Hamish Marshall signs a shirt for a fan. Photo / Reuters
Monique Devereux, former chief reporter at the Herald and now Christchurch correspondent for Radio New Zealand, is at the Cricket World Cup. She brings nzherald.co.nz regular news and views from the West Indies
After their long journey to get here, the battle with the heat and the frustrations of getting anywhere easily in the Caribbean, the die-hard Black Caps fans were rewarded today.
At the training session about 30 minutes away from Grenada's capital, a tour group of Kiwi cricket nuts
were treated to an autograph session and a quick chat with some of the players.
The pens were out, the jerseys and cricket bats were signed, the cameras clicked and whirred and the fans went home happy.
Even the bloke in the Crusaders rugby shirt, who must have been sweltering yet too excited about the Super 14 not to leave the jersey at home. (And fair enough!)
It is the first time there has been such relaxed contact with the supporters.
Security is strict and players aren't generally allowed to wander off without minders.
At their hotel, where some of us media are also staying, there is a heavy police presence including army officers with AK47s patrolling the grounds.
I've got used to it now, but the first few times of trotting down to reception and meeting armed guards along the way was a little odd.
Getting through the gates into a training session is normally a mission for accredited media who are trying to work, but the rules must have been relaxed.
Training was held in the township of La Sagesse and for once the Kiwi tour group was allowed in and sat in the grandstand for the duration.
They included a few lucky teens but were mostly from generation older than the players, making me initially wonder if it wasn't just the mums and dads of every team member.
Especially when they started cheering and clapping for each player who hit the stumps in a fielding practice session.
As one Aussie journalist noted, the little group brought more atmosphere to training than has been seen at some of the tournament's games.
