''Brucies Crew'' staked their claim at Molyneux Park four hours before the twenty20 match between Otago and Auckland began yesterday - and their joy in the return of top-level cricket to the park was echoed by many in the crowd.
The 20-strong crew, made up of three generations of the Bruce family and friends, has supported Otago at the Alexandra ground for more than two decades.
They were devastated when the park lost its New Zealand Cricket warrant of fitness several years ago and welcomed the reinstatement of the warrant and the first elite match being held on the park in nearly three years.
To cap the day off, Otago recorded a comprehensive eight-wicket win.
''It's great, isn't it? And we've turned on the good weather for them, which Otago's lacked in recent games. What more could you ask for?'' the self-styled president of Brucies Crew, Brian Bruce, of Alexandra, said.
''There's a decent crowd, too, so there will be no excuses for not coming back to Alexandra.''
The crowd was estimated at more than 2100 and the temperature topped 27degC during the afternoon. Alexandra teenagers Danyon Trask, Joey Welham and Reed Frewen said the park was the perfect setting for top-level cricket. Sergeant Derek Ealson, of Alexandra, said police made no arrests at the cricket.
''It was a great event, well-managed and we had no incidents with the crowd at all,'' he said.
