OPINION:
I visited Netherlands a few years ago — in fact the word "visit" might be a little too generous.
I was in Amsterdam for approximately 15 hours doing a build-up show with my Alternative Commentary Collective colleagues before the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final.
Why were we doing the build-up show from the streets of Amsterdam and not from Twickenham? That's a great question, and one I was asking myself quite a lot at the time — and still do to this day. I believe it was done purely to confuse people and go against the mainstream idea of what a build-up show should be. It certainly worked as we got a message almost immediately on landing from the then CEO of our mothership asking "What the hell are you doing in Amsterdam?"
Which brings me to the latest cricket series about to kick off this Friday night in Napier — and you could rightly ask "What the hell are Holland doing here?" Again, a great question and one which can be quickly followed up by: "What will NZ look to gain out of such a series?" I will attempt to answer both questions, albeit in a very roundabout way.