April 14, 2026 • 51 mins
This week, Tom Latham and Tim Robinson from the Black Caps joined the podcast to talk about the Bangladesh and Sri Lankan tours, respectively - as well as what future holds for a New Zealand cricket summer with the extension of T20 across the globe.
We also discuss who should be included in the test squad for England.
Your thoughts welcome: onthefrontfoot20@gmail.com
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:20):
You want to take another It's it is out, the
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is out here you guys. Just delivery has in the users.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Be Bold.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney,
powered by News Talks Dead be at iHeart Radio.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Hello, coming up on the front foot this week. The
season is over in New Zealand, but all New Zealand players,
well most of them anyway, are overseas, playing in competitions
in various places. A tough start to New Zealand day
in Sri Lanka? Does the Black Cat twur of Bangladesh
fall in the meaningless category? What value is it? And
(01:08):
the lead up to the England Tests? It is our
summer crickets on a precipice or has it already tipped
over interesting situations developing the game? Jeremy Coney, the future
of our cricket summer and our future of cricket in
general is worthy of discussion this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Well, I think it is ond and particularly with the
respect to these tours that have been to Sri Lanka
and that's just ongoing, isn't it. There's a four day
match I think starting either today or tomorrow and that's
still in Sri Lanka, and then the Bangladesh series as well,
and so many players I don't think I've seen so
(01:51):
many been used before by New Zealand selectors now, whether
they yeah, whether they basically are having a look at
other players, or they're taking advantage of these games that
have been organized for a while to have a look
at as many as possible and how they tour. But
(02:12):
maybe we're getting to it, as you say, that tipping
point in our summer.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Well, we'll talk about that a little later. We've got
a couple of emails to address which are interesting in
terms of your comments about the game as the listeners.
The New Zealand day side have just completed a one
day series with Sri Lanka, a tough assignment for them
straight out of New Zealand conditions. Wellington batsman Tim Robinson
(02:38):
played in all three games. It is also featuring in
the first four air game before heading to join the
Black Caps T twenty squad in Bangladesh. Tim and Robinson
joins on the front foot from hamband Tota preparing for
the four day clash before heading to Bangladesh and Tim
it's been fairly challenging for you.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
Yeah, it's been challenging, all right. I think that's one
of the beauties of tering cricket though, isn't it. You
get to experience different different cultures, different foods, different climates,
and then a different cricket on top of that, and
it and it probably creates a pretty good opportunity to
learn a few different things. And and that's definitely something
that we're doing over here is learning, learning as fast
(03:19):
as our brains can handle.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
So yeah, yeah, we're getting there slowly.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Have you been to Sri Lanka previously?
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Yeah, been too, a bit more central so been to
Candy and dan Buler for a for a T twenty
series against the Shri Lankans, I think a couple of
years ago now, so yeah, but it's so I learned
a little bit from that and they're now learning a
little bit more from from this tour so far. So
it's been it's been. It's been difficult.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Yeah. What's the biggest challenge been for you?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I think you come to these subcontinent places, and you
get told that it's spins and things like that, and
and that's true. But I also think it's not about
throwing out plan A. You know, plan A works in
New Zealand and these elements of plan A that work
over here and spinning condition as well. So I think
it's about just refining your craft a little bit over here.
(04:13):
It's not necessarily reinventing the wheel. It's it's about it's
about taking you know, taking the right options and taking
the smart options and learning what those are as quickly
as you possibly can. I think another main major challenge
for us has been there has been the heat. You know,
you you and what that does to your mind and
your and your body. I suppose it's I was saying before,
(04:35):
was it's thirty I think it was thirty seven degrees
when we were when we were playing the last one day.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
And although read's not quite.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
As as hot, it's it's the humidity that just sort
of SAPs here and takes all their energy out of
and dulls your mind a little bit.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
So that's something you've got to be aware of over here.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Yeah, that's quite a dramatic change too, from what you've
been playing in New Zealand, conditions have been a lot
cooler and probably a lot more friendly for New Zealanders.
