45 is the number of the day. Unfortunately, it is a number that most fans and followers of New Zealand cricket will want to remember with much fondness as it was the Black Craps' total score in their first innings of the first test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Granted the Newlands wicket has been known to be a bowler's heaven and Australia were bowled out for a similarly low score last year. Granted South Africa are indeed the number one cricket nation in the world.
But still the way the Blackcaps capitulated after winning the toss and electing to bat was just unbelievably extraordinarily horrifically bad that you had to see it to believe it.
It is hard to believe that this side won their last test in Sri Lanka prior to this game.
New Zealand's horror first innings, the lowest in the professional era - not surprisingly or surprisingly depending on your opinion, New Zealand own the record for the lowest test score ever of 26 but that was eons ago - is smaller than the following:
The number of runs scored by Jacque Kallis in the same game = 60
The retirement age in New Zealand = 65
The number of goals scored by Lionel Messi in 2012 = 86
The number of caps earned by Richie McCaw = 116
The most important number though, Ross Taylor's test batting average as captain - 43. The Blackcaps sure need every one of those 43 points.
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