When will they learn?

Not so long ago, I wrote a piece about my experiences as a spectator at Eden Park during the HRV Cup. The general gist was there were things that could improve, and the Eden Park Security was right up there on that list. Since that blog, I've been along to the T20 against England and the ODI. Have things improved? Have they heck. I think they've actually worsened. And the biggest kick in the guts is NZ Cricket being quoted in the NZ Herald as being "happy with the level of security".

Let's start at the beginning. It's all about Customer Experience. It's about putting on a fantastic cricket match where all different kinds of people want to come along and enjoy live sport. It's about making those people feel welcome at our place, especially those who have travelled from afar to be here. It's about having suitable facilities, and amenities to make the experience comfortable and enjoyable. And, if they're smart, it's about making those people want to put their hands back into their pockets and come back again, bringing friends and family with them.

To put this into context, I went along to the ODI at Eden Park by myself. At first I wondered how safe I would be, a single chick alone at the cricket, and walking all the way back to the car in the dark afterwards. But, it was either go alone, or stay home and watch it on tv. Watching it on tv? Big fat yawn.
 In all honesty, I felt perfectly safe the entire time I was there. Yes there were drunk people to my left and to my right (hell, I was probably one of them for a while there), but nobody was abusive or offensive. Some of them started a Mexican Wave every now and then, and what fun! It's not like Eden Park used to be when I was a kid and we sat in the sun and every time a Mexican Wave went round you got pelted with debris. The debris was non existent. It was just 18000 people bonding over a shared love and enjoyment for live sport and for having a good time.

I love to see the crowd getting involved in the atmosphere- there were so many funny things to watch. These customers were clearly having a good experience. I love seeing all the different banners and always marvel at what people come up with. My favourite was 'BJ or Root?' It disappeared during the match and I heard someone say it had been confiscated by the Fun Police. The banana guys were also hilarious, as were the afro wigged dudes sitting in front of them. Then there were hippos, bunny rabbits and pigs. They must have been absolutely cooking in those outfits as it was a brilliantly fine day.  Luckily for them they were evicted early from the ground by the Fun Police, so they wouldn't have cooked for too long.

 Then there was the beach ball. Now, these things are known to be terribly dangerous. So dangerous you wouldn't want your kid playing with one on a beach. And as for a bunch of adults having fun with one at a live sports venue, well that's just asking for trouble. So no wonder the Fun Police had to confiscate it. Stop having fun people!!   The fact that the entire stadium joined in chanting "Give us the ball back!" should have been a signal that the Customer Experience was being seriously negatively impacted. Thank goodness for Tim Southee who was fielding right in front of this area and returned the ball to the spectators. My personal hope is that he sledged the Fun Police while he was at it....

Now if the stadium was at capacity, and resources were being impacted, I could understand the zeal with which the Fun Police went about their work. But it wasn't. There were about 18000 people in the house, 15000 of them had paid to be there. You can see from the picture that there was plenty of space for everybody. And yet, I counted 10 Security Guards and 6 Police Officers in that East stand.  We have heard that there were no arrests, but 87 people were removed from the stadium. Well of course there were no arrests! The Police are not going to go through with an arrest for "enjoying yourself too much" !

I've been at Eden Park during All Blacks tests when the stadium is full to bursting. Granted, a rugby match doesn't take 8 hours like an ODI, but the security is never quite so over zealous as we have been seeing during HRV, T20i and the ODI. We have the Auckland Test coming up. That is (presumably) five whole days of cricket. How will the Fun Police manage that?

I know the  players want and deserve the support of the public and they love a good crowd roaring in the stadium. It inspires them to do more, hearing the support from their fans.
 If NZ Cricket want to get more people along to the stadium, paying money to watch the match and support our beloved BlackCaps, then they need to think long and hard about what kind of  Customer Experience they want to provide. It's up to them to make it happen.

Friday nights under lights- it's about Customer Experience.

So NZ Cricket had this great idea of bringing T20 cricket to the people by creating a Friday night competition so more people could get along and get involved. For Auckland that meant going along to the hallowed turf of Eden Park, home of the Rugby World Cup 2011. The stadium that holds 45,000 baying All Blacks fans during a Bledisloe Test. The same stadium that is to host the Auckland Aces in their domestic T20 competition.

