Cricket: Players get serious after Twenty20 hijinks

There wasn't an afro, handlebar moustache or towelling hat in sight today as New Zealand's stern-faced cricketers arrived in Wellington intent on moving on from their Twenty20 hijinks.

After Hamish Marshall's outrageous hair explosion graced every front page of major New Zealand newspapers and Chris Cairns and Daniel Vettori chimed in with their best 1980s moustache and mutton chops ensemble, it was business as usual ahead of tomorrow's long awaited first one-dayer against Australia here.

The freshly shaven players weren't publicly discussing the hugely successful Twenty20 retro night in Auckland yesterday as they filed into Wellington Airport, with coach John Bracewell quick to switch focus to the one-dayers where New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine against the world champions.

Marshall's hair was back to normal after his tribute to Bracewell's 1980s look was aptly described as a cross between fitness freak Richard Simmons and singer Leo Sayer.

"We think he's the new people's champion. He's certainly taken over from Chris Harris for now," teammate Scott Styris said after Marshall was idolised by much of the 29,317 Eden Park crowd.

Styris said the dressing room preparation for Marshall had been straightforward, contrary to how it may have appeared.

"What you saw was Hamish Marshall without any hair product. He needs a lot of hair product to keep it the way it normally is.

"If he gets up and doesn't have a shower it just goes like that so he has to work hard at it."

The subjects of the mickey-taking, the New Zealand team of the early 1980s, were nearly all present and visited the home dressing room afterwards last night.

Among them were New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden, selector Sir Richard Hadlee, and 1980s cult heroes Lance Cairns and Ewen Chatfield.

"We've had a friendly running rivalry with the team of the '80s so it was good to be able to take the mickey out of them," Styris said.

"It was great catching up with them. They had a good day judging by the state of them."

Snedden was guarded on the future of Twenty20, which seems best suited to a festival style tour opener to get the turnstiles clicking.

"It was a huge success, more than we all imagined, but for all that I'm not sure whether it answers any questions long term," Snedden said.

"There is definitely a product there that people want so it is a matter of trying to hit the right balance."

It set the scene for the serious stuff tomorrow, with another 30,000-strong crowd expected for the day-nighter here at Westpac Stadium.

- NZPA