February 27, 2026 • 11 mins
Domestic cricket's final chapter of the summer begins this weekend with a return to the Plunket Shield for four rounds.
The Wellington Firebirds travel to Napier to meet the Central Stags, and the visitors are still looking for their first win in the format this summer.
Adam Cooper spoke to Firebirds spinner Peter Younghusband about his form, and how the team hopes to salvage the campaign.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
News looks that betyable. The final chapter of men's domestic
cricket for the summer is here, finishing with four rounds
of Plunket Shield four day action. The early part of
the Red Bull season right back in spring wasn't overly
flashed for the Firebirds. They were the only team not
to register a win in the Plunket Shield, so the
chance of redemption over the final month. Now, this also
(00:21):
comes after last week suffering a big loss to the
Central Stags in the Ford Trophy elimination final. We'll head
into the camp now and informed Firebirds spinner Peter young
husband is with me now. He took seventeen wickets through
the Ford Trophy at twenty seven point ninety four and
an economy rate of five point one five and it
included four for thirty eight in the final round robin
(00:44):
match against Northern last week. So in great form morning
to your Pete. What was your reflection of the way
that last week of the Ford Trophy played out? As
I just mentioned, a great individual moment from you ultimately
though the team just falling short at a bid to
make the final.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, it was. It was a nice little change of
the mentum I guess the obviously the Super Smash was
it was a little bit disappointing for us, but we
did finish very well with back that wins against Canterbury,
so we we took that momentum into the Ford Trophy
and we and we learned a few things and we
and we wanted to play, I guess in aggressive style
of cricket and actually really try go at the opo
(01:21):
a little bit, and that sort of like went into
the Ford Trophy. And then we won those those must
win games and obviously snuck into third place, which was
which was pleasing considering it has been a tough year.
And then and obviously the elimination final was was a
touch disappointing. A very strong ceed outfit, they very experienced
their batting lineup, and then they obviously did a job
(01:42):
on Canterbury which was I suppose quite nice from our
point of view. But yeah, we were in a good place.
We were in a much better place the way, yeah,
the way we finished our Super Smash, as I said,
and the way we got into that place just just
a little bit disappointing on those must win game, that elimination.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Game aside set as well from part of my question
four for thirty eight from yourself in that game against
Northern Districts last week as well, How proud were you
of that contribution?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, that was that was nice. There's always nice to
take wickets. It felt like from a personal point of view,
it felt like I'd been bowling pretty well and I
just hadn't really had that nice bag of wickets. So yeah,
it's Cricket's a funny game that sort of tends to happen.
You sort of feel like you're like, oh right, you know, life,
things not happening, and one day sort of things just
go in your favor and yeah, and you walk off
(02:28):
and you're like, okay, cool. That was That was a
nice contribution to a to a must win game at
the time, and it got us into that playoffs. So yeah,
I'm really proud. And yeah, obviously nice little signs going
into the Red Bulls.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yeah, and we haven't seen many games, especially in the
white ball stuff, the last couple of months, where you
haven't taken a wicket when you've had time with the ball.
Have you been happy with your consistency through the season.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, very much so. I think I mean I'm probably
quite stringent on that on it. From a personal point
of view, I always want to contribute and whether it's
taking wickets, that's obviously the ideal, but if it's not,
it might be like going not going from any runs.
So I'm always I'm always trying my absolute best. I
love performing well and that's what drives me. I love winning.
(03:13):
So yeah, when you when you, yeah, when you've put
in a good performance, that obviously feels great, and if not,
you're doing your best to do what the team needs
at the time. But yeah, the wickets have been sort
of relatively consistent, not not huge amounts, but like yeah,
like you said, just the odd wicket here and there
every time, which is which is nice. From a personal
point of view.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
There's always it a bake feed around just how pivotal
a spin bowl there is in New Zealand conditions for
teams to have success. You've certainly proven just how much
of an asset you are to the Wellington Firebirds with
with your wicket count. How do you view how important
your role as a spinner is to this Firebirds team
across the formats through the summer.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah, I see, begetting wickets is always important as a bowler,
it's your job, right, But yeah, as a spinner, I
think yes, you can really compliment though the seam bowlers.
