Black Cap Daniel Vettori reckons "it is easier to play than to watch". Photo / Dean Purcell
Black Cap Daniel Vettori reckons "it is easier to play than to watch". Photo / Dean Purcell
Excited well-wishers farewell their Black Caps heroes at Auckland Airport.
Fans desperate to get to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to support the Black Caps had to be quick yesterday.
At 2pm, the International Cricket Council released a couple of hundred extra tickets to the game but they sold out within minutes.
Any Kiwis who did manage to grab one may find that flights and accommodation in Melbourne are difficult to get hold of.
Yesterday morning, Air New Zealand put on an extra service from Auckland to Melbourne for Saturday to meet the high demand, but all tickets had sold out last night.
A search of airlines' websites showed an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to the Victorian capital on Friday, at $774 a seat, was the best deal available. The airline had no spare seats on any Saturday flights.
One of the many New Zealanders who won't be looking for last-minute pricey airfares to Melbourne for the final is Andrew Coulman, a 31-year-old expat Kiwi living in Sydney.
The business analyst said he knew months out that the Black Caps were in good form to win the World Cup, and bought the tickets to ensure he wouldn't miss their appearance at the final.
"I'm absolutely ecstatic to be going down to Melbourne for the final; it's going to be entertaining."
Mr Coulman said he had a feeling the Black Caps would make the final a month ago.
"This is the best team I've ever seen for the Black Caps ... I thought I would be kicking myself if I don't get down there," Mr Coulman said.
He had taken a trip to Rebel Sport to pick up some Black Caps supporters gear and was stunned to see the shop, and all the shops around the district, had sold out.
Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum before heading to play in the final of the Cricket World Cup. Photo / Dean Purcell
Tivoli Guthrie told NZME. yesterday that his friends David and Sam McDonald of Epsom booked tickets to the final in December with the faith that the Black Caps would be there.
The Black Caps flew out yesterday amid a sea of well-wishers at Auckland Airport. The team caused a stir as they checked in and made their way to the departure lounge, followed by fans vying to get selfies, photographs and autographs with the stars.
Black Cap Daniel Vettori said afterwards: "It was really nice. I think the guys probably don't know how to react to it because it is a little bit of a new experience, but everyone's loving it as well."
The 36-year-old spinner, who was in the middle with Grant Elliott when the New Zealanders won, said being out on Eden Park "in front of that sort of crowd is one of the most perfect moments in my career".
"Going by the state of my wife and parents, it is easier to play than to watch," Vettori deadpanned.
His 6-year-old son James, who had suggested his dad didn't jump as high on the trampoline when he leaped like a salmon to mitt West Indian Marlon Samuels in the quarter-final, hadn't seen Tuesday night's knock.
Amid the excitement, a few fans were lucky enough to get close to their sporting heroes.
"We were in the Qantas queue and the Black Caps were going past," said Casey Crawford, from Christchurch.
He, his wife Debbie and their friends Melissa and Ricky Facoory have followed the team around the country to every game, and were getting ready to board a flight to Sydney for the Australia v India semifinal, before making their way to Melbourne to watch the final.
"We saw them [NZ] win - incredible, absolutely incredible." The airport erupted into applause when the Black Caps walked through, Mr Crawford said: "Everybody clapped."
"It was great," he said. "It's been phenomenal."
Srikant Puvvada had travelled from the US to watch the Black Caps play and managed to get both Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum's autographs as they made their way through the airport, as well as snapping a quick pic with McCullum. It was "very special", Mr Puvvada said.
