Even though I have been enjoying a short break in Melbourne, cricket has still managed to feature prominently.

We scored some great seats at the MCG last Friday when Aussie played the West Indies. What a venue!

The cricket was good, Mark Waugh's batting brilliant, the West Indies fielding disappointing and the crowd highly entertaining.

Like most one-dayers the "Mexican wave" featured and as you would expect there was the annoying chant at regular intervals of "Aussie Aussie Aussie oiiii oiiii oiiii" but overall I'd have to say the crowd participation at times was a bit of a hoot.

Some of the calls they came out with were quite different to the standard ones I've heard at Jade Stadium. Bob – whoever he is got a good mention – every 10 or so minutes about 1000 plus people would all start yelling out "Bob" and start waving there arms in different directions, as if to say "over here". Quite confusing for an unsuspecting kiwi but for the locals it was a take off of a McDonalds add.

Following the match a surprise visit to the Crown Casino was sprung on us by our friend Pete……..I was particularly excited about visiting this flash establishment especially since I was wearing running shoes, my Clear White Ferns shorts and matching rain jacket – classy!!!!

I thought, "Oh well what are the chances off seeing anyone I know in Melbourne?"

So we headed off and after a brief wander around the Casino who should I bump into but Melanie Jones and Julia Price from the Australian Woman's team.

We had a brief chat mainly about what we had been doing since the World Cup. Like New Zealand they too have just completed their domestic season.

Which brings me to the State Insurance Cup final and what a game that turned out to be. With Canterbury scoring 263 I would have thought it would have been a winning total but you can never rule out the Auckland side, especially one with such a strong batting line up.

Ex-international Shelly Fruin anchored the innings for Auckland with 97 and with contributions from the rest of the top order they reached the total in the 46th over – pretty impressive.

So Auckland are victorious again for the second season in a row. If the scorecard is anything to go by it must have been an exciting game of cricket and a great advertisement for women's cricket with over 500 runs being scored.

With the World Cup success and women's cricket, both at first-class and age group level, looking so strong it really is an exciting time for cricket in New Zealand. The challenge is to now capitalise on these successes and continue to make progress in all areas of the game throughout the country.

© CricInfo