You know, it's really your job to whether it's mop
up the tail or get a breakthrough wicket. Like you
really you're not sort of a separated bowler from the
(04:13):
rest of the pack as it were. You try work
together and spinners always played that little little role to
to do something special, and I guess that's that's probably
my my blueprint going forward for these red ball games
is if we're in a bit of a rut and
there's a partner performing, all right, that's my role to
get that breakthrough. Then the big boys can come back
on and hopefully snick a few guys off again. Or
(04:35):
if it's party the tail up. You know that that's
what I love doing, so you really, you really want
to compliment that the seamers. There's generally only one of
you as a spin bowler each time you play, just
obviously in New Zealand conditions, So yeah, you've got to
make sure you are playing that key role.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Tom Blundele, particularly in Surfer Smash, has contributions this summer
incredible with the bat tell us. What he's been like
in the environment. He appears to just be enjoying it
and contributing pretty well.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, it's been amazing. Like we've mentioned it a few
times in the dressing room, just the level of consistency
that he's produced the sum has been unbelievable, and like
the strike rate he had in those one day games. Yeah,
Tommy's just kind of fell into his own a little bit.
He's very relaxed. He's yeah, he's just striking the ball.
(05:24):
He's sort of going up with this no fear factor
which has been incredible and for us, like we look
at it and we're like wow, Like there's a bit
of life left in the boy, you know, like if
there's an opportunity and for higher on and again especially
in those white wall formats. Obviously he's tied down the
red bull stuff in recent years, but the way he's batting, mate, like,
I wouldn't put it past you know, higher honors potentially
(05:47):
if there's an opportunity. Row. It's just the way the
way he's playing, it's been incredible. Yeah, to just sheer
quantity of runs and the consistency of it has been
really cool to watch.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
And there are a few young players on the team
at times who have been called upon to take on
some pretty crucial roles through the different formats over the summer, Pete,
how crucial is someone like yourself, other experienced heads in
the team just being their presence when some of these
guys do take on some top roles.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, I mean that's that's always That's always key and
what creates a good team, right as you look at
the young guys coming through and you hope that they
you or one you can actually be a bit of
a role model and you can put out performances or
you can show your processes and what you want to
do and how you can be as consistent as possible.
Going back to one of our first questions, and I guess, yeah,
(06:37):
like anytime you can give that information down and they
can learn and they can become really consistent performers. It's
when you when you've got eleven guys that are pretty
good at what they do and they and they now
their role each time. That creates a really strong environment.
And yeah, guys like Tom and Nick, Kelly and Logan
(06:58):
are really vocal and the way they want to they
want to teach and show what they've learned from their experiences.
So we have got a really great group of older
guys that are willing to share their experiences.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
You talked about momentum at the start as well, and
a nice little furry at the end of the Ford
Trophy there. Does that carry into to this weekends you
have face Central again and take the red ball again?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Or is it?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Does it always feel like a bit of a reset?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think I think probably the biggest reset is from
white ball to red ball. Probably twenty twenty to one
days is a little bit more similar. But this is
obviously quite a big change in format. And you know,
like I mean, we're obviously current carrying on from a
competition that we started way back in October times and
that was a pretty tough time. We went oh from
(07:43):
four in those first forward or four days, we were
we were down to the absolute bare bones of the squad.
We had a lot of injuries and guys away with
Black Caps, and so as much as we were disappointed
with that, you know, this is this is a new
four game four games coming coming up, and and yeah,
that mementum that we've just carried on like yeah, like yeah,
(08:03):
there's aspects you can take from it being nice and
aggressive and you know as bowl as we're really looking
to take wickets as bad as being strong in our
presence at the crease and just put them back and
doing it for like a lot longer. Obviously red bull stuff.
