March 7, 2025 • 10 mins
The Black Caps meet India in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai, looking to repeat their 2000 heroics over the same opponents, when they won their last piece of white ball silverware.
Wellington spin bowler Michael Bracewell has taken six wickets in four matches through the tournament, with an economy rate of 4.43.
He joined Adam Cooper to preview Sunday night's final.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All. The black Caps have come agonizingly close to white
(00:02):
ball cricket silver ware several times over the last ten years,
but it's not since the Champions Trophy back in the
year two thousand that New Zealand lifted a major trophy
and limited overs cricket and the men's side of the game.
Back then, it was the Stephen Fleming captain de side
winning the final against India in Kenya. So twenty five
(00:23):
years on and his Zealander looked to defeat those same
opponents once again to lift the trophy tomorrow night. From
ten out time, it's the black Caps taking on India
in Dubai to decide the twenty twenty five Champions Trophy winners.
Now major parts of New Zealand's strong campaign so far
has been the spin of Wellington's Michael Bracewell, taking six
(00:45):
wickets through the side's four matches so far, including his
best haul of four wickets for twenty six runs against
Bangladesh in the group stage, and an overall economy rate
of just four point four to three through the tournament
That is the fifth best of all bowlers at the
Champions Trophy this year. So it's a pleasure to be
able to do head to Dubai and chat to Wellington's
(01:06):
Michael Bracewell, who's been kind enough to stay up late
for us to have a bit of a look ahead
to tomorrow's final morning from Wellington, Michael, thanks for your time.
I wanted to start by asking has it been a
setback for the team having to locate from Pakistan back
to Dubai for this one at the call of India.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Now this one, this one's been pretty good. We've we've
got a couple of days to get used to Dubai
again and the heat, the heat that comes with's out.
But you know we're the travels. Travel's not really going
to sue this time, which is nice.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Looking back on the tournament for yourself, Michael, you've had
some great performances right at that top end of the
bowling stats right through the tournament, especially for the spinners.
You know that Bangladesh contributional I'm sure stand out for
you with four for twenty six. What's been behind your
success at this tournament?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Do you think? Yeah, I think I've just tried to
keep it middle stages. It's probably the easiest time to
bowl in one day cracket, but Yeah, we've implemented some
different fields, trying to try to really build pressure with
much at the other end, who has obviously been doing
(02:18):
an amazing job as well. So I think we've worked
well in partnership spinning the ball both ways, and yeah,
it's just been a real team performance. I think can't
really can't really narrow it down more than that, to
be honest. The wickets have been conducive to spin, which
always helps as well.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, and I guessed there have been sometimes when the
spin hasn't quite been there on the wickets, especially in
those couple of games earlier in the campaign. How challenging
was it adapting to still getting stuff out of the
wicket even if it wasn't quite turning.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yeah, I think one of the benefits of us playing
Pakistan quite regularly over the last few years is we're
pretty comfortable and their conditions now we've been been on
tours to Pokistan for a number of years now and yeah,
getting getting getting used to the conditions over there in
Pakistan has has been hugely beneficial. And then obviously the
(03:13):
Try series before Champions Trophy as well, so we're very
familiar with those conditions and it's I think it's been
a little bit of a secret of our success has
been guys have played a number of games there and
are pretty comfortable with with how how the conditions suit
(03:33):
our game.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Approaching the final. You've obvious had to crack it India
earlier on but back and do by now. I guess
they're more of a right hand focused to batting lineup
guys that are used to facing spin. When you look
back on the game against them a few days ago,
to take into now, what are you kind of preparing
to take on them.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah, it's nice to be able to have played here.
That was actually my first game in Dubai, so everyone
is a little bit more experienced of playing on those
wickets here now and we sort of have a have
a good idea of what we're going to expect from
the wicket. Obviously, it was a little bit of a
dress rehearsal and that didn't didn't quite go our way,
(04:13):
but I think, yeah, the learnings that we took from
that are going to be invaluable, and we obviously just
need to play a little bit ditter and I think
and in all posits of the game really, and look,
there's there's not a lot of pressure on us with
the idea of one every game here in Dubai. So
we're going and we've got obviously going to fire a
few shots and and take it as it comes. But yeah,
(04:37):
it's a it's a playoff game, so it's anyone's to win. Really. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Great, when you look at your spin and your strategy
and getting stuff out of a wicket that might not
always be offering turn do you sort of drawback on
some of you your times at the basin we play
most of your domestic cricket on the whole as a
you know, something you have to think about creatively with
with sometimes or plot things a bit differently.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Absolutely. I think one of the benefits of playing or
growing up in New Zealand and playing a lot in
New Zealander is very rarely do we find ourselves on
a turning wicket, So we have to have to be
able to adapt to those conditions and you find you
have to try and beat guys in the air a
(05:20):
lot with your with your drift and so when you
do get on a wicket that's confusive to spin, sometimes
trying trying to find a way is a little bit different.
