It's Friday night, I'm sitting on my bed in my new place, that I only moved into last Thursday, watching South Africa bowl to the Aussies on the telly, and I couldn't be happier.
My place is hardly huge; it's one room and an en-suite. Kitchen, lounge and bedroom all in one; it'll do for now as I don't need too much space for myself and my couple of bags that I've been living out of for the last five months, although the bar next door could do with being a little less noisy. In saying that, as soon as I make this place home I have to leave, and, again, I couldn't be happier.
I head off to Australia for the Chappell-Hadlee Series on Tuesday and in doing that I will check out of my accommodation and then move back in when I return, into a bigger apartment though that time!
I got a very good phone call on Wednesday afternoon; it was the one that told me I was in the squad of 14 for the one-day series. I knew that the phone call was going to be that afternoon so the phone wasn't too far from me and it didn't have to ring to many times before I picked it up. It was either going to be good news or 'keep trying, you're real close.' It was the 'good news' call. Happy days!
It was quite a weird feeling being told that you are in the Black Caps, again. I've been a part of the Test team for the last 15 months and have only missed one of the Test matches played in that time, but to get called into a 'new' group was like getting the very first phone call again; that wonderful feeling of hard work coming good and the excitement of the next few weeks ahead. I put some Bon Jovi on, loud, opened a beer, stood on my balcony and enjoyed the world around me; little precious moments where you can feel completely happy for the work you've done.
But it's not all done yet. It's only just started. I'm watching this game, on the telly, with a little more interest than I did the last couple. I picked up on a couple of things, sent some texts to a couple of guys asking opinions on a couple of the batters in terms of plans to bowl to them. I'm making my notes, being a bit of a geek, really!
This week has been a pretty tough one training wise, three hard fitness sessions and then weights today, alongside work in the nets. It'll be a lazy night tonight with training at 8am tomorrow before heading down to Invercargill to play Otago in our last State Shield match.
Yesterday, Thursday, we sat down in the changing room, all of the playing guys in the Wellington team, and had a very open and honest chat about our form, what we can do about it and how we can turn it around for the Twenty20 series coming up.
A couple of guys walked out with their heads down after getting some honest feedback in regards to their role and how they've performed it. Honest feedback is often the hardest to take, but it's the best to get; you know exactly where you need to make adjustments in your game and you know the people that have passed on the feedback are going to be watching, and helping you get there.
Today was a good fun day, apart from the weights session. I hate doing weights. On the courier I received some new gloves, some never been seen before gloves from my gear sponsor AERO. I used them this afternoon and they're a little different, as are my pads, but will certainly keep my hands safe! Adidas sent me a couple of pairs of boots today too, again wore them this afternoon in the nets, felt great. And to add to that, I had bought some golf clubs as a Christmas pressie for ME and they arrived today after taking a couple of weeks to get here. It really was like Christmas! Great day, huh!?
I'm going to try to keep getting these blogs in while in Oz, it may get a little tough with the gaps and travel between matches, but I'll be doing my best to keep what's going on out there and in my head updated as much as I can.
I havent seen Ian play in a match so far since there was no telecast here in India,its great to read wats goes inside the head of an international cricketer,I hope he keeps performing well and writes blogs every few days.Ian's task would be a little easier now that Matty Hayden quit.In australia if he gets the length wron he will see the ball fly over his head to the booundary at 150kmph,but if he gets it right at 130-140kmph he will turn around and look at a finger pointing the sky
Posted by: Samit at January 23, 2009 8:12 AM
Congrats mate happy for you.I was feeling, that u performs great in tests then why the selectors dont give u a chance in ODIS.Good luckCheers
Posted by: T-Wayne at January 23, 2009 9:14 AM
Good shizzle ian. Keep up the blog work, its a breath of fresh air to read
Posted by: Shankar at January 23, 2009 9:31 AM
Congrats Ian.
Good performance by you in Test Series against Australia and WestIndies.
Great improvement in batting in State Domestic One Day Matches.
Bowl well in ODI Series against Australia.
ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND ALL BLACKCAPS PLAYERS.
Posted by: Trev at January 23, 2009 9:35 AM
On a Friday night shouldnt you be out doing what NZ cricketers do best....shagging their mates Mrs and pissing up large ?