But yeah, we're in a bit of a situation where hey,
look we're open four, but we've got a chance to
(08:25):
do something special and just be proud of what we
can put out on the park.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah, I was going to ask about that. I guess
you could easily look at the table and think, oh, well,
you know, what's the point and chasing some of those
leaders given the format of the competition is just a
straight you know, win to the top of table team
after these next four games. But how much motivation is
there in this team? So I guess cancel out some
of that disappointment from earlier in the season.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, I mean, like you want to you want to
represent Wellington and be proud to do that right and
and the way that the way that sort of that
looks is quite obviously when lost base. But if we
can actually just put a heart on on the field
and really stick to our guns and carry on what's
worked in recent weeks when we have been more successful,
(09:10):
then those upcomes will hopefully take care of themselves. But
I mean I'm a bit of a more of an
old school kind of player. I look at we lost
it a bit differently. Obviously, I'd love to go four
from four here, and there's obviously batting poles, boyling points,
there's eighty points available, you know, and you know winning
Plunket Shield teams is finished with around ninety points to
(09:32):
win a campaign and obviously that's quite far Fitch, but
how they shoot for the stars a little bit, ah,
but yeah, let's we're just really keen to put up
some really strong performances and right some wrongs from earlier
in the season.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Well, all the best with that. And just finally, Pete,
just you know, on the twenty staff the future of
the Super Smasher and new see and where do things
sit for you because you're probably a player of the
caliber where some of those opportunities could come knocking, you know,
in different leagues around the world. But you're a proud
welling time with a young family here. How are you
kind of evaluating where that sits for you approaching at
the end of the summer.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Yeah, it's an interesting one. I mean it's a little
bit quite in recent weeks, so I actually have no
idea where that's sitting at the moment. Yeah, there's there's
players that are in different parts of their career that
this would be really exciting and stuff like that. So yeah,
whatever happens. I mean, everyone's sort of on the edge
(10:26):
of these seats with what's going to come up and
what's going to happen. It's it's all only about eleven
months away, so whether that goes ahead, yeah, we'll have
to wed and see. But yeah, there's exciting things on
the horizon and who knows, who knows what will happen.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Brilliant Well Pete, thanks for your time. Is always here
on your talk there be congrats on your season so
far and he's hoping, as you say, for a nice
month ahead of some success and planket shields. So thanks
for your time as always, beauty, Thank you appreciate that.
Go well mate, Pete young husband. They're out of the
Wellington Firebirds. Love the positivity around where the campaign could
head over the next few weeks. Ten thirty start time
(11:01):
today for the Firebirds against Central Districts up in Napier.
For more from News Talks, at B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
News looks that betyable. The final chapter of men's domestic
cricket for the summer is here, finishing with four rounds
of Plunket Shield four day action. The early part of
the Red Bull season right back in spring wasn't overly
flashed for the Firebirds. They were the only team not
to register a win in the Plunket Shield, so the
chance of redemption over the final month. Now, this also
(00:21):
comes after last week suffering a big loss to the
Central Stags in the Ford Trophy elimination final. We'll head
into the camp now and informed Firebirds spinner Peter young
husband is with me now. He took seventeen wickets through
the Ford Trophy at twenty seven point ninety four and
an economy rate of five point one five and it
included four for thirty eight in the final round robin
(00:44):
match against Northern last week. So in great form morning
to your Pete. What was your reflection of the way
that last week of the Ford Trophy played out? As
I just mentioned, a great individual moment from you ultimately
though the team just falling short at a bid to
make the final.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, it was. It was a nice little change of
the mentum I guess the obviously the Super Smash was
it was a little bit disappointing for us, but we
did finish very well with back that wins against Canterbury,
so we we took that momentum into the Ford Trophy
and we and we learned a few things and we
and we wanted to play, I guess in aggressive style
of cricket and actually really try go at the opo
(01:21):
a little bit, and that sort of like went into
the Ford Trophy. And then we won those those must
win games and obviously snuck into third place, which was
which was pleasing considering it has been a tough year.
And then and obviously the elimination final was was a
touch disappointing. A very strong ceed outfit, they very experienced
their batting lineup, and then they obviously did a job
(01:42):
on Canterbury which was I suppose quite nice from our
point of view. But yeah, we were in a good place.
