Important Folding Chair News

England 325 for 9 declared

v New Zealand 306 all out

England 374 all out

New Zealand 126 all out

England Win by 267 Runs on Day 4

Sunday 19 February 2023

Played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

New Zealand Beer Ticks 214

I bring you important folding chair news. You'll remember my purchase of a $7.98 camping chair for the grass banks at the Bay Oval. I can now exclusively announce that the chair will be making an appearance at the Basin Reserve, Wellington for the Second Test. But, it won't be my arse on it.

On the final day at The Mount, I found my chair plonked next to a guy from Penistone. Two random English fellas plonked next in NZ will inevitably talk about five things.

The fucking weather, the fucking rain, the fucking cyclone, the fucking disruption & the chairs.

He'd had to drive his hire car across a flooded road without knowing the depth of the water he was going into. I'd had to go to bed, before a 2am High Tide, with an Evacuation Grabpack by the door, in case Plod came down the street with a megaphone calling a Mandatory Evacuation!!!

I'd bought my chair from Bunnings. He'd borrowed his from his AirBnB. I explained that we were flying from Tauranga to Wellington, that it would be a hassle getting chairs to the airport and on a flight, and that we had "alternative seating arrangements" in Wellington anyway.

"I'll buy 'em off you. We're driving to Wellington. We can put them in the boot. And, it'll save us the hassle of trying to buy them from somewhere else."

They're his chairs now. No payment changed hands. I'm not a savage.

That overnight 63 for 5 had got all us pessimists be like - some cricket still to be played here. Bracewell chipped to Brook off Leach at 68 for 6. Kuggeleijn trapped in front by Jimmy at 71 for 7. Southee caught by Root off Jimmy at the same score. Suddenly meant there was - much less cricket to be played here.

Wagner & Tickner helped get Mitchell to a 50. Fair play you three. But, frankly, you're getting in the fucking way.

An eventual early finish meant we could get to The Rising Tide sharpish to tick the rest of the beers. Completely, I remind you, unencumbered by folding chairs. I think I was into the third beer before my Carrier Bag Firm compadre informed me that Anderson had ended with a remarkable 4 for 18 off just 10.3.

That was of some interest, but my concentration was solely focused on the SERIOUS MISMATCH between the printed menu, the chalkboard and the actual kegs at The Rising Tide. Not helpful when you're ticking beers you'll understand. After the audit, I was able to harvest in support of celebration the following;

Deep Creek Brewing Co (Auckland), Endless Summer West Coast IPA on Keg at 6.9%

Sunshine Brewery (Gisborne), Double Gold 33 Anniversary, Lager on Keg at 6.6%

Brothers Beer (Auckland), White Grapefruit IPA on Keg at 5.3%

And, the Outstanding Beer Of The Day

Parrotdog (Wellington), Falcon, American Pale Ale on Keg at 5.4%

You can find ALL my previous Blogs at

www.ball-sup.blogspot.com

Would you please consider subscribing (free) to have my Blog delivered to your email inbox (via Substack). Thank you.

You can find me on Social Media

Twitter @ball_sup

Untappd ball_sup

Stats

I have now Blogged from 1,211 games in 3,106 days