Cricket World Cup: NZ scrape past plucky Scots

Trent Boult signs autographs during the game against Scotland. Picture / Getty Images

Bagpipes skirl as Black Caps hold on to stay unbeaten

It was not pretty, but the Black Caps scraped past Scotland by three wickets yesterday in the first of three Cricket World Cup matches in Dunedin.

A near-capacity crowd of 4684 watched New Zealand remain unbeaten - despite a wobbly finish - at the sun-drenched University Oval.

Police said the "relaxed and positive" crowd was well-behaved apart from two incidents. A 20-year-old man was arrested for intoxication outside the ground and another man was ejected for offensive language.

The sound of bagpipes rang through the air during the match, adding to the atmosphere as pockets of vocal Scottish fans watched their side push the Black Caps all the way.

New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult even took time to sign autographs for fans during the match.

Scottish fan Stephen Massie, 50, was pinching himself. He found it hard to believe he he was watching his beloved side play on the world stage.

"There's still a part of me that doesn't believe I'm here," he said.

Mr Massie, who lives in Mauchline, a small town in East Ayrshire, Scotland, is going to all four of Scotland's games in New Zealand.

The idea to follow his native land at the tournament started out as joke about two years ago.

"When we qualified, I was watching the game at a friend's house," Mr Massie said. "When we won the game, I just jokingly said, 'I think I will go'.

"Within a few weeks, I had finally decided I was going."

Mr Massie was so excited at Scotland's first match yesterday, he was up at dawn and ready to leave his hotel by 6am.

Ian Bell of England is given a hongi at the official Maori welcome in Wellington yesterday. Picture / Getty

He made a couple of signs to hold up in case his family saw him on television back home.

One read "Hello Mauchline", while the other one for his great-niece read, "Hello Jessica".

Mr Massie, who has not missed any of Scotland's home games for the past three years, has one wish while he is in the country. "A win - preferably over England," he said.

"If we only win one, I want it to be against England, please."

Scotland plays England in Christchurch on Monday in its second match.

The next game in New Zealand is not until Friday when the Black Caps take on England at Wellington's Westpac Stadium. England players arrived in the capital yesterday to a Maori welcome.

For more coverage of the Cricket World Cup from nzherald.co.nz and NZME check out #CricketFever.