New Zealand Cricket confirmed for a WTC trophy tour around the country to be called “WTC mace parade”
New Zealand, the first-ever ICC World Test Championship (WTC) winner, will introduce the countrymen to the dazzling ‘mace’ they received in the most successful and spectacular WTC victory in their cricket history. For this, a mace parade will be held across the country from 26 July on behalf of New Zealand Cricket.
Several members of the winning team are believed to be traveling from Whangārei in northern New Zealand to the South Island city of Invercargill for a week with the winning ‘mace’ of the WTC finals.
It will be stopped at Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, and Christchurch en route. WTC-winning XI captains Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, Devon Conway, and Colin de Grandhomme will not be present at the parade, as they will be in the UK to play in their County Championship and ‘The Hundred’ tournament.
The remaining members of the group, including William Somerville, Jeet Raval, and Todd Astle, even who were not present in England during the WTC Finals, will appear with maces at various stages of the parade.
Members of the New Zealand team that were part of the WTC Finals in Southampton will remain in isolation till this Saturday and return home to their families before the start of the parade. New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White has admitted that this victory parade has not been considered in view of the isolation standards.
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“It has become clear very quickly that our players want the opportunity to be a part of and take part in this historic achievement,” David White said in a statement. We have received tons of requests to do something about winning the WTC Finals so that New Zealand players can join the team and share the moment. We initially thought that spending time in quarantine and the post-win period would dampen the excitement of public celebrations, but we’ve been persuaded to think again
