Black Caps celebrate loud and proud

Monday, 30 January 2012

Dusk on a warm summer's day in Napier.

A deserted McLean Park is suddenly over-run with jubilant New Zealand cricketers and management emerging from under the grandstand, some still in their whites, beer bottles in hand.

Nearly three hours earlier they'd beaten Zimbabwe by a record margin.

Now the celebrations kick up a gear.

It began in Hobart after they beat Australia by seven runs.

Now, two in a row, and it's becoming a tradition.

Test wins haven't always been this plentiful.

Walk out to the scene of the crime, gather in a tight huddle, bellow out the team song then douse each other, and the pitch, with the cold sponsors product like grand prix winners.

''The first time we did it was in Hobart and we did it again [on Saturday night]. It's something Brendon McCullum is driving and it's something we'll make a tradition as test wins keep coming,'' Tim Southee said.

''It's something the guys all enjoy doing and sitting around in your whites after a test match and having a few beers is a pretty awesome feeling. Just reflecting on what was a crazy day.''

Origins of the team song are hazy. Southee said it had been around longer than he'd been in the side.

There were suggestions it was penned by former team psychologist Gilbert Enoka.

Words could be vaguely heard from the back of the grandstand.

It begins with: ''Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,'' to borrow a line from Robert Herrick's famous poem about seizing the day.

It mentions playing for your mates, and having pride in the national black and white colours.

''That's been around for a while. I'm not sure how long. It's more a pledge than a song.''

Southee admitted it was more about volume than harmony.

If South Africa are toppled a test in March, it might get its loudest airing yet.