The BLACKCAPS are heading to Florida to play the first international game on USA soil against Sri Lanka.
The United States is the new frontier for international cricket and the team are looking forward to playing somewhere new. BLACKCAP Scott Styris has been to the States a number of times however he has never been for cricket. “My brother received a scholarship to Berkeley in California,” he said. “So I have been there a few times to visit him.”
Styris said the team are looking forward to playing somewhere new. “We are very excited on a number of fronts. Obviously playing in America is a real novelty,” he said. “I don’t think any of our boys have been to Florida before, so we are looking forward to seeing what Miami and the region has to offer.”
The BLACKCAPS play Sri Lanka in three Twenty20 matches at Fort Lauderdale, “We would hope to go into this series to win it. It should be a lot of fun,” Styris pointed out. “It is a neutral venue and neither team has played there before, so all of our boys are really looking forward to it.
The last time the two teams met was at the ICC World Twenty where the BLACKCAPS narrowly won by two wickets.
“It will be great to carry our form against Sri Lanka across to the States, especially because we have another series against them coming up later in the year.”
The teams will be playing at Central Broward Regional Park cricket stadium and Styris is positive it will be a great place to boost the profile of the sport in America. “I’m sure that it will be a nice ground with a great atmosphere.”
Before the three games on May 20, 22 and 23, the BLACKCAPS will have some down time to explore their surroundings. Many of the players are huge baseball fans and some will get the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere at a game. “I enjoy baseball. I got into it when my brother was at Berkeley, and Oakland was just up the road. He took me to a couple of games at the Coliseum, so I keep my eye on how they go,” Styris said. “I’m looking forward to getting out there on the diamond and maybe having a hit.
“I went with my brother to a hitting cage and had a go. It is a completely different swing to what we are used to in cricket and it does take some adjustment and getting used to. So I’ve had 15 swings at a baseball in my life, which is probably 15 more than most of the guys in the team, so it will be fun.”
More than anything, Styris is looking forward to soaking up the American way of life. “We have travelled to many countries around the world to play cricket, so getting to the US and seeing how life is there is an exciting opportunity and we are all looking forward to it,” he concluded.
