The Wellington Blaze have locked in a Super Smash playoff spot with two rounds to spare, thrashing Canterbury by 10 wickets in Christchurch.
White Ferns veteran Sophie Devine starred with the ball, taking five wickets for 13 runs, while Melie Kerr (32) and Rebecca Burns (69) chased down their 102-run target with more than eight overs to spare via an unbeaten opening partnership.
Adam Cooper spoke to Blaze assistant coach Joe Austin-Smellie.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
But let's talk domestic cricket and another great result for
our Wellington Blaze, who have moved back to the top
of the women's Dream elevens Super Smash ladder. With just
a couple of matches for them to play, they are
six wins from eight, the latest coming courtesy of an
absolute demolition of the Cannabury Magicians there at Hackley Oval
last night. Ten wickets was the margin. Canterbury batting first,
(00:23):
being restricted to one hundred and one for eight in
their twenty overs, largely thanks to some incredible bowling with
Sophie Devine having figures of five for thirteen from her
four overs in the match, and then Wellington Blaze chasing
down the target, needing only Melee Kerr and Rebecca Burns,
so that the two opener's guiding the Blaze the whole
(00:44):
way for the run chase, chasing that one hundred and
four that they got within just eleven point two overs,
So the Blaze rarely showing some promising signs. A week
out now from finals weekend here in Wellington, let's head
to the camp now in christ Church and assistant coach
out of the new Lock coaching staff at the Blaze
this year, as Joe Austin smelling morning to you, Joe,
thanks for your time.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Mate, good morning, thanks thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, and I imagine pretty positive vibes around the whole
Wellington contentent down there. You've got the double, both the
Blaze and Fiver. It's getting the wins over Cannary last night.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, exactly. Everyone's fizzing down here and a couple of
really strong performances and yeah, excited for you know, the
last couple of rounds do we end up.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Ye, your Blaze team is building some really real strong
momentum at the moment, a couple of great wins over
the past week or so at the Basin reserve, you know,
tell us where you think the team is peaking right now.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, as you said, we're building up some really nice
momentum kind of moving to these last couple of rounds.
Yeah really, I guess from a coaching perspective, John and
I are really proud of the girls how we kind
of bounced back up those you know, those couple of
losses to otago, but now we're kind of we're fizzing
and yeah, like I said, excited to kind of come
(01:56):
into those last two rounds and hopefully end up somewhere
near the top.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Canterbury's got some good cricketers in their team, but a
couple of wins over them back to back. Now, what's
what's giving you the edge over then these last couple
of games? Do you think.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
A difficult one that? I think obviously we've had some
really strong individual performances, you know throughout. I think one
thing about our blaze side, like I feel as though
everyone makes, you know, a contribution to you know, to
the six sixth of the side, like whether that's big
or small, So you know, like an example of like
a game changer moment used today You think of seeing
(02:31):
the Kinder's catch. You know that was unreal. So, you know,
little kind of contributions like that, I think is really
contributed to our success over the last couple of rounds.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And always good having the top world class players as
part of the team contributing. I mentioned Sophie Devine's bowling
figures just before from yesterday. Extraordinary stuff when she's able
to sort of just really show her class, oh.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
One hundred percent look so world class and you know
she's just this is her twentieth year with Wellington blaze.
So she's been she's been a real servant to the game,
and you know, to have her around the group, you know,
and see how about to see how she goes about
her work, I think is it's unreal and it's unreal
for those young girls with aspirations and the lot within
(03:16):
our side. So you know, we love having safe around
the group. And you know that performance yesterday, you know,
twenty years in to have your best boiling figures is
in twenty twenty cricket is pretty unreal and.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Merely Kerr obviously always a standout and I mean no one,
no, no one listening to our show needs to be explained
her talents, Joe, but what's up like being able to
be sort of involved in a campaign with her?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Look, it's unreal. Really is obviously such a challenged cricketer,
but you know, above all was you know, a great
person and like her cricket brain is unreal and look,
it's been a real privileged to be working with her.
And yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
And I guess the talking point of the season has
been her sister Jess, because you know, amazing form both
with the ball and back. Can you give us a
bit of an insight into to what might be behind
her success this year.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Well, Jess has put in, you know, a lot of
work behind the scenes, so I think, you know, the
way that she's been able to perform on the field
is just a combination of that fact. You know, it's
awesome that you know, she's been able to have an
opportunity to beat up the top of the order and yeah,
she's she's gone unreal and look at it's awesome to see.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
What's been the focus for yourself and and Johnny taking
on this role quite later on and the T twenty
season right on the Customer at the start of the season,
you guys sort of got confirmed as the coaches, So
you know, what's it been like sort of having that
very short amount of time to try and inject what
you can into this team. But I guess not not
go overhaul and change things too much.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, that's exactly exactly there. I think we you know,
it's ideal. Johnny and I kind of came in. We
were pretty aligned on the way we kind of see
see the game and things like that. So our big
focus is ensuring that the yeah, the girls feel supported,
you know, feel supported in the sense of that we
believe in them. They can go out about go about
(05:16):
their business and we facilitate. We just facilitate that. Our
big yea, our big focuses around keeping it simple and
trusting with the game. And as you kind of see
over the last you the last few rounds, is that
you know, players are going out there and playing with
no fear and and now like we're starting to kind
of build together good, strong performances as a team. So
(05:37):
it's gone really well.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, great, and we know that finals weekend, no matter
who's in it for men's and women's is going to
be at the Basin here in Wellington next weekend. How
nice is that knowing you can get through this game
and against Auckland on Monday and you're pretty much at
the basin for the rest of the campaign.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yeah, that's fantastic. I think you know Basin as we
like to call it, the home of cricket, and you know,
the Wellington support has been unreal so far this year.
