Motions — Black Caps—2015 Cricket World Cup

I seek leave to move a motion without notice in relation to the Black Caps’ performance in the Cricket World Cup.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There does appear to be none.

I move, That the House express its admiration for the New Zealand Black Caps’ performance during the 2015 Cricket World Cup to date and wish them good luck for the final on Sunday. Last night New Zealanders had the privilege to witness the greatest finish to the greatest day in New Zealand’s one-day cricket history. There will be a period when we can reflect on the wider benefits of this Cricket World Cup, but right now it is all about the team. New Zealanders have been enthralled for the past 6 weeks by a range of stellar performances, which have absolutely uplifted the country. We have seen Brendon McCullum leading from the front, taking apart various bowling attacks, ably supported by a great seam attack—people like Trent Boult, Tim Southee, and Kane Williamson stepping up when needed; Dan Vettori putting in a consistent string of excellent performances; and, of course, last night, when it really counted, when it was really stacked against the team, Grant Elliott, otherwise known as the “Hairy Javelin”, stepping up to guide New Zealand to victory with an outstanding 84 not out off 73 balls. I do not think there will be a New Zealand cricket fan who witnessed that last night who will not take the image of that final six over long on to their graves.

That was a wonderful performance, but this is a wonderful group of young New Zealanders, and I think the way they reacted with humility in victory, their graciousness, and the way they talked to the Proteas afterwards, who were obviously very disappointed with what was a shattering experience for them, point to the character of this team. Brendon McCullum is an outstanding leader. Mike Hesson has coached that team fantastically. We are in the World Cup final in Melbourne on Sunday, and 4.4 million New Zealanders are behind that team. As Brendon McCullum says on TV: “Dare to believe.” We do dare to believe, and I think this team is going to do very, very well on Sunday. So go hard, go well, and go the Black Caps in Melbourne.

On behalf of the Labour Opposition, I want to join with Dr Coleman in his best wishes for the team. It is a slightly unusual approach. In these circumstances, we normally wait until after the final, but I can see that he wanted to get in while the Prime Minister was away. They are a magnificent team, and I think we are all growing to believe that they can do it. I have noted, as one does—one goes back on the Facebook feeds—that Grant Elliott was described by a member of this House as an “ageing bit-part player” when he was selected. I want to say, as an ageing bit-part player, that sometimes the less mature people do not quite appreciate what we can do.

It was a hell of a match. I too was glued to my seat last night, but because I was stuck in meetings—important ones—I also had my finger glued to Twitter, which provided me with an in-depth and increasingly hyperbolic analysis of the game, especially the descriptions of everybody’s mums, who were either in the kitchen hiding and cringing, or were shouting at the TV it seemed. But I was, yesterday, in the company of thousands of New Zealanders who revelled in the victory, and who join us in congratulating Brendon McCullum and the New Zealand Black Caps on reaching, finally, the final of the International Cricket Council World Cup.

New Zealand is a world-beater. We are a tiny nation of underdogs and we consistently punch above our weight. We are a people who bravely push the boundaries, and in the case of the Black Caps—in their efforts last night—who score them mercilessly as well. I want to make special mention of the “Hairy Javelin”, Grant Elliott, who compiled a superb innings of 84 not out, including hitting the winning six. I note that Grant and the Greens share a passion. I learnt from Twitter last night that his profile says he is into energy efficiency and a green future. This makes me doubly proud, and I will quite happily buy him a coffee any day. [Interruption] Jealous!

A match that has it all, as yesterday’s did, does not happen unless both teams perform superbly, and I express my commiserations to AB de Villiers and his South African team. South Africa played a huge cricket game last night. They did not deserve to lose; their problem was that New Zealand deserved to win. So now it is off to Melbourne and the Black Caps’ first ever World Cup final. On behalf of the Green Party, I want to wish them all the best, and to bring it back—no pressure. Kia ora.

I rise to take this call proudly on behalf of New Zealand First. What a game! Cricket used to be in every New Zealand Indian’s bloodstream. It is in our bone marrow now. I do not have many nails left for Sunday. It was an emotional roller coaster that was mesmerising, sickening, and pulsating—all at the same time. For anyone who has played cricket at any level, this game had it all. I had text updates, and at the 30-over mark when South Africa was batting, I genuinely thought we were looking at a run chase in the mid-300s. Then God put his black cap on, and it rained.

I wonder whether some babies born in 9 months’ time will feature Duckworth-Lewis in their name. In response, Brendon McCullum blasted and then fell. We had a run-out, as our heroes from previous matches fell. There were starts, but we needed a partnership to win. Step up Grant Elliott and Corey Anderson. Step up Daniel Vettori, who somehow squeezed that impossible four when we most needed it. But the best comment goes to Grant Elliott, whose modus operandi was, as he put it: “See ball, hit ball.” It worked. He became the “Beaver” of this World Cup. The match was like two old ships of the line slugging it out, where one mistake can be cruelly punished.