Friday Night Under Lights at Eden Park

I've been to both games under lights at Eden Park so far, because I never thought about not going. Eden Park is certainly a beautiful setting on a sultry summers evening as the sun sets behind the West Stand. But if it's atmosphere you're looking for, there's a diluted amount, and it doesn't compare to the good old days at Colin Maiden. The crowds have been around the 5000 mark for the two games. Driven there no doubt by Auckland Cricket's policy of handing out free match family passes to anyone and everyone who looks like they might take a passing interest. You can understand their motive. This is about bums on seats, not about revenue.

When you consider that T20 is perfect for families, the shorter game, lots of action, a chance for the kids to see their sporting heroes up close, and maybe even get a photo with them, then the domestic T20 should have a great future. It should also be doing great things for grassroots cricket in NZ with all the junior cricketers taking along their own bat and ball , keen to have a bash themselves before meeting their heroes at the end.
 Unfortunately, the  reality is that the kids have to sit down during the match. They can't even have too much fun waving to the cameras at the front of the West Stadium, lest the Eden park bouncers send them back to their seats for enjoying themselves. That's what I witnessed last Friday night.
 Granted, they can go and play on the Outer Oval until 0830pm. But this only works for older kids. Not all parents would be happy with their young kids finding their way to and from their seats in the main stadium and across to the Outer Oval.

 And as for meeting their heroes and having  a photo with them at the end of the match. Forget it.
 Last season, there were always autograph bats, hats, 4 & 6 signs being handed out and the kids all lined up at the end of the game to meet the teams who were set up at tables, ready to sign anything and smile for anyone. My boys were thrilled to meet players from all teams who graciously posed for pictures with them.

The Good Old Days of HRV Cup

Now, if you're lucky, a few players may come out to the Western end of the South Stand at the end of the match. But you stay in the stand, the players stay in the Boundary area. Lest the Eden Park bouncers catch you trying to get too close. We even got told it was time to go home by the bouncers at the last  match. The players were still signing autographs just below us, yet we were hurried on our way.

NZ Cricket could learn from the NZRFU. We went to ITM cup games at Eden Park where every child was handed a goody bag full of posters, flags, stickers and the like. Then at the end of the match, they opened up a small section of roped off grass where the kids could line up and have photos and autographs with their rugby heroes. And that gesture made the kids want to keep coming back for more ITM Cup games.

I don't think any of this is the players fault. They have to go where they are told, and they do their best with what they are given.  It's about someone at New Zealand Cricket taking a long hard look at the fundamentals. Who are they trying to attract to the game, and what facilities should they provide for them? In its basic form, it's about Customer Experience. Funnily enough that's the stuff I earn my living consulting in. What is the desired Customer Experience, what expectations do the customers have, and how could you meet or exceed those expectations? It's not rocket science.

So the third HRV Cup match is on this Friday under lights at Eden Park. We will be there of course. But it does feel like having takeaway fish and chips rather than the meal from Depot that I really wanted. I wouldn't want to go through that every week, but once now and again it's ok.
Look out for me, I'll be there waving a banner and cheering for the Aces, and probably giving those Eden Park bouncers something to think about!

The Munro Show- 28 November 2012

Day three of the Plunket Shield clash between Auckland and Wellington turned into something of a record breaker. By all accounts the wicket was pretty flat, with the bowlers unable to get much out of it. The runs certainly piled on, with the Aces ending up on 658/9 declared.

It wasn't looking quite so healthy on day two, when the Aces made plenty of starts, but no-one was able to carry on, and the wickets kept falling. At one stage they were 174/5, and looking quite precarious. That was until Cachopa and Munro headed out to the middle.

Cachopa batted for 6 hours to bring up his 166. I did wonder if he had read MD Crowe's piece about being able there being nothing finer than 6 hours out in the middle playing bat on ball. This was good cricket too. No smash and dash T20 styles. There was plenty of straight bat, and "showing the makers mark" Windies style. It's not a bad achievement to get your maiden first classs century with such finesse!

And as for Mr Munro, you had to be there to fully appreciate the demolition job he did on the Wellington bowling attack. His 269* came off just 252 deliveries. There were 27 4s and 14 6s. Now I know I don't get out much, but I have never seen anything like it! It wasn't irresponsible batting either, for the most part. I can remember the good old days as a kid watching Lance Cairns belligerently swinging Excalibur at the Aussies, and this did remind me of those days. And guess who was sitting in the stands watching too!

