By Di O’Connell
A bureaucratic bungle has wrecked retiring Black Cap Iain O'Brien's hopes of joining his wife in England for Christmas.
O'Brien quit playing Cricket for New Zealand to live in the UK and start a family.
But visa delays have brought the medium pacer to a frustrating standstill.
The only red tape Iain O'Brien wants is on presents under his Christmas tree in England.
“They've been apologetic since, so I can't talk badly of them and they're going to get it through as quickly as they can. Fingers crossed I can leave just before Christmas,” O’Brien says.
The cost of staying here and adding to his 21 tests since 2005 is just too high.
“We've been together seven years and we've maybe spent 2 1/2 together. It just can't be done,” he says.
“I just want to be a husband and start a family,” he said in his press conference.
He found the hardest task was facing the public.
The last few weeks have been so emotional; the former teacher even struggled to keep up his beloved blog.
“I've written stuff that most people wouldn't have written or even said. I opened up my head a little bit and I didn't want to open it up too much there.”
Instead, all his energy went into his final test in Napier, where he starred with four wickets for just 25 runs.
It leaves that lasting impression that we are going to miss him rather than he is replaceable.
Now it is an anxious wait for O'Brien to find out whether he will be in his new home for Christmas.
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