Speaker 6 (05:05):
Yeah, I reckon. And same with the wickets too.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
You get on those slippers, green ones back at home
and then there's not a blade of grass in sight
over here. So it's yeah, it's definitely a change. But
that's the challenge and that's what the modern day cricketer
has got to get. Its got to get ushait around
and yeah, and try and try and make the best
of the conditions.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
We've been able to watch some of the games on
the internet, have been available on YouTube. I've been interested
in the firstly, their spin bowlers. They seem to from anyway,
from far away, look as though they bowl a little
bit quicker than spin bowlers do in New Zealand. Are
judging by you know, the form of game they're playing,
(05:46):
either T twenty or ODI cricket. Is that a fact?
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Yeah, I think they're on on the whole, That's that's right.
I think there's the variation is the slow one, you know,
their variation is the one that that that does the
batsman in the air. I think when you get to
New Zealand, and the wickets generally don't spin as much.
And you hear ages Ptel talk about it a lot
that he's got to use the air and uses drop
(06:11):
and has drift and things to beat the batsman, whereas
here you get a lot more assistance off the surface.
And so the way they maximize the surface and maximize
the conditions as make sure they're challenging the stumps all
the time and at a at a generally good pace
that you that you it's it's harder to get forward
or to get back to. So yeah, I think it's
(06:32):
a pretty fair observation and.
Speaker 6 (06:34):
They've they've certainly done that in the one day one
day stuff.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
It'll be interesting to see when you when you get
into the longer format red ball cricket, how they how
they use the air a little bit more.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
But that's just something well, yeah, we'll try and adapt
too quickly.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I've never been to ham Mantota, but it looks like
a huge ground. But did they have the boundaries and
were they short boundaries for the games that you played
there or is that just the natural size of the
ground that made it look that way.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, I think it does look a little bit silly
on the broadcast when you have this huge, huge heaps
of heaps of acreage and then and then you bring
in the ropes in. But yeah, that that ground is massive.
It's I think it's I don't know exactly the dimensions,
but I tell you what, Chris Gale would have a
hard time hitting a sixth on those if they were
boundaries of right at the fence. So I think they
(07:22):
were about sixty two or sixty three, you know, all
around when they brought the ropes in. But yeah, I
think it's a it's a mess.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
It's a huge ground.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
That walk out to the middle is pretty slow and
the walk off is even slower.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
So yeah, yeah, the Marquees were out by the boundary,
so it was a fair way away. I guess it's
one of the things though that you have to be
prepared for now playing international cricket. Adaptability. You've got to
change from New Zealand conditions to Sri Lankan conditions, format
to format pretty quickly. So it's more a mindset thing
to some agree, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (07:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (07:57):
I think so.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
In a mindset to me as being organized and being
organized in each format that you're playing. And I suppose
what does that look like across Yeah, across the format
is making sure that you've that you've got your your
your options or I suppose your areas that you that
you look to hit and have them nailed down really
really tightly. I think that you look at some some
(08:20):
of these really good T twenty international sides like India
or or South Africa or something like that, and they've
they've got there I suppose two or three two or
three zones that they hit really really well, and that
and the execution percentage is ridiculous. And I think that's
sort of that's where the you know, it might not
necessarily be about playing one hundred different shots, but it's
(08:42):
about playing three or four really really well and executing
them to a high percentage. And I think that's across
across all three formats, and that's sort of the refinement
that I'm that I talk about in terms of with
the Yeah, with your craft across across each format.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Yeah, because you're going from fifty over to a longer
form four day first class game and then straight into
T twenties in Bangladesh, so and in different conditions, so
you have to be adaptable as much as anybody don't you.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
Well, yeah, I hope.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
So, I mean that's a that's a to me, I said,
it's a great privilege. I've got these opportunities to to
test my adaptability and to and to test my versatility
as a batsman, and I think that's something that I'm
going to try and you know, keep striding towards is
how to be you know, not let the conditions be
an excuse, or not let the heat be an excuse
or you or not let the changing formats be an
(09:37):
excuse either. It's it's about how can you try and
perform and how can you produce produce, produce results in
those those different conditions and formats and and countries and
things like that. So that's just that's just part of it.