 Going into lunch, Munro was sitting on 198. After lunch, those last two runs seemed to take forever to get. There was a lot of blocking and clear shouts of NO on the singles. It looked like the entire Auckland team were holding their breath and just willing him on. He seemed very determined to not give away his wicket cheaply at this point, and rightly so. However, once he crossed the 200 line, there was a different batsman out there. The next ball was aggressively smashed onto Sandringham Road for 6, narrowly missing a delivery truck. Then the next one was dispatched into the back of the West Stand at the number one ground. Gillespie and Elliott were the bowlers given the task of ending the Munro show at this time. Despite them throwing everything they had at it, nothing seemed to work. He piled on another 69 runs in much the same fashion until Auckand declared.

Even though I didn't get to see the end of the day's play, when Munro finished up unbeaten on 269, I loved the end of the second session when they came off for lunch. All the Aces were there shaking hands to congratulate Cachopa the younger and also Munro. You really get the feeling they are there for each other, and have got each other's backs. This Auckland side are a pretty tight unit, and they look like they are going to be hard to break.

The return to Eden- the verdict.

After counting down all winter to November 10, it came around surprisingly quickly. The first day back at Eden Park's Number Two ground in four years.
Auckland Aces vs Northern Knights in a Plunket Shield match. So how did Eden Park scrub up? Was it a patch on Colin Maiden?

Well, first impressions are pretty good. It does feel like going from a village cricket green into a city oval though. Having the massive Eden Park main stadium looming over it adds to the effect. The ground staff have done a truly amazing job preparing the grass in the middle and all the surrounding areas. The little embankments are quite good, but much closer to the boundary rope than at Colin Maiden. The tree (because there is only the one) will be hotly contested once Summer is in full swing, as it provides the only natural shade.

I will try to keep my whingeing under control because it's not all bad, but here goes. There needs to be more trees on the Sandringham Road boundary. The traffic noise is really loud, and the wind whips through there.
 I've already talked about the security guards on Twitter, but they need a serious shake up. They've spent the last two days telling my kids off for running around having fun, but today they told David White- CEO of NZ Cricket-to get his foot off the boundary rope! Eden Park needs to educate its security staff with some processes relevant to Cricket. After all, this is Plunket Shield, not RWC2011!
A little signage wouldn't go amiss down at the outer oval there. Where are the toilets again? Where can I buy something to eat or to drink? I need to know I can get my hot chips and Oddfellows when I need them.

On the bright side, people have been streaming in to watch the cricket. Today the entry gate guy had counted two hundred people. That's about 198 more than we saw at Colin Maiden!

It's no wonder the good folk of Auckland are keen to see for themselves what is happening at the Plunket Shield. You can't listen to it on the radio anymore, there's no tv coverage, yet there is some superb cricket happening! We have had centuries from Joey Yovich and Bruce Martin, and plenty of exciting bowling.
The BlackCaps are all in Sri Lanka battling with the weather, yet we still have some thrilling cricket happening right here at home, in our own backyard.  Some would even say it's better cricket.

If you want my advice, get yourself down to Eden Park. Get there early so you can get a car park, and bring your own lunch. There's no guarantees you will be able to buy lunch there. Bring your camera, your autograph bat, and your picnic blanket. A merino might just come in handy too. But above all, bring the whole family, and your friends. And have a really good time!

Grassroots Good Sorts

I started this week having a jolly good whinge about the paucity of coaching volunteers for our cricket team of  9 and 10 year olds. My frustration at being unable to get a single dad to step up and coach our team  was very real. The fact that you coach rugby in the winter and this is "your off season" just doesn't cut it. Is this about you, or your son?
That was until I came up with a solution. I would be the coach. Hell, I can't catch a cricket ball for toffee, and I throw like a girl. But who cares? This team is going to have a whole lot of fun! And best of all, my nine year old is incredibly excited to have his dear old mum as his cricket coach. Bless him.

So I've moved on from moaning about people who use Saturday kids sport as a babysitting service, and I've been thinking about all the good sorts who give so much of themselves to support grassroots sport in the great kiwi backyard. There are so many great people out there who give up their own time and share their expertise.

