Despite the sun beating down it soon became apparent that play would not start on time

After surviving the first day's rain, fans were expecting play

Unfortunately, with this tour being held here after the clocks have been put back (so most Kiwis are now calling it 'winter') the shadow from a Jade Stadium stand meant the players trooped off in perfect daylight.

If that was a minor annoyance then imagine how England's supporters felt on the scheduled second day of play in the second Test.

After Wellington's famous wet and windy weather had knocked the opening day's play for six, the touring fans trooped in to the Basin Reserve ready for a full second day.

However, it was a day of real frustration as, despite the sun beating down as we sat out bare-chested (apologies for anyone sat near me) it soon became apparent that play would not start on time.

Whether or not the NZ Cricket authorities are too accustomed to the one man and his dog that would normally watch Test cricket over here is open to question.

But there were one or two (thousand) English supporters who had less than complimentary things to say about the Basin Reserve and it's ability to deal with the elements.

Burgerthon

Once play did start, the travelling contingent (including the Pink Panther, Easter Bunny, Sylvester the Cat and a plausible Sir Jim'll Fixit Savile lookalike) sat out on a grass bank that gives the Basin Reserve a certain olde-worlde charm.

The Pink Panther was present for the burger-eating contest

Unfortunately, the gradient of the bank is such that if one or two of the local ales are consumed you can find yourself slowly slipping down the slope to the boundary's edge!

Finally, as the final day's play inexorably drifted towards a draw some bright spark noted that a local burger chain were selling cheeseburgers for 95 NZ cents each (less than 30 pence).

As a result, much of the action in the middle took a back seat as the great Barmy Army Burger Challenge 2002 got under way!

I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say anyone who can munch their way through 11 or more cheeseburgers should make their way to the Sydney Test match for the 2003 edition of the challenge.

You can contact Phil on his New Zealand adventure by sending an e-mail to a_longwayfromhome@hotmail.com