Cricket: A tale of two summers

By RICHARD BOOCK

It might not be a smart move to tempt the chief executive's wrath these days, but the facts are that the final day of the international summer was the defining moment for the New Zealand team's season.

All promotional hype aside, a maiden test series win against South Africa, when put beside the 9-2 one-day success, would have made the 2003-04 season a golden chapter in New Zealand cricket history.

A win would have drawn comparisons with some of the headline news during New Zealand's battle for credibility; their first-ever series win, in Pakistan (1969-70), their first series win over the West Indians in 1979-80, and the history-making series against Australia in 1985-86.

Instead they were left reflecting on a tale of two summers, a season in which the one-day side rose to lofty heights against both sets of tourists, while the test team collapsed against Pakistan and then let the South Africans off the hook.

From a parochial point of view, it was the summer when people around the country steeled themselves for the crossing of one of New Zealand's most intimidating frontiers, only to watch the troops freeze in the line of fire.

It was a bit like the 1999 All Blacks, any of the New Zealand netball teams between 1987 and 2002, last season's Warriors, Craig Barrett's Commonwealth Games walk and Mike King's "it was only a practical joke" plea.

As it happened, the biggest winners were not the Black Caps, South Africa or Pakistan, but the New Zealand cricket public, who were treated to an absorbing and closely fought talent-fest from the opening day of the summer.

If there were concerns about Michael Mason's longer-game prospects, Daniel Vettori's apparent lack of penetration, Mark Richardson's productivity and the test results for the summer, there was at least the consolation of some riveting cricket from December until April.

Who could forget that onslaught from Scott Styris at Eden Park, when he took the game by the scruff of the neck on one of New Zealand cricket's most memorable days, or the sight of Chris Cairns in full power, the stands raining with sixes?

What about the rebirth of that Legolas-like character Chris Martin, who, armed with Kookaburras rather than longbow and arrow, sniped away at the South African batting line-up and ended with three consecutive five-wicket bags?

Then there was Jacob Oram's gilt-edge contributions with bat and ball, Brendon McCullum's steady progress with the gloves, Craig McMillan's refreshing dedication to duty and Daryl Tuffey's journey through the pain barrier.

And not to forget Stephen Fleming's epic 192 before Christmas, Vettori's maiden test century in the same match, or Ian Butler's six-wicket bag in the doomed Boxing Day rubber.

The season might have witnessed the departure of the likes of Richard Jones, Lou Vincent, Robbie Hart, Craig Cumming and Andre Adams, but the success of the newcomers alleviated the losses and made the contest only more intriguing.

Opening batsman Michael Papps played so well in the one-dayers that he was immediately promoted into the test team, where he made a half-century on debut before receiving a couple of unlucky decisions against South Africa.

McCullum also brought a new flavour to the test team, proving accomplished behind the stumps and offering a dimension with the bat that Robbie Hart simply could not match.

It was a heady, albeit difficult, season for paceman Michael Mason, who proved far more dependable than Andre Adams in the one-day side but effectively played himself out of the test squad for England with an indifferent debut at Wellington.

So there was no shortage of pros to be stacked up beside the cons, just as there was no lack of question marks after the test disappointment at Wellington.

The only certainty is that the celebrations would still be continuing if the hosts had maintained their presence in the third test at Wellington, and avoided what eventually became a comprehensive loss.

It might be that the penny has not quite dropped at Christchurch HQ, but the reality is that it was nearly a great season. Nearly.