So yeah, like we hoped obviously finish the season strong,
have a home final and yeah, hopefully bring a good
result for the home crap the.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Way it works, obviously, Joe that that final on Sunday
where the top team goes directly too, but it's two
verse three that will play off on the Saturday to
get into the final. I guess with you you're sitting
narrowly at the top now, just over Otago on net
run rate? Is that a key over these next couple
of games, just to make sure you can maintain that
number one spot and get straight through to Sunday.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Oh, look, it's just one day, one day at a time,
I think, you know, every day we go out there,
we just try and to form our best and hopefully
get a good result. So wherever we end up in
terms of the table will be happy with and you know,
pretty confident weekend, you know, finish strong and that we
would like to be.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
And Auckland's at their anniversary day on Monday they ead
and park out or over what sort of aspects of
them do you do you feel will be important to
try and contain and make sure you can try and
push for the win on Monday.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, look, Auckland they're class hid and you know we've
put I'll probably have not quite performed to super smatch
the way that what their capabilities are. They showed the
last game against the sparks that you know that they're
a team to be kind of rickened with, so you
know we won't be taking them lightly and we just
(07:21):
got to focus on playing our game and you know,
controlling those mint and swings and the like that twenty
twenty cricket provides, learn fast dept. And yeah, like I said,
we're pretty confident going into it.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
And how hungry is everyone for for another Blaze title
in this T twenty competition.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Look, we'd be lying and the sort of when you
know that wouldn't wasn't our hope. But like I said,
it's kind of one one step at a time, you know,
one game at a time, and you know, hopefully we
can bring that results.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Brilliant job. Hey, thanks for your time. Make congratulations again
on a great day for Wellington. Always always great when
the Wellington teams can get one up or even two
off over Canon, really like yesterday. So thanks for your time. Mate,
Safe travels home and we'll see you at the basin
over the next week or so.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Thanks very much.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Cheers Joe Austin Smellley. They're the assistant coach of the
Wellington Blaze. For more from News Talks ed B listen
live on air or online, and keep our shows with
you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
But let's talk domestic cricket and another great result for
our Wellington Blaze, who have moved back to the top
of the women's Dream elevens Super Smash ladder. With just
a couple of matches for them to play, they are
six wins from eight, the latest coming courtesy of an
absolute demolition of the Cannabury Magicians there at Hackley Oval
last night. Ten wickets was the margin. Canterbury batting first,
(00:23):
being restricted to one hundred and one for eight in
their twenty overs, largely thanks to some incredible bowling with
Sophie Devine having figures of five for thirteen from her
four overs in the match, and then Wellington Blaze chasing
down the target, needing only Melee Kerr and Rebecca Burns,
so that the two opener's guiding the Blaze the whole
(00:44):
way for the run chase, chasing that one hundred and
four that they got within just eleven point two overs,
So the Blaze rarely showing some promising signs. A week
out now from finals weekend here in Wellington, let's head
to the camp now in christ Church and assistant coach
out of the new Lock coaching staff at the Blaze
this year, as Joe Austin smelling morning to you, Joe,
thanks for your time.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Mate, good morning, thanks thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, and I imagine pretty positive vibes around the whole
Wellington contentent down there. You've got the double, both the
Blaze and Fiver. It's getting the wins over Cannary last night.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, exactly. Everyone's fizzing down here and a couple of
really strong performances and yeah, excited for you know, the
last couple of rounds do we end up.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Ye, your Blaze team is building some really real strong
momentum at the moment, a couple of great wins over
the past week or so at the Basin reserve, you know,
tell us where you think the team is peaking right now.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, as you said, we're building up some really nice
momentum kind of moving to these last couple of rounds.
Yeah really, I guess from a coaching perspective, John and
I are really proud of the girls how we kind
of bounced back up those you know, those couple of
losses to otago, but now we're kind of we're fizzing
and yeah, like I said, excited to kind of come
(01:56):
into those last two rounds and hopefully end up somewhere
near the top.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Canterbury's got some good cricketers in their team, but a
couple of wins over them back to back. Now, what's
what's giving you the edge over then these last couple
of games? Do you think.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
A difficult one that? I think obviously we've had some
really strong individual performances, you know throughout. I think one
thing about our blaze side, like I feel as though
everyone makes, you know, a contribution to you know, to
the six sixth of the side, like whether that's big
or small, So you know, like an example of like
a game changer moment used today You think of seeing
(02:31):
the Kinder's catch. You know that was unreal. So, you know,
little kind of contributions like that, I think is really
contributed to our success over the last couple of rounds.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And always good having the top world class players as
part of the team contributing. I mentioned Sophie Devine's bowling
figures just before from yesterday. Extraordinary stuff when she's able
to sort of just really show her class, oh.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
One hundred percent look so world class and you know
she's just this is her twentieth year with Wellington blaze.