From what I've noticed, there are the same people pitching in year after year. We've been extremely fortunate that these volunteer coaches have been mostly very good. I spoke to one of them about it last cricket season when I thanked him for stepping up to coach once again. He is a truly wonderful man. Very patient, completely supportive, and very talented himself. He told me that he volunteers to coach so that he can have that quality time with his son, time that his son will remember forever. He is also a realist and admitted that he will only be able to coach his son's team for a limited number of years before his sons skills outgrow his own. To that end, he is prepared to have a job with less responsibility until such time as his son no longer needs him coaching that cricket team.  I nearly hugged him when he said that- what a wonderful thing to do for your child.

In the winter sports season, we have been very lucky to have the same football coach for four years in a row. Now this particular dad is a very laid back, unassuming kind of man. He is quietly supportive, never shouts at the boys on his team, or gets upset with them. He's also not from England, which is quite atypical at our local football club. When he is on the field during a game, he quietly leads the boys. You can't hear his voice from the other side of the pitch. He doesn't run a weekly practice for the team, as there just isn't enough time. He gets them to turn up half an hour before the game each week, and he runs a few drills with the lads. This football team would be one of the top three in their grade because they play for each other and for their coach. And they have fun! They have loved having him there each week, guiding them since they were six year olds clustered around the ball.

I've met a few parents and grandparents of cricketers in my time. When you hang around cricket grounds as much as I do, you inevitably end up chatting to the people sitting near you. And you always ask other people why they are there. I am always impressed by the continued support some parents show their kids, well into adulthood.
At Colin Maiden one sunny afternoon, I  had my feet up and was soaking up the sunshine when a little old lady came along and sat near me, looking a bit confused. So I asked her if she needed some help. It turned out she was Jimmy Neesham's grandmother, and had come along to watch him play for The Aces. Bless her cotton socks. He was drinks carrier that day, and I motioned to him that she was here, and she was so delighted to see him "looking all handsome in his cricket uniform."

At a recent Club Cricket match I attended,I think all the spectators (excluding myself!) were parents or grandparents of the players. It really was heartening to see how much of a thrill these parents were still getting out of watching their now adult sons play their Saturday cricket. I am guessing these people did not use Saturday sport as a babysitting service.

The most remarkable one for me though is the dad at our club who is still coaching teams, even though his lad is well past his junior cricket phase. Phil Horne is quite exceptional. He has a fine cricketing pedigree of course, having played for Auckland and for New Zealand. His son now plays in our premier club side, and Phil is there as fielding coach. He also coaches the Kings 1st XI. Those teams are so very lucky to have someone with his passion for the game and his level of dedication who is still giving back to the sport. Phil's own parents- who I used to see watching Phil play many years ago, are still going along to matches. Now they are supporting their grandson.

I started the week really disappointed by the fact that everyone is too busy to coach a bunch of eager young nine and ten year olds. But by the time the weekend had rolled around, I'd come to the conclusion that there are so many wonderful people out there who do a lot for grass roots sport, that I didn't want their great contribution marred by the few who have no time to make any contribution. If you have a volunteer coach involved in your kids sport, make sure you thank them every week. Consider this- if it wasn't for them, you could be coaching that team yourself!

The F Word

I knew that one day I would end up writing about the F word in sport. It was inevitable, inescapable even. I tried to put it off for as long as I could. The F word was never going to be my favourite topic. But, today I felt compelled to do a piece on that F word.  Football.

During the winter months, I spend many hours in the mud at football, and I do it with pleasure. You just can't knock the enthusiasm from the kids who want to get out there and kick a ball around in the rain, the wind  and the mud. We've had Saturday football for a few years now, and Sunday as well as there is always someone playing in a rep tournament somewhere across Auckland.

But today was a bit special. We weren't actually playing , just going along to watch. Day one of the School Holidays and we were off to the Three Kings United National 9th Grade Tournament at Keith Hay Park. This was the final day of a 3 day tournament where the kids had played a number of 40 minute games each day. On the final day, there were Quarters, Semis and Championship Finals to be played. Master 9 wasn't playing, but he was dead keen to go along (with his rugby ball) and cheer on his mates from Eastern Suburbs who had been unbeaten in the first two days of the tournament.  Having been to so many of these tournaments this winter, there's something a little intoxicating about the atmosphere, the anticipation and the excitement.

Three Kings United National 9th Grade Tournament

We arrived in time for the semis, and watched Eastern Suburbs take on old rivals East Coast Bays. These teams have , for the most part, faced each other more than once during the winter, and know each other's game pretty well. The kids all get to know each other's name on the field, and whilst they are fighting it out on the pitch, they are quite happy to chat afterwards.

