Village green appeal draws fan from afar

IT was just as she pictured it — beautiful, green and friendly.

A couple of years ago, English cricket fan Carrie Nichols saw Dunedin’s University Oval while watching a test match on television in her home town of King’s Lynn, in Norfolk.

And instantly, the Norfolk Constabulary police officer knew she had to go there.

‘‘I thought it was an absolutely stunning ground. It’s probably that last ground for test cricket that still has that village green appeal.

‘‘I thought: ‘I’ve got to come out here.’ So I put it on my bucket list and I saved up all my pennies.’’

In case you hadn’t noticed, she is mad about test cricket.

‘‘It’s so much better than pyjama cricket [oneday cricket].

‘‘I love the nuances of test cricket. I could happily sit and watch the whole five days.

‘‘It’s a sport that encompasses mealtimes — what’s not to like about that.’’

Now that she is here, the big question is: has the ground lived up to her expectations?

‘‘I appreciate the ground has been developed a little in the intervening years, but it still holds that charm.

‘‘It’s a beautiful ground from every angle.

‘‘You’ve got the grandstand, which is absolutely stunning, the grassy banks give a great eye [view], and you’re not isolated from the players — there’s great engagement between the players and the fans, and you don’t get that very often these days.’’

Her rave review didn’t stop there.

‘‘And Dunedin itself is a beautiful town. There’s a lot of history to it.

‘‘The public buildings are beautiful — they’ve really taken me aback — and the people are so warm and friendly.

‘‘The hospitality is secondtonone. I can’t say enough good things about it, really.’’

Const Nichols said she built her trip to New Zealand around the Black Caps v South Africa game at the University Oval.

Why?

‘‘There are players on both sides that I greatly admire, so I thought I would stick it all together.

‘‘I’m rooting for New Zealand. And I’m not just being polite. I like New Zealand — they’re one of my favourite sides, because they play the game in the right spirit.’’

To date, she has visited Auckland and Gisborne, and hoped to visit Queenstown before heading back to her job next week.

So, will she return?

‘‘New Zealand’s a breath of fresh air. I’ll definitely be back.’’

PHOTOS: GERARD O’BRIEN Just like on TV . . . Carrie Nichols soaks up the atmosphere during the third day of the Black Caps v South Africa test match at the University Oval. Inset: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson celebrates reaching his 16th century in test cricket....