Players with something to shout about

Ryan Nelsen

After a week that New Zealand sports fans might rather forget, All Whites soccer captain Ryan Nelsen has rekindled a bit of pride by leading his English premier league football team to victory.

Nelsen, 27, found he was to be skipper just minutes before his Blackburn Rovers team downed local rivals Burnley 2-1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

To top it off, he was also joint man of the match in what is England's oldest derby in the world's oldest competition. The Chirstchurch-born player started with Blackburn in December after four years in the United States Major Soccer League.

While he's at the top of his game, Nelsen is struggling to come to terms with the local cuisine.

"Those squashed-up peas are the most disgusting thing I've seen."

Meanwhile, the New Zealand cricket selectors pulled a surprise yesterday by naming Iain O'Brien as the bolter for the first test against Australia starting tomorrow week in Christchurch. The Wellington pace bowler, 28, will be hoping for similar beginner's luck as the Black Caps struggle to come to grips with a powerful Australian lineup.

O'Brien was one of two test newcomers with Otago opener Craig Cumming. The selectors also recalled Auckland batsman Lou Vincent, who had visions of turning to building because he doubted he would get another game for New Zealand.

As for O'Brien, once he picked his jaw off the ground, he planned to celebrate with "a curry with a few mates".