And you can bowl the ball as fast as you
like into the surface and it grips. So I think
that's one thing that as a spin as a spin
(05:40):
bowling unit, we all try to really turn the ball
because yeah, if you're not doing that in New Zealand,
you can get hurt pretty quickly. So I think it
definitely helps us growing up on those sorts of wickets
and yeah, makes makes us skillful bowlers as up.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
How motivated as a thing for a piece of silverware
and white ball cricket obviously several finals in the last
sort of five six years that haven't gone the way
of the Black Caps a disappointing sort of campaign and
that the T twenty World Cup. So what's the motivation
levels like for the champions trophy now it's back.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, massive motivation obviously the finals just there and if
you win that game, you take all the spoils, which
is ultimately what you turn up to any event to do.
And we've given ourselves a great chance by putting ourselves
in the final. And I think we don't want to
make the occasion bigger than what it is, but we
(06:38):
also recognize that it is a massive game for everyone
and it would be a massive achievement in our careers
if we're able to win that champions trophy. So yeah, lucky.
We're under no illusion that it's not a big game,
but we're excited by the opportunity to potentially go out
there and take the title. Yeah, it's what you grow
(07:02):
up dreaming of as winning world titles. So it would
be hugely special for everyone in the grip.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
And it was a pretty complete performance against South Africa,
obviously led by well so brilliant. Bat is out in
the middle. Rutchan re injury, your long time Wellington TEAMMATEE
and Kane Williamson two centuries for them. How nice has
it been seeing rut and recover from that sort of
a bit of a knock you got at the start
of the trip over there to be contributing some great scores.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, it was obviously pretty scary seeing him get hit
there under the lights, in the horror and to see
him to see him that a couple of days following,
he wasn't in the in the best space. So first
of all, it's great to see him back playing. You
never want to see someone get injured, and particularly in
those circumstances. But yeah, to see the way that he's
(07:53):
gone since since returning to the crease has been amazing.
He's just going from strength to drinks in and ICC
events and his record is pretty phenomenal right now and
we're obviously banking on him having another big, another big
showing here in the final and just a class of Cain.
(08:14):
He really showed all of his years of experience the
way he absorbed the pressure early on in that innings
and then was able to apply back to South Africa.
It was a pretty impressive and dominant performance from both
of them and the partnership was certainly inspiring for all
of us back in the changing room. So yeah, it's
we've had some great performances here in the Champions Trophy
(08:37):
and yeah we've got a lot of confidence going into
this final game that we've got the team here to
be able to do it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Great. And just finally, Michael, you mentioned at the start
the captaincy of Mitch Santner and some of the decisions
he's made, the rotation of spinners and I guess maybe
not sticking to traditional manuals really and getting the job done,
and it's clearly worked. How's you have you observed how
he's gone about his decision making and work through this campaign.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, I think as a leader he's pretty amazing. He's
obviously doing it with his actions. He's bowling phenomenally at
the moment and is really like inspiring the guys to
do well. But then his the calmness that he shows
around his leadership is pretty impressive. I was talking to
(09:25):
a couple of the guys that were out on the
field yesterday and we're just saying how it didn't really
feel like a semi final because he's so calm, and yeah,
it doesn't make the occasion too big. So yeah, it's
certainly a huge asset having him leading us and not
letting us get too carried away, but also letting us
(09:46):
play our own games. And yeah, he's certainly freeing as
a captain and having a captain who's a stain bowler
as well, we obviously understands spin bowling extremely well and
is able to deploy us at the right times, which
has certainly helped to us as a stainballing group, but
as a as a team as well.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Michael, really appreciate your time here on News Talk ZEDB
this morning. It's been great to catch up. Congratulations on
your tournament so far and on behalf of everyone listening
here in Wellington and around the country. All the very
best for that final tomorrow night there in Dubai. For
more from News Talk ZEDB, listen live on air or online,
and keep our shows with you wherever you go with
(10:30):
our podcast on iHeartRadio.