And I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Yeah. How's the team looking at the tour of AUSTRILANKA
so far in terms of results, I mean you started
off fairly slowly. By the end of the last game,
that the side was starting to perform and produce runs
with the bat, and that the players looks and can
be important because it's so much about winning or more
about doing what you're doing, you know, picking up the
(10:15):
skills that are required to be used in that environment.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Yeah, this place, the Sri lank over here is a
really challenging place for touring teams especially I think, for
for for kiwis where you know, the conditions are obviously
drastically drastically different. And and I think if you if
you focus on too much about winning, then it's then
it's even more difficult to do so versus if you
(10:43):
if you focus on trying to do the things that
will that will put you in a good position to win,
and that's sort of those process based things, then then
you actually got to I think you've got a better
a better chance of putting putting results on the board.
And and I think if you if you focus too
much on the you know, the winning and the losing,
then then you lose opportunities to learn as well, and
you lose opportunities to actually develop and refine these skill sets.
(11:07):
So I think you know, over the last three games,
although the results haven't been been as favorable as we
would have liked, there's there's still a huge.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
Element of learning over those three games.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
And that's probably the pleasing thing is that you know
it's not got, it's not it's not gone from bad
to worse.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
It's gone from not so great to getting better.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So that's sort of, I think probably one of the
big positives that we can take out of those last
three games.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
You've had a pretty busy year so far since Christmas anyway,
in terms of domestic cricket and other involvement in short
form cricket. How have you reflected so far on your
own personal summer.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Yeah, I've had a great time. It's been awesome.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
I've you know, I think this playing cricket's a fantastic
way to earn your living. We you know, you get
to hang out with all your mates and play a
game that we really enjoy and and and it provides
a huge amount of challenge and and so I felt
really challenged over the last sort of twelve months. I've
had that had a we stint in the UK which
(12:11):
was challenging in itself, and then straight into the New
Zealand summer and had a tour to India and now
Sheril Anchor and so it's it's it's all go really
and and and that's you know, that's that's it's pretty cool,
I think. So I've been very busy and we had
some good performances, had some had some bad performances.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
But I think trying to manage.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Your way through through the goods and the bads is
just part of part of cricket.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Isn't it.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
And and yeah, so I've had a bit of an
up and down summer, but that's just that's just how
it goes.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
And you've got any more chance to play in England
during the off season.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
Not not at this stage.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
So I'm actually looking forward to heating home and spending
a bit of time on the farm with the with
the family and and then going I've got a few
hunting trips sorted and in a dive trip, so I'm
looking forward to a little bit of off field off
field activities too.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
I suppose brain up the cricket for a wee bit,
which will be good. But yeah, it's I've.
Speaker 5 (13:13):
They haven't got anything in the UK lined up just yet,
but we'll see. You never know what's going to pop up,
and might be last minute things that that that jump
on the on the computer on.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
The page, so we'll just see how it go.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Yeah. Yeah, that can be brought about by the number
of competitions there are and injuries because there are more
and more players seemingly getting injured and you have to
have injury replacements. So I was looking at the county
scene one of the county games. It's just finished. I
had thirteen players playing it. Once stage two got injured
and Somerset had to use an extra couple of players.
So there's always that opportunity available, isn't it.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
I think that's one of the you know, we talk
about being versatile across conditions, but it's also just I
think being being nice and relaxed and calm through through
all of the stuff. You might get a you know,
I have had a couple of times where I get
a call, you know, almost the night before I've got
to travel over to Pakistan or something like that for
a trip or a tour of the air or whatever.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
You know.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
So it's just kind of taking it as it comes
and going with the flow.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
And and and it's writing writing, not you know, writing
the waves of cricket, but also writing the waves of
where you're going to be at what time you're going
to be there, all that kind of stuff. So yeah,
it's just cricket's just as you know, it's blowing up,
and there's more and more cricket being played that requires
more and more players, and more and more injuries and
then more and more replacements, and so that's just a
(14:35):
whole whirlpool of different bloody stuff going on. So it's
pretty cool to be pretty cool to be a part
of that sometimes.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Yeah, I hope there's aviation fuel to get everybody to
and from where they have to go, because that's going
to be one of the challenges for international cricket.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
I think, yeah. Yeah, I also yeah, it will be tricky.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Yeah. Looking ahead to New Zealand, the possibility that there
may be a T twenty competition set up that's been
agreed to in principle by New Zealand Cricket, how do
you view that likely competition and do you know what
the other players feel or is it a bit too
early to make a real judgment on it.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Yeah, I think it might be. It might be a
little bit too early. I mean this.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
The whether it will go ahead next next year is
another thing to be sort of be discussed. But the
way I see it is that if if it's going
to bring energy to to the game of cricket in
New Zealand, if it's going to.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Make more kids, you know, come to the game, and
there will.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Be more kids on the on the boundary asking for
signatures and things like that, and and excited about excited
about the game like I was at a young age.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Then then to me, that sounds like a great thing.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
You know, if there's more opportunities for for our local
guys to potentially get overseas and be seen by and
be seen by other franchise owners and things and help
kick start their careers.
