As long as there is cricket, the world is somehow okay.

Rays of white light come flooding into my lounge, into my face from over the top of my neighbour’s hedge. I have to look away as the window of the conservatory is awash in light, as if you were driving towards the sun after a rain shower and suddenly blinded. It feels warm on my face and drys the tears on my cheeks.

I’ve been up early listening to music and a song played that reminded me of a good friend who has been dealing with some unexpected news. I feel a bit overcome with emotion listening to the lyrics over the bass line and a couple of tears escape.

I find myself thinking of mortality, and again about that Kim Hill interview with Sam Neill. Such a wonderful man, I'm sure the news of his illness has touched many. He is one of those rare Kiwis loved by the whole country.

So often we are divided in some way, politically for example, and that tends to mean there are few Kiwis universally loved. I find it hard to understand that Kiwis don’t feel like that about Jacinda, but then I also find it hard to believe that many held John Key in high regard, so fair’s fair.

It is remarkable when a New Zealander transcends all of that difference and division and is well regarded across the board. And Sam is no shrinking violet politically, it is very clear what his politics are but he doesn’t shove them down people’s throats. A lesson for many of us, certainly one for me.

It is hard to think of many others held in that regard. Some musicians perhaps, a Neil Finn, or a Dave Dobbyn. Kiwis that have produced such a body of a work and been around for so long, that they are part of the furniture of the nation.

Image: neilfinn.com.

Maybe some sport stars, although they can be divisive. Take for example Richie McCaw, without question a great player and captain and yet a lot of people, myself included, don’t really like him for the way he so closely aligned himself with John Key. The grotesque photo ops of Key pretending to be one of the team while Richie grins, yeah nah, great rugby player but not that sort of appeal for me.

Rugby is hugely divisive in this county, it is symbolic of the differences between tradition and change, between conservatism and liberalism. The rugby club has been a safe harbour for misogyny, and small minded bigotry towards others, long after those things became less fashionable and acceptable in the rest of society.

Cricket is a bit less contentious. It doesn’t hurt that we’re often the underdogs so the country gets behind the team and really celebrates when we do well. With rugby a good result is mostly just a relief, there isn’t a lot of joy. There is even less joy when they lose.

It is a funny sport Cricket, if they introduced it now it would never catch on, but it is part of our tradition. Part of summer. A BBQ and backyard cricket. The first morning of a cricket test, or the late finish of a day/night game.

There is something reassuring about it’s traditions, the chivalrous nature in a world that seems so mixed up and unkind these days. A friend of mine, Jane, put it well with a comment I’ve used for the the title of this newsletter - As long as there is cricket, the world is somehow okay.

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