All. The black Caps have come agonizingly close to white
(00:02):
ball cricket silver ware several times over the last ten years,
but it's not since the Champions Trophy back in the
year two thousand that New Zealand lifted a major trophy
and limited overs cricket and the men's side of the game.
Back then, it was the Stephen Fleming captain de side
winning the final against India in Kenya. So twenty five
(00:23):
years on and his Zealander looked to defeat those same
opponents once again to lift the trophy tomorrow night. From
ten out time, it's the black Caps taking on India
in Dubai to decide the twenty twenty five Champions Trophy winners.
Now major parts of New Zealand's strong campaign so far
has been the spin of Wellington's Michael Bracewell, taking six
(00:45):
wickets through the side's four matches so far, including his
best haul of four wickets for twenty six runs against
Bangladesh in the group stage, and an overall economy rate
of just four point four to three through the tournament
That is the fifth best of all bowlers at the
Champions Trophy this year. So it's a pleasure to be
able to do head to Dubai and chat to Wellington's
(01:06):
Michael Bracewell, who's been kind enough to stay up late
for us to have a bit of a look ahead
to tomorrow's final morning from Wellington, Michael, thanks for your time.
I wanted to start by asking has it been a
setback for the team having to locate from Pakistan back
to Dubai for this one at the call of India.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Now this one, this one's been pretty good. We've we've
got a couple of days to get used to Dubai
again and the heat, the heat that comes with's out.
But you know we're the travels. Travel's not really going
to sue this time, which is nice.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Looking back on the tournament for yourself, Michael, you've had
some great performances right at that top end of the
bowling stats right through the tournament, especially for the spinners.
You know that Bangladesh contributional I'm sure stand out for
you with four for twenty six. What's been behind your
success at this tournament?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Do you think? Yeah, I think I've just tried to
keep it middle stages. It's probably the easiest time to
bowl in one day cracket, but Yeah, we've implemented some
different fields, trying to try to really build pressure with
much at the other end, who has obviously been doing
(02:18):
an amazing job as well. So I think we've worked
well in partnership spinning the ball both ways, and yeah,
it's just been a real team performance. I think can't
really can't really narrow it down more than that, to
be honest. The wickets have been conducive to spin, which
always helps as well.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, and I guessed there have been sometimes when the
spin hasn't quite been there on the wickets, especially in
those couple of games earlier in the campaign. How challenging
was it adapting to still getting stuff out of the
wicket even if it wasn't quite turning.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yeah, I think one of the benefits of us playing
Pakistan quite regularly over the last few years is we're
pretty comfortable and their conditions now we've been been on
tours to Pokistan for a number of years now and yeah,
getting getting getting used to the conditions over there in
Pakistan has has been hugely beneficial. And then obviously the
(03:13):
Try series before Champions Trophy as well, so we're very
familiar with those conditions and it's I think it's been
a little bit of a secret of our success has
been guys have played a number of games there and
are pretty comfortable with with how how the conditions suit
(03:33):
our game.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Approaching the final. You've obvious had to crack it India
earlier on but back and do by now. I guess
they're more of a right hand focused to batting lineup
guys that are used to facing spin. When you look
back on the game against them a few days ago,
to take into now, what are you kind of preparing
to take on them.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah, it's nice to be able to have played here.
That was actually my first game in Dubai, so everyone
is a little bit more experienced of playing on those
wickets here now and we sort of have a have
a good idea of what we're going to expect from
the wicket. Obviously, it was a little bit of a
dress rehearsal and that didn't didn't quite go our way,
(04:13):
but I think, yeah, the learnings that we took from
that are going to be invaluable, and we obviously just
need to play a little bit ditter and I think
and in all posits of the game really, and look,
there's there's not a lot of pressure on us with
the idea of one every game here in Dubai. So
we're going and we've got obviously going to fire a
few shots and and take it as it comes. But yeah,
(04:37):
it's a it's a playoff game, so it's anyone's to win. Really. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Great, when you look at your spin and your strategy
and getting stuff out of a wicket that might not
always be offering turn do you sort of drawback on
some of you your times at the basin we play
most of your domestic cricket on the whole as a
you know, something you have to think about creatively with
with sometimes or plot things a bit differently.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Absolutely. I think one of the benefits of playing or
growing up in New Zealand and playing a lot in
New Zealander is very rarely do we find ourselves on
a turning wicket, So we have to have to be
able to adapt to those conditions and you find you
have to try and beat guys in the air a
(05:20):
lot with your with your drift and so when you
do get on a wicket that's confusive to spin, sometimes
trying trying to find a way is a little bit different.