We were in a much better place the way, yeah,
the way we finished our Super Smash, as I said,
and the way we got into that place just just
a little bit disappointing on those must win game, that elimination.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Game aside set as well from part of my question
four for thirty eight from yourself in that game against
Northern Districts last week as well, How proud were you
of that contribution?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, that was that was nice. There's always nice to
take wickets. It felt like from a personal point of view,
it felt like I'd been bowling pretty well and I
just hadn't really had that nice bag of wickets. So yeah,
it's Cricket's a funny game that sort of tends to happen.
You sort of feel like you're like, oh right, you know, life,
things not happening, and one day sort of things just
go in your favor and yeah, and you walk off
(02:28):
and you're like, okay, cool. That was That was a
nice contribution to a to a must win game at
the time, and it got us into that playoffs. So yeah,
I'm really proud. And yeah, obviously nice little signs going
into the Red Bulls.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yeah, and we haven't seen many games, especially in the
white ball stuff, the last couple of months, where you
haven't taken a wicket when you've had time with the ball.
Have you been happy with your consistency through the season.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, very much so. I think I mean I'm probably
quite stringent on that on it. From a personal point
of view, I always want to contribute and whether it's
taking wickets, that's obviously the ideal, but if it's not,
it might be like going not going from any runs.
So I'm always I'm always trying my absolute best. I
love performing well and that's what drives me. I love winning.
(03:13):
So yeah, when you when you, yeah, when you've put
in a good performance, that obviously feels great, and if not,
you're doing your best to do what the team needs
at the time. But yeah, the wickets have been sort
of relatively consistent, not not huge amounts, but like yeah,
like you said, just the odd wicket here and there
every time, which is which is nice. From a personal
point of view.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
There's always it a bake feed around just how pivotal
a spin bowl there is in New Zealand conditions for
teams to have success. You've certainly proven just how much
of an asset you are to the Wellington Firebirds with
with your wicket count. How do you view how important
your role as a spinner is to this Firebirds team
across the formats through the summer.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah, I see, begetting wickets is always important as a bowler,
it's your job, right, But yeah, as a spinner, I
think yes, you can really compliment though the seam bowlers.
You know, it's really your job to whether it's mop
up the tail or get a breakthrough wicket. Like you
really you're not sort of a separated bowler from the
(04:13):
rest of the pack as it were. You try work
together and spinners always played that little little role to
to do something special, and I guess that's that's probably
my my blueprint going forward for these red ball games
is if we're in a bit of a rut and
there's a partner performing, all right, that's my role to
get that breakthrough. Then the big boys can come back
on and hopefully snick a few guys off again. Or
(04:35):
if it's party the tail up. You know that that's
what I love doing, so you really, you really want
to compliment that the seamers. There's generally only one of
you as a spin bowler each time you play, just
obviously in New Zealand conditions, So yeah, you've got to
make sure you are playing that key role.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Tom Blundele, particularly in Surfer Smash, has contributions this summer
incredible with the bat tell us. What he's been like
in the environment. He appears to just be enjoying it
and contributing pretty well.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, it's been amazing. Like we've mentioned it a few
times in the dressing room, just the level of consistency
that he's produced the sum has been unbelievable, and like
the strike rate he had in those one day games. Yeah,
Tommy's just kind of fell into his own a little bit.
He's very relaxed. He's yeah, he's just striking the ball.
(05:24):
He's sort of going up with this no fear factor
which has been incredible and for us, like we look
at it and we're like wow, Like there's a bit
of life left in the boy, you know, like if
there's an opportunity and for higher on and again especially
in those white wall formats. Obviously he's tied down the
red bull stuff in recent years, but the way he's batting, mate, like,
I wouldn't put it past you know, higher honors potentially
(05:47):
if there's an opportunity. Row. It's just the way the
way he's playing, it's been incredible. Yeah, to just sheer
quantity of runs and the consistency of it has been
really cool to watch.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
And there are a few young players on the team
at times who have been called upon to take on
some pretty crucial roles through the different formats over the summer, Pete,
how crucial is someone like yourself, other experienced heads in
the team just being their presence when some of these
guys do take on some top roles.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, I mean that's that's always That's always key and
what creates a good team, right as you look at
the young guys coming through and you hope that they
you or one you can actually be a bit of
a role model and you can put out performances or
you can show your processes and what you want to
do and how you can be as consistent as possible.