Can I pay tribute to the South African team. The cruelty of sport was written over their aghast expressions as the ball sailed high and wide and into the stands, for six. These two exceptional teams played hard but fair. This ought to have been the final because both teams deserved to be there. But only one can be there. So we are in the final for the first time ever, proving that rankings and the history books count for nothing in the here and now. The Black Caps now face one of the two other dynamos of world cricket—India or Australia. It is somewhat like Northland, where Winston Peters is fighting both history and the sledging of National, but I digress. [Interruption] Does it hurt?

Last night proved that underdogs do win, and that fairy-tale endings can happen. To AB de Villiers, who must be reliving every loss, unfortunately, from last night, I say: “Don’t.” You, sir, and your team were gentlemen for your country and the sport of cricket. South Africa proved as gallant in defeat as I know it would have been in victory. I think one English commentator wrote words to the effect of: no sledging; it is possible. To the Black Caps, but especially to coach Mike Hesson and captain Brendon McCullum, I say: “You have done our nation proud.” Go the Black Caps!

I want to add my congratulations, with all of those who have taken up the sport of tipney cricket in the backyard, who have pulled out their esky and chucked it on the beach and bowled googly little things—this is the extent of my cricketing knowledge, you understand—and googly little overarms that pass as something that looks like a bowl at the cricket down on the beach. I was, just like everybody else, amazed at the performance. I am a loyalist at heart. I will back the underdog for ever. I am not sure whether you have noticed that but it is something about me.

I watched the team and we got to about 10 overs out. I was doing the back-of-the-envelope maths and I thought we could do it. I have to admit I fell asleep. Shame, I know—a sin. But I was woken by the screaming and the jumping up and down. I did try to watch the riveting debate on the Harmful Digital Communications Bill, and that might have been what put me to sleep, but I did wake up in time to see that it was all down to the last two balls. Like everyone else all over the country, children were being woken from their sleep, wives were being disturbed from their rest, and women were jumping up and disturbing their husbands, who might have been trying to watch something else.

But I want to note this. I went straight to Twitter, and this is what AB de Villiers tweeted last night: “It was an amazing game of cricket. This was probably the most electric crowd I have ever played in front of.” He also tweeted: “I couldn’t ask any more from my boys. It’s hurting quite a bit but we gave it our all.” I thought that sense of fair play, the distinguished way in which they took this very hard loss, points to the calibre of that team.

I do not want to put the “hoodie” on our team—

💬 Hon Member: The what?

The “hoodie goodie”—I do not know what you call it, but that is what we call it. I do not want to tempt fate, but I want to add my best wishes, along with everybody else, to the Black Caps for the upcoming final. I know we can do it. Go the boys.

As Dale Steyn prepared to bowl those last couple of balls to Grant Elliott last night, a most irreverent thought crossed my mind, and that was that I hoped he bowled them overarm. It did remind me of a great occasion in the past when a lot was riding on the outcome of a match and a certain incident occurred. Then I thought that, actually, that would have been totally inappropriate in the spirit of that game because of the camaraderie, the intense competition, and sheer delight of all who took part, even though the South Africans were reduced to grief and tears at the end—and that was the sheer emotional outpouring of what had been an extraordinary occasion. When you looked around the scenes in the crowd and you saw people standing there with their hands to their cheeks for those last couple of overs, a bit like Munch’s famous painting, the reality was that this was a country riding on the outcome of this spectacular occasion. Grant Elliott, long the butt of criticism, did that great New Zealand thing of defying the critics by coming right and hitting the winning runs.

But that achievement last night, extraordinary, wonderful, and uplifting as it was, is a memory today. There is a bigger challenge ahead on Sunday. We wish the Black Caps every success at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. We wish them good fortune. We wish them favourable weather conditions—and forget the Duckworth-Lewis for once—and we wish them success and triumph. When we resume in this House next Tuesday, let that be the victory that we celebrate. Let that be the occasion for the letting off of a huge amount of support and hysteria, and, maybe, if the Government saw fit today to move this motion on the semi-final, it may choose to adjourn the House in celebration for the week once we win the final, so go the Black Caps on Sunday.

I think the views have been fairly well canvassed, but on behalf of the ACT Party I would like to congratulate the boys on a sensational performance—from both teams last night—and, without jinxing anybody, wish our team the best of luck come Sunday. If you were to make one observation about this game and our success so far, it is not so long ago that there was a serious debate about whether or not we could afford to leave a particular star player out of the team when he was not fitting into the team. I think what this team has shown is that you cannot afford to rely on just one star player when you have a large team. In fact, I think it is fair to say that the New Zealand First caucus has demonstrated this pretty ably recently too. However, what the New Zealand cricket team has shown is that a playing team will always beat a team of players, and on Sunday they go with our blessing. Thank you.

Motion agreed to.