Posted by: Charlie at January 23, 2009 10:13 AM
Well done mate, in my opinion your the opposite of Nathan Bracken but for the Kiwis, you're world class in one form but the selectors aren't picking you in another form for some odd reason.
Anyhoo, great work!
Posted by: Ishant at January 23, 2009 10:17 AM
good luck Ian and the Blackcaps
Posted by: landon neal at January 23, 2009 10:18 AM
Hope you perform real well Ian and its good to see your hard work at test and domestic level have got you back into the ODI squad. Also I wish Brendon Diamanti good luck as he has worked really hard on his game and earned selection. He is a big help with the senior accadamy team in Blenheim and has really helped my game a lot.Good luck Guys.
Posted by: Ross at January 23, 2009 10:24 AM
The shields have gone?! The pads... I mean.
Posted by: j mac at January 23, 2009 10:39 AM
mate ur shit!!.. aus gna fukn rape ur bowling. if u thnk im being a prick then wait till the end of the series nd ull c. ur a joke.
Posted by: Anonymous at January 23, 2009 11:24 AM
Hey Iain... reading your blog is something i tune online for... get lots of wickets in Aus... i'm sure that'll inspire you to keep writing!
Regards
Rory, from Ireland
Posted by: dan b at January 23, 2009 2:58 PM
happy to see you back in the one-day side, IOB. now let's hope that the C-H series goes better than the tests!
Posted by: Shay at January 23, 2009 9:04 PM
Good on you son.
Just bowl a tight line and length in Australia. Keep a cool head and you will do fine.
Posted by: Anonymous at January 23, 2009 10:28 PM
gutted
Posted by: Han at January 23, 2009 10:37 PM
Congrats on making the NZ ODi team against the aussies
Hope you give them a spanking
Posted by: Chaminda at January 23, 2009 10:58 PM
Hi Ian, hope you smash the aussies, good luck! just wondering what's with the new space age looking pads all the fast bowlers are wearing?! Funny enough I've only seen them with the fast bowlers!
Posted by: Steven at January 23, 2009 11:28 PM
Congrats mate. Look forward to seeing you bowl at the Gabba in Feb.
Posted by: Nick at January 24, 2009 1:12 AM
We're all behind you in Aussie. Get over there, bowl fast and lets see a 5-0 thrashing!
Posted by: the_cooz at January 24, 2009 2:40 AM
Seeing South Africa do well against Australia gives me confidence that we can also do well over there. Just make sure you do your thang, Iain, and you'll be all good. Make sure you tell your team-mates that too. Go hard!
Posted by: Shankar at January 24, 2009 4:40 AM
Congrats Ian
Bowl well in ODI series against Australia.
ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND BLACKCAPS.
Good Luck
Posted by: Kaushik Lakshman at January 24, 2009 6:20 PM
Congratulations on your ODI call up for the Black caps....
Saw it in news over here in India..
Hope u guys maul the OZ...
Be a bit kind to India though!1
Keep the blogs going in Australia as well.
Posted by: Nico at January 26, 2009 2:12 AM
Well done on making the ODI team, Ian!
Can't wait for that series to start, make sure to keep us updated :)
Posted by: Chris at January 28, 2009 11:58 PM
Good on ya OB, pleased to see ya get in the ODI team your one of the most consitent bowlers in NZ, tear those aussies up... and maybe hit a 6 or 2?
Posted by: Gav at January 29, 2009 9:25 AM
Love to see Wellington lads in the team, nice work mate. Give those aussies a schoolin'
Posted by: Dennis Scoles at January 29, 2009 6:26 PM
Good Luck in Australia, Hope the unfotunate injury plague keeps clear of you. Enjoy your blog.
Posted by: Tailz at February 10, 2009 11:43 PM
I'm an aussie...never knew too much about you until reading yr blogs. New found respect. Though I don't particularly want you to win this series of course - have enjoyed watching you give it your all out there. Best of luck to you Iain...
Post your comment
Iain O'Brien
must type as fast as he bowls. After stumps most days he adds to his popular personal blog, covering his take on the play, dressing room snippets and personal insights (he really doesn’t like bouncers). A fast-medium bowler, O’Brien has become a regular member of the New Zealand Test side over the past year and is enjoying his time at the top.
RSS Feed