Going back to one of our first questions, and I guess, yeah,
(06:37):
like anytime you can give that information down and they
can learn and they can become really consistent performers. It's
when you when you've got eleven guys that are pretty
good at what they do and they and they now
their role each time. That creates a really strong environment.
And yeah, guys like Tom and Nick, Kelly and Logan
(06:58):
are really vocal and the way they want to they
want to teach and show what they've learned from their experiences.
So we have got a really great group of older
guys that are willing to share their experiences.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
You talked about momentum at the start as well, and
a nice little furry at the end of the Ford
Trophy there. Does that carry into to this weekends you
have face Central again and take the red ball again?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Or is it?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Does it always feel like a bit of a reset?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think I think probably the biggest reset is from
white ball to red ball. Probably twenty twenty to one
days is a little bit more similar. But this is
obviously quite a big change in format. And you know,
like I mean, we're obviously current carrying on from a
competition that we started way back in October times and
that was a pretty tough time. We went oh from
(07:43):
four in those first forward or four days, we were
we were down to the absolute bare bones of the squad.
We had a lot of injuries and guys away with
Black Caps, and so as much as we were disappointed
with that, you know, this is this is a new
four game four games coming coming up, and and yeah,
that mementum that we've just carried on like yeah, like yeah,
(08:03):
there's aspects you can take from it being nice and
aggressive and you know as bowl as we're really looking
to take wickets as bad as being strong in our
presence at the crease and just put them back and
doing it for like a lot longer. Obviously red bull stuff.
But yeah, we're in a bit of a situation where hey,
look we're open four, but we've got a chance to
(08:25):
do something special and just be proud of what we
can put out on the park.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah, I was going to ask about that. I guess
you could easily look at the table and think, oh, well,
you know, what's the point and chasing some of those
leaders given the format of the competition is just a
straight you know, win to the top of table team
after these next four games. But how much motivation is
there in this team? So I guess cancel out some
of that disappointment from earlier in the season.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, I mean, like you want to you want to
represent Wellington and be proud to do that right and
and the way that the way that sort of that
looks is quite obviously when lost base. But if we
can actually just put a heart on on the field
and really stick to our guns and carry on what's
worked in recent weeks when we have been more successful,
(09:10):
then those upcomes will hopefully take care of themselves. But
I mean I'm a bit of a more of an
old school kind of player. I look at we lost
it a bit differently. Obviously, I'd love to go four
from four here, and there's obviously batting poles, boyling points,
there's eighty points available, you know, and you know winning
Plunket Shield teams is finished with around ninety points to
(09:32):
win a campaign and obviously that's quite far Fitch, but
how they shoot for the stars a little bit, ah,
but yeah, let's we're just really keen to put up
some really strong performances and right some wrongs from earlier
in the season.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Well, all the best with that. And just finally, Pete,
just you know, on the twenty staff the future of
the Super Smasher and new see and where do things
sit for you because you're probably a player of the
caliber where some of those opportunities could come knocking, you know,
in different leagues around the world. But you're a proud
welling time with a young family here. How are you
kind of evaluating where that sits for you approaching at
the end of the summer.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Yeah, it's an interesting one. I mean it's a little
bit quite in recent weeks, so I actually have no
idea where that's sitting at the moment. Yeah, there's there's
players that are in different parts of their career that
this would be really exciting and stuff like that. So yeah,
whatever happens. I mean, everyone's sort of on the edge
(10:26):
of these seats with what's going to come up and
what's going to happen. It's it's all only about eleven
months away, so whether that goes ahead, yeah, we'll have
to wed and see. But yeah, there's exciting things on
the horizon and who knows, who knows what will happen.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Brilliant Well Pete, thanks for your time. Is always here
on your talk there be congrats on your season so
far and he's hoping, as you say, for a nice
month ahead of some success and planket shields. So thanks
for your time as always, beauty, Thank you appreciate that.
Go well mate, Pete young husband. They're out of the
Wellington Firebirds. Love the positivity around where the campaign could
head over the next few weeks. Ten thirty start time
(11:01):
today for the Firebirds against Central Districts up in Napier.
For more from News Talks, at 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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