Captain's Log: Early Wake-Up Call!
From the BNZ Series website, 21/3/1999

Kia Ora everyone from sunny Wellington!

Obviously we're nearing the end of the season now - only five days of cricket left in the Bank of New Zealand Series as I write this. For us it's always a time when bodies are weary and you're looking forward to a break - but it's also the business end of the Series and summer and we all know we can't afford to turn our minds to golf and the beach just yet.

That hasn't been much of a problem over the last couple of weeks, mind you. The demands of captainingTest matches, especially against a side with so much fight and talent as South Africa, keeps your mind on the job all day. At the end of a day's play you feel as if you've run a marathon.

Unfortunately I might be feeling it a little bit more than usual by stumps today as a fire broke out in the hotel we're staying at here in Wellington at three in the morning last night. Just when we though we were going to get an extra hour's kip with daylight saving!

The singer Jewel is staying in the same hotel - a few of the team took in her concert last night at the Queen's Wharf Event Centre, just down the road from the hotel. When the fire alarm went off and we all hauled ourselves outside the hotel in the dark, we were interested to see Jewel was the last person to assemble outside - in full hair and make-up!

Speaking of personages of note, when we arrived in Wellington last week the team was honoured to attend a special function at Government House, which is adjacent to the Basin Reserve. The function was attended by HRH The Princess Royal and His Excellency the Governor-General and Lady Hardie-Boys, who were introduced to both the New Zealand and South African sides and members of the famous 1949 cricket team.

The "49ers" have gathered in Wellington to mark the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking tour to England led by Walter Hadlee. Mr Hadlee has been wearing his original 1949 New Zealand cricket tie this week, an image that I think spells out the pride we all share in performing for our country.

Apart from that, it's been two weeks of intense cricket for all of us and we haven't seen too much of the world outside hotels and cricket grounds. But that's the reality of the life of a professional cricketer andwe have no complaints. Doing our best in this Test Series is our priority, after which we'll obviously be hoping to extend our lead in the Bank of New Zealand One Day International Series.

Please excuse me now - time to get back to it!

Catch you,

Dion.

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