Fans had a ball at the opening fame between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
Fans had a ball at the opening fame between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
Cricket fever has struck so follow the trail to the fan zone, writes Sarah Ell.
New Zealand has just recovered from its last major epidemic of sports fever, and now it's sweeping the country again. This summer, New Zealand has gone cricket crazy, as we co-host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
Next Saturday it's Auckland's first match, followed by two more weekend games and a semifinal on March 24. Hamilton and Napier are hosting three games each, with cricket fans from around the country and the world travelling to watch the matches and enjoy the atmosphere.
All three centres are putting on special events -- and not just for those who are lucky enough to have tickets to the games.
There are fan zones, fan trails, entertainment and plenty of family fun to give each host city a festival atmosphere.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup showed the world that Auckland sure knows how to party. The success of the Queens Wharf fan zone and the fan trail to Eden Park encouraged Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development to roll out a similar concept for the Cricket World Cup, with the added advantage of -- hopefully -- good summer weather.
A "village green"-style fan zone has been set up at Takutai Square in the Britomart precinct, where a big screen will show almost all the games (Perth games, which run past midnight New Zealand time, will be cut short).
Fans can catch the action from a small-scale, traditional-style cricket pavilion, or relax on the bean bags and lawn chairs arrayed on a specially laid real patch of grass. It is closed for a private function tonight but will reopen tomorrow at 10.30am.
Unlike Queens Wharf during the Rugby World Cup, Ateed chose to make the area alcohol-free, to generate a family-friendly atmosphere.
"We wanted to create a second home for cricket fans to enjoy the live action," says Ateed chief executive Brett O'Riley.
"The fan zone provides a great opportunity for residents and visitors to soak up some of the tournament atmosphere and watch matches being played across New Zealand and Australia in a relaxed setting."
Those who do want to sip a Pimm's or a Tui can drop into the bars and restaurants around the square without missing too much of the action. Many of the local establishments are offering special menus and takeaway options so you don't have to be away from the screen too long.
And, best of all, O'Reilly says the fan trail is making a comeback. It was hugely popular during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and Ateed is hoping cricket fans enjoy the experience, too.
"The fan trail was used during the Rugby World Cup as a way of easing traffic congestion as well as making it a fun way to get to the stadium and feel the excitement around the tournament," he says. "We want people to walk from Britomart to Eden Park, but have staggered the entertainment and dressers so there is more happening closer to the stadium. Or people might have lunch in Ponsonby, then walk just the last part of the fan trail."
The World Cup atmosphere will be spread throughout Auckland, with schools, cricket clubs and town centres encouraged to "adopt" a second team to support. St Heliers and Glen Eden will be supporting Australia, Otahuhu is getting behind Bangladesh, Orewa, Takapuna, Pukekohe and Waiuku have an English team theme, Papakura the UAE and Grey Lynn the West Indies.
If you don't have tickets, catch the action on the big screen in the fan zone. Photo / Getty Images
Hamilton
Seddon Park is one of the world's top "boutique" cricket grounds.
Hamilton's Seddon Park, with its grassy banks, is considered one of the world's top "boutique" - as in smaller - cricket grounds. And the city will be turning it on for the world cup matches it is hosting there.
For the next matches, on Tuesday, March 10 and Friday, March 13, there will be a family fan zone set up at Garden Place in the CBD in the build-up to the games.
From there a fan trail, with street theatre and live music, will guide match-goers the short distance to Seddon Park.
To kick off the big World Cup week, a multicultural celebration will be held at Garden Place on the morning of Monday, March 9, with food vendors, dance and music performances, and a special welcome to the Irish team.
The weekend before the India-Ireland match, on Sunday, March 8, a multi-national cricket festival will be held at Innes Common, with games of cricket, food stalls and cultural performances. Then on March 12, school teams from around the Waikato, each representing a different nation playing in the main tournament, will play off in a "Mini World Cup" at Hinemoa Park.
And if you feel like a break from all the on-wicket action, you take time out at the Waikato Museum, where The Perfect Pitch exhibition celebrates the heritage of Waikato cricket, along with interactive family fun.
Napier
Napier does everything in style - Art Deco style, that is - so it's not surprising that it is taking a classic approach to its hosting of three Cricket World Cup games. Tickets are still available for the Black Caps game against Afghanistan on Sunday, March 8 - a great chance to see the national team up close.
Before each match, fans can get in the mood at the fan zone on Marine Parade then follow a cricket-ball trail to nearby McLean Park. Along the way will be a treasure hunt, with clues leading to miniature Laver and Wood cricket bats, custom-made for the tournament by the Central Hawke's Bay bespoke bat makers.
On March 7 and 14, the Saturdays before two of the big matches, the fan zone will be open all day, with fans getting the chance to "Whack a Wicket" - bowling to a giant inflatable wicket with an over-sized ball.
A big attraction for both cricket and Art Deco fans is the Legends of Cricket match, to be held on Wednesday, February 25 at the Clifton County Cricket Club, a social club with a magnificent oval created by the local community. Big names such as Mark Greatbatch, Chris Harris, legendary Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson and former England player Adam Hollioake will take part in a New Zealand versus "the rest of the world" 20/20 match in traditional whites.
Fan trail
The Auckland fan trail will be in action for the huge New Zealand-Australia match on Saturday, February 28.
The trail traverses the 4.5km from the fan zone at Takutai Square, Britomart to Eden Park. To keep the crowd amused, there'll be entertainment, interactive displays and performers who will dress fans and paint their faces in the playing teams' colours. Be sure to be on Great North Rd by 1pm for the parade -- there will be colour, excitement and plenty of chances to show your support.
• Napier games: March 4, Pakistan v UAE; March 8, New Zealand v Afghanistan; March 15, West Indies v UAE. For more on Napier events, see hawkesbaynz.com.
• The Black Caps will make a special appearance at the Auckland fan zone this Wednesday, February 25, from 3.30pm.