And you can bowl the ball as fast as you
like into the surface and it grips. So I think
that's one thing that as a spin as a spin
(05:40):
bowling unit, we all try to really turn the ball
because yeah, if you're not doing that in New Zealand,
you can get hurt pretty quickly. So I think it
definitely helps us growing up on those sorts of wickets
and yeah, makes makes us skillful bowlers as up.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
How motivated as a thing for a piece of silverware
and white ball cricket obviously several finals in the last
sort of five six years that haven't gone the way
of the Black Caps a disappointing sort of campaign and
that the T twenty World Cup. So what's the motivation
levels like for the champions trophy now it's back.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, massive motivation obviously the finals just there and if
you win that game, you take all the spoils, which
is ultimately what you turn up to any event to do.
And we've given ourselves a great chance by putting ourselves
in the final. And I think we don't want to
make the occasion bigger than what it is, but we
(06:38):
also recognize that it is a massive game for everyone
and it would be a massive achievement in our careers
if we're able to win that champions trophy. So yeah, lucky.
We're under no illusion that it's not a big game,
but we're excited by the opportunity to potentially go out
there and take the title. Yeah, it's what you grow
(07:02):
up dreaming of as winning world titles. So it would
be hugely special for everyone in the grip.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
And it was a pretty complete performance against South Africa,
obviously led by well so brilliant. Bat is out in
the middle. Rutchan re injury, your long time Wellington TEAMMATEE
and Kane Williamson two centuries for them. How nice has
it been seeing rut and recover from that sort of
a bit of a knock you got at the start
of the trip over there to be contributing some great scores.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, it was obviously pretty scary seeing him get hit
there under the lights, in the horror and to see
him to see him that a couple of days following,
he wasn't in the in the best space. So first
of all, it's great to see him back playing. You
never want to see someone get injured, and particularly in
those circumstances. But yeah, to see the way that he's
(07:53):
gone since since returning to the crease has been amazing.
He's just going from strength to drinks in and ICC
events and his record is pretty phenomenal right now and
we're obviously banking on him having another big, another big
showing here in the final and just a class of Cain.
(08:14):
He really showed all of his years of experience the
way he absorbed the pressure early on in that innings
and then was able to apply back to South Africa.
It was a pretty impressive and dominant performance from both
of them and the partnership was certainly inspiring for all
of us back in the changing room. So yeah, it's
we've had some great performances here in the Champions Trophy
(08:37):
and yeah we've got a lot of confidence going into
this final game that we've got the team here to
be able to do it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Great. And just finally, Michael, you mentioned at the start
the captaincy of Mitch Santner and some of the decisions
he's made, the rotation of spinners and I guess maybe
not sticking to traditional manuals really and getting the job done,
and it's clearly worked. How's you have you observed how
he's gone about his decision making and work through this campaign.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, I think as a leader he's pretty amazing. He's
obviously doing it with his actions. He's bowling phenomenally at
the moment and is really like inspiring the guys to
do well. But then his the calmness that he shows
around his leadership is pretty impressive. I was talking to
(09:25):
a couple of the guys that were out on the
field yesterday and we're just saying how it didn't really
feel like a semi final because he's so calm, and yeah,
it doesn't make the occasion too big. So yeah, it's
certainly a huge asset having him leading us and not
letting us get too carried away, but also letting us
(09:46):
play our own games. And yeah, he's certainly freeing as
a captain and having a captain who's a stain bowler
as well, we obviously understands spin bowling extremely well and
is able to deploy us at the right times, which
has certainly helped to us as a stainballing group, but
as a as a team as well.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Michael, really appreciate your time here on News Talk ZEDB
this morning. It's been great to catch up. Congratulations on
your tournament so far and on behalf of everyone listening
here in Wellington and around the country. All the very
best for that final tomorrow night there in Dubai. For
more from News Talk ZEDB, listen live on air or online,
and keep our shows with you wherever you go with
(10:30):
our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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