8th July 2001 - Sri Lanka and bits

The tour has been top draw so far, although we should have won the first game against Sri Lanka, no thanks to me…got out slogging Muralitharan when the game was evenly balanced…sorry kiwis'. Next game, we won against the Indians. Nath…top hundred…I put 50 runs on with him, only got 16 of those, but it was an important partnership.
Crowe said some nice things after the game to me, which was long coming, cos you only hear positives when the team wins...it's easy to feel a little lost in the environment but you have to have a strong character…know you're good. Sweeping loopy spinners is dangerous, T. Relax, back lift, and preparation to face the ball…waiting and playing straight is the key. Patience.

On the bus to Kandy for a couple of days off…a 3 hour drive. Everyone's in a good mood. Cruisey times on a golf course and had a monkey sit on my head…oh and elephants, the orphans.

Two weeks later:

Well, what a tour, finished well, getting 45 in the last game at an important stage of the innings. Two 6's…yum. I am strong boy????. 265 runs and the little bastards got them, Tendulkar's brother, Shewag, sixth fastest hundred in history. Bummer…sorry Tristy. It would have been wicked to win the tournament for him in his last outing. We'll miss him.

Top night out with Mav on the last night…just cruised with the lads in garden party. A little peeved off for failing my first tour speech three times in a row…a little down, but got to laugh. I went to the night club next door with Mav and three English dudes...got there, and the Sri Lankan players were there, so I had a few drinks with them. I got Muralitharan up on the dance floor for a boogie, pretty funny times. I also asked if he could only bowl top spinners to me every time I played him...nice guy...told me just to keep sweeping him. Hehe…I will.

Back in England…after Sri Lanka:

Tama: "I'll be there early doors as soon as I wake up" Nah…forget about it...12.30.
"Hey, T?, where are you"
"...oh, leaving now bro"
Four hours later…
"Arr boy , where are you?"
"...oh, tiki tour bro, u know what it's like…Tim Mac(intosh) in the car, Jerry…"
Anyway, with 30 minutes to get to Crown Worldwide Movers, the boys rock up…jump in the car and here we go again. Doo-tee-doo…backwards and forwards…nowhere near, with only five minutes to go, so we pulled into a pub, and I got the piss taken out of me.
"I'm lost."
They said,
"Head to the sun and go about 12,000 miles and you'll find home"
They were all pissing themselves...hehehe. Anyway, it was now one minute to 5pm, offices close...arrr. We were lost , old lady…arrr!
"Blab bla bla…"
It took too long, so we took off while she was explaining directions, Jerry, Maori could sniff it out!! Hehehehe…we made it to Crown in time to send my bags back to NZ. Aye? Looked on the door and it said 'Open till 6 on Fridays'…bummer, but funny.

Then we played hacky, yum, mission to Burger King, more hacky. Cruzin' with the last 24 hours in England ahead of me. Anyway, AB's lost, bugger…India, here I come…

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