Happily Eastern Suburbs were the victors in their Semi Final, putting East Coast Bays away 6-0. On the next pitch Forrest Hill battled it out with the hosts TKU, with the visitors taking it away. That game ran a few minutes behind, and when the TKU boys heard Eastern Suburbs had won, they came straight over to wish them all the best for the final against Forrest Hill. That camaraderie and competition is the product of a long season battling it out together.

The Dads giving the Ref a helping hand

The thing I find interesting about the Championship Final at these tournaments is how the parents and supporters respond to the pressure. I'm generally pretty philosophical about the whole thing, and I like to think that's how I survive.
I spoke to two mums today who were on the Rescue Remedy to get through the emotional angst of it all. Another mum could not actually watch the match and removed herself to a chair at a safe distance where she could do her breathing exercises in relative safe comfort. But it's the dads that fascinate me the most. Living vicariously through your offspring is alive and well on the sidelines. This goes for every match I have been to, irrespective of which teams are playing. The dads feed on the adrenalin and get really excited by all the on pitch drama. There's finger pointing, there's shouting, gesticulating, waving and jumping up and down on the spot. It's generally  in  good humour, and mostly directed at the ref. I have yet to see anyone come to blows or take anything further.

But, returning to the championship final. What a match! These boys had been playing football for three days straight, and this was their final shot at glory. The sun was shining and the temperature was unseasonably warm. Sunscreen was applied pre match, just in case. It ended up being 40 minutes of a hard fought battle between two old foes. No George and the dragon here. These two teams have been beating each other all season, and know each other's game very well indeed. There was a bit of drama, with a few hard tackles, mum on the pitch with the magic spray, and apparently the ref was blind. But the boys from the other side of the bridge prevailed, and got to take home the biggest trophy of the season.

Championship Winners Trophy

And with that, all the mums quickly exhaled. All the dads started on their discussions about how the ref should have seen this, that and the other. The North Shore boys celebrated at full volume. The boys from  Suburbs ended up in tears at the frustration of seeing the big win slip through their fingers.
Eventually everyone packed up their gazebos and camp chairs and headed home to hang up their football boots and to dig the cricket gear out of the garage to get ready for another season of sport.

A Gentleman's Game

I had the pleasure of attending the annual 'Gentleman's match' between Parnell and Whangarei's Central City Club this afternoon.  It's an annual fixture between the two clubs, with hosting rights being rotated each year. This was Parnell's year to host, and Orakei Domain with the artificial wicket was chosen as the venue. They are two very different clubs, with Central having a total of  8 teams in the whole club, and Parnell with 12 teams just in Grade 4.

Parnell v Central City  at Orakei Domain 29 Sept 2012

I only found out the match was on when I was at the Grade 5 Academy net session early this morning, and all the Parnell old guard were getting gear together for the match this afternoon. An invitation was extended to me to join them at the boundary rope and stay around for the barbecue afterwards. I could hardly refuse!


So, once I'd done all my little jobs, I packed up my cricket chair, grabbed some food and a couple of kids, we headed down to the Orakei Domain for a Spring Saturday cricket session. It was warm, but not that sunny and the match was delayed by an hour so the grounds could dry out. This resulted in 40 overs each being played. I won't go into great detail about the final score, or the individual results as that is not what this is about. This is an annual match between two clubs with mutual connections, who enjoy catching up either at Cobham Oval in Whangarei, or at Parnell's home ground. It's a chance for old friends to catch up and tell stories, relive good times, and also to make new friends.
It's one big family of people all enjoying themselves over a game of cricket.

During the hours that I spent sitting at the boundary rope, we had sunshine, we had clouds and even some light showers. There was tipene run going on behind me, and rugby kicks happening to my right. I had a cold beer pressed into my hand, and was offered muffins, biscuits and cups of tea. I had strawberry juice on my chin as I watched the leg stump go spiraling in the air.  Then I watched a tail ender batting with glee as I brushed cake crumbs from my shirt.

It was the best kind of day.A cricket match in September will always make me smile, but seeing the absolute pleasure with which these two teams faced off, was sheer delight. I love how both teams applauded each other's efforts, and everyone just enjoyed a jolly good game of cricket, and each other's company.