New Zealanders are celebrating after the Black Caps were crowned world Test cricket champions on a dramatic sixth day of the final against India – a huge boost given previous heartbreaks and near-misses on the pitch.
The match, which extended into a reserve day due to rain in Southampton, had been dubbed a “David and Goliath” clash, with New Zealand cast as David. And New Zealanders love little more than seeing an underdog win.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said the match was a “masterful performance from a team at the top of their game and on top of the world”. She credited captain Kane Williamson with building “a brilliant and humble squad”.
“Over a number of years now we have seen the development of a team and team culture that has taken New Zealand cricket to world beating heights,” Adern said.
“We look forward to welcoming the team home and celebrating their success.”
Minister of Sport Grant Robertson – a keen cricket fan – also waxed lyrical about the win.
“I was at Lord’s in 2019 for the World Cup one-day final, and like many New Zealanders I will never forget the heartache of that day,” he said. “But this team has proved incredibly resilient and now sit atop the world rankings.
“This is a golden age of cricket in New Zealand and one that will inspire generations to come.”
Richard Hadlee, one of New Zealand’s greatest players, said the current Test team “thoroughly deserved” to lift the trophy based on recent form.
“Over the past two years, the Black Caps performances in the test arena have been outstanding with test match and series wins at home and abroad,” the 69-year-old said in a statement.
“The whole team has shown a high degree of professionalism. Their skill sets have complemented each other to make them a complete playing unit. It’s fair to say that this current group of players is the best in our history.”
International media were also effusive, with The Times of India writing: “Perhaps the cricket gods wanted a course correction for Williamson and his men, who were left high and dry during that evening at Lord’s where a twist of cruel fate and horrible rules robbed them of deserving glory in the 2019 World Cup.”
Previewing the match, the Guardian had written that India’s team was “more exciting, more individual, more flamboyant and less dependable. If the game was all about talent, they would win hands down. Because it is also about temperament and teamwork, New Zealand have a chance.”
Some of that praise may sound damningly faint, but in New Zealand – where cultural values of humility and understatement are held in particularly high esteem – a clear but understated victory might be the sweetest of all.
The match at the Ageas Bowl began at 9.30pm New Zealand time, and ran into the early hours of the morning, meaning only the truly dedicated were awake to catch the final hours.
Still, local fans took to Twitter to celebrate: “I fell asleep! But in decades to come will pretend I stayed awake – with five million others – to watch this, the greatest sporting victory of our lives,”tweeted one NZ Herald journalist.
Opposition leader Judith Collins said there would be “a few bleary eyes around the country today. But worth it. So proud of our Black Caps.”
“Seven and a half years ago, Black Caps were ranked eighth in the world – ahead of only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe,” New Zealand high commissioner to Sri Lanka Michael Appleton tweeted. “This is a remarkable rags to riches story, in the process overthrowing the best cricket side the mighty India has ever produced.”