Cricket milestones restaged in display

Cricket Museum director Jamie Bell with Napier's latest addition to the ICC Cricket World Cup landscape.

It may be modest in size but the New Zealand Cricket Museum's travelling "Legendary Cricket Moments" is huge in history.

It is also in the perfect place until the end of the week to celebrate Napier's hosting role in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup.

The mobile display, which is housed in a modified and refurbished container, was put together by New Zealand Cricket Museum director Jamie Bell and was specially prepared to travel the country where World Cup matches are being staged.

It was set up in Napier at the top of Emerson St opposite the Sound Shell on Tuesday and will be in town until Sunday - the day the Black Caps take on Afghanistan at McLean Park.

The displays include large wall-mounted backgrounders involving New Zealand's introduction to test cricket in the 1930s, Brendan McCullum's historic 302 scored at the Basin Reserve last year, the White Ferns 2000 World Cup victory and the story of Bert Sutcliffe's almost legendary side in South Africa in 1953.

A touch-screen display also enables visitors to check out the highlights through the decades from the 1930s through to today.

"Legendary Cricket Moments is all about remembering and celebrating all those players and performances that make the late nights and last-over thrillers worthwhile," Mr Bell said.

"From the 1949 UK tour and the beige of the 1980s to the 1992 Cricket World Cup, teal shirts and Cricket Max - every generation of New Zealand cricket fans has their touchstone moments."

He said the way the Black Caps were performing meant he was likely to have his hands full.

"We'll be busy keeping it updated."

Among those who popped into the mini-museum yesterday were Mike and Avril Thomas from Norwich in England.

"It's very good - some great stories there," Mrs Thomas said.

The couple are in New Zealand to catch as many games as they can, and yesterday's UAE v Pakistan clash was the first on the list.

"We love the atmosphere of it all and the added bonus for us was being able to get tickets to see New Zealand here on Sunday," Mr Thomas said.

They are planning to catch a game or two in Hamilton but had only seen, or would be seeing, the England side on television.

"We need some bowlers," Mr Thomas said. "Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson are very good bowlers but it's just not happening at the moment."

On Sunday their cheers will definitely be for the Black Caps.

Hawke's Bay Tourism general manager Annie Dundas was at the Sound Shell yesterday where food stalls and music kept visitors happy.

She said the cricket museum was another valuable touch to the carnival atmosphere.

The "Whack a Wicket" had proved a great favourite and created plenty of laughter along with the occasional cry of "where's the third umpire?" when the race to roll the giant ball into the giant wickets proved a close-run thing.

"It will be back here on Friday afternoon and on Saturday and Sunday so we'd like to challenge local businesses to get a team or two together and come and have a go," Ms Dundas said.