So she's been she's been a real servant to the game,
and you know, to have her around the group, you know,
and see how about to see how she goes about
her work, I think is it's unreal and it's unreal
for those young girls with aspirations and the lot within
(03:16):
our side. So you know, we love having safe around
the group. And you know that performance yesterday, you know,
twenty years in to have your best boiling figures is
in twenty twenty cricket is pretty unreal and.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Merely Kerr obviously always a standout and I mean no one,
no, no one listening to our show needs to be explained
her talents, Joe, but what's up like being able to
be sort of involved in a campaign with her?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Look, it's unreal. Really is obviously such a challenged cricketer,
but you know, above all was you know, a great
person and like her cricket brain is unreal and look,
it's been a real privileged to be working with her.
And yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
And I guess the talking point of the season has
been her sister Jess, because you know, amazing form both
with the ball and back. Can you give us a
bit of an insight into to what might be behind
her success this year.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Well, Jess has put in, you know, a lot of
work behind the scenes, so I think, you know, the
way that she's been able to perform on the field
is just a combination of that fact. You know, it's
awesome that you know, she's been able to have an
opportunity to beat up the top of the order and yeah,
she's she's gone unreal and look at it's awesome to see.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
What's been the focus for yourself and and Johnny taking
on this role quite later on and the T twenty
season right on the Customer at the start of the season,
you guys sort of got confirmed as the coaches, So
you know, what's it been like sort of having that
very short amount of time to try and inject what
you can into this team. But I guess not not
go overhaul and change things too much.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, that's exactly exactly there. I think we you know,
it's ideal. Johnny and I kind of came in. We
were pretty aligned on the way we kind of see
see the game and things like that. So our big
focus is ensuring that the yeah, the girls feel supported,
you know, feel supported in the sense of that we
believe in them. They can go out about go about
(05:16):
their business and we facilitate. We just facilitate that. Our
big yea, our big focuses around keeping it simple and
trusting with the game. And as you kind of see
over the last you the last few rounds, is that
you know, players are going out there and playing with
no fear and and now like we're starting to kind
of build together good, strong performances as a team. So
(05:37):
it's gone really well.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, great, and we know that finals weekend, no matter
who's in it for men's and women's is going to
be at the Basin here in Wellington next weekend. How
nice is that knowing you can get through this game
and against Auckland on Monday and you're pretty much at
the basin for the rest of the campaign.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yeah, that's fantastic. I think you know Basin as we
like to call it, the home of cricket, and you know,
the Wellington support has been unreal so far this year.
So yeah, like we hoped obviously finish the season strong,
have a home final and yeah, hopefully bring a good
result for the home crap the.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Way it works, obviously, Joe that that final on Sunday
where the top team goes directly too, but it's two
verse three that will play off on the Saturday to
get into the final. I guess with you you're sitting
narrowly at the top now, just over Otago on net
run rate? Is that a key over these next couple
of games, just to make sure you can maintain that
number one spot and get straight through to Sunday.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Oh, look, it's just one day, one day at a time,
I think, you know, every day we go out there,
we just try and to form our best and hopefully
get a good result. So wherever we end up in
terms of the table will be happy with and you know,
pretty confident weekend, you know, finish strong and that we
would like to be.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
And Auckland's at their anniversary day on Monday they ead
and park out or over what sort of aspects of
them do you do you feel will be important to
try and contain and make sure you can try and
push for the win on Monday.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, look, Auckland they're class hid and you know we've
put I'll probably have not quite performed to super smatch
the way that what their capabilities are. They showed the
last game against the sparks that you know that they're
a team to be kind of rickened with, so you
know we won't be taking them lightly and we just
(07:21):
got to focus on playing our game and you know,
controlling those mint and swings and the like that twenty
twenty cricket provides, learn fast dept. And yeah, like I said,
we're pretty confident going into it.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
And how hungry is everyone for for another Blaze title
in this T twenty competition.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Look, we'd be lying and the sort of when you
know that wouldn't wasn't our hope. But like I said,
it's kind of one one step at a time, you know,
one game at a time, and you know, hopefully we
can bring that results.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Brilliant job. Hey, thanks for your time. Make congratulations again
on a great day for Wellington. Always always great when
the Wellington teams can get one up or even two
off over Canon, really like yesterday. So thanks for your time. Mate,
Safe travels home and we'll see you at the basin
over the next week or so.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Thanks very much.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Cheers Joe Austin Smellley. They're the assistant coach of the
Wellington Blaze. For more from News Talks ed B listen
live on air or online, and keep our shows with
you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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