funeral today.

One of the greatest known explorers has had a huge impact on NZ. He put NZ on the map and has since climbing Everest been known not just as a mountaineer but a philanthropist and father figure to the country.

The Royal Family have taken a beating though after it was announced that noone would be flying over for the state funeral. Even an obscure minor royal would have been seen as giving Sir Ed the recognition he deserved. Instead he’s got the Governor General and our PM to be a poor exuse for royal representation. The NZ republicans are loving it.

It’s fair to say that there’s been a topic of conversation dominating the media, the office, pubs, clubs and bar……how can it have gone so wrong?

After several days of listening to the respective dissections of how the All Blacks played, the French Team’s passion for the win, the usless refereeing and the controversial conditioning training, I am frankly bored. I don’t recall that when England lose footie matches that the grief continues for days and days and days. Or maybe it did and I just didn’t notice.

Most of the team have returned looking pale and shocked. And can you believe it, they’re now trying to muscle in on the final matches of the home season to quench their thirst for a win. Can’t see the lads who’ve been plugging away for weeks in the cold and wind will find that an attractive option, especially since putting and AB back in the team will mean someone else who has battled in the club competitions will have to sit on the bench.

Still, the hopes of the nation now rest on the Silver Ferns being victorious in the world cup – the Netball World Cup that is. Now before you snigger – netball is prime time sports viewing here in New Zealand. The Silver Ferns stand tall and proud to be netball players on the world stage. I can’t say it’s really captured my imagination yet but when world supremacy is at stake it might be a bandwagon I’ll leap on – just so I can saviour the kiwi culture and psyche.

If you’re wondering about this domestic-executive’s sporting endevours. I’m still battling on in the jog squad. Three weeks into the training I’m finally managing to keep runnning rather than gasping for breath hanging onto lampposts as the elite runners get away from me.

I’m so dedicated to my fitness campaign I was out in torrential rain last night – for 40 minutes battling the wind along the harbour. Brave move I think and I’m very proud of myself for keeping going. Well, I bought the shoes so better show willing and didn’t want my mate Ron to feel disappointed in me.

Thank goodness the ABs did their stuff and kicked off their World Cup challenge with a positive start. Not sure I could have stood a bad start and the immediate malais that would have brought to the country.

Instead, headlines this morning read “All Blacks rampant as Italy hammered”
New Zealand 76-14 Italy.

Go all blacks……….