Speaker 6 (15:59):
Then then I also see that as a good thing.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
So, I mean, there's a lot of there's a lot
of unanswered questions with this, with the with the with
the n Z twenty and and but you know, I
think in principle it seems like it's going to be
a fantastic thing for New zealand a fantastic thing for
the game.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
So we'll just have to see how it all pans out,
I suppose.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Yeah, I guess that's one of the things that you
sort of have to take in the stride as you
move along through this season. Right now, of course, though
you're heading towards a first class game in handband Tata,
and I guess you've got practice to do in the
in the heat, or do you do it as early
as you can or late in the day to avoid
the heat, or does it not come into the calculations.
Speaker 6 (16:40):
No, No, we want to get into the heat. We
want to sweat as much as we possibly can. It's no,
it's good.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
The whole challenge of playing in the heat and things
like that has made harder if you don't try and
train in the heat.
Speaker 6 (16:51):
So yeah, it's no, it's good.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
We've got a we've got a sweaty session this afternoon
and we'll hit a few red balls and see if
we can. Yeah, see if we can. Typically Old chilenkans
up on, which is I don't know, in the next couple.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Of days, Yeah, Thursday, Friday, I think it's something like that.
So then you on a flight to Bangladesh. Thanks very
much for joining us on the front foot, Tim, it's
been great to talk to you, and all the very
best for what the rest of us too holds for.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
Thank you very much. Wards appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Yeah, rightfully, he says. Every opportunity is a good opportunity
and he'll take them. He's obviously a keen player of
the international game. And you'll go anywhere to play. It's
going to be another challenge for him though. The black
Caps heading for Bangladesh and that's where he's going. Dakhar
after Hamband total what a trip? What can be achieved
(17:43):
on this tour of Odi I's and T Twitties. The
team left last Monday and they're under the leadership of
Test captain Tom Latham. That seems a second string side
without first choice players. Tom.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
Yeah, I guess with all the guys at ipl PSL,
I guess it presents opportunities to just some younger guys,
or maybe not necessarily younger, but some guys with a
little less experienced than than what we used to But
I think if you look at the squad as a whole,
everyone's played for New Zealand at some point, whether it
be T twenties or one day crewits so the fact
(18:18):
that everyone's had some international experience will hopefully bode well
for the I guess the tour coming up, and I
guess the more experience we can get into into some
of these guys obviously builds depth, you know, throughout our lineup.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
One positive is the return of Willow Rowk to the
black Caps.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Yeah, it's great to see him back. I think we've
all seen the talent that he has, you know, especially
in the longer form games. But I think that the
work that he's put in over the last sort of
nine months probably maybe even a little bit longer to
get back to where he is. I have been fortunate
enough to see him sort of up close, you know,
do a little bit of training with him and stuff,
and you know, it's great to see him back, running
(18:56):
and hard, and you know, we know the skill that
he has with you know, he can swing the ball,
bounce and pace all the attributes you want as a
fast ball. So you know, really excited to see him back,
and we'll send him back playing anywhere.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
I suppose one expectation will be the dominance of spin,
which Bangladesh is renowned for.
Speaker 7 (19:15):
I think you sort of get the characteristics of games
all the way surfaces play, and you look back on
games or previous games and trigging as much information as
you can. But obviously heading to Bangladesh, we know that
spin plays a massive part. Understanding that you know, things
may look slightly differently than what they do here in
New Zealand. So I think whenever you head to Bangladesh
(19:38):
or places that are a little bit more foreign. The
work that you do leading up to the game is
really important and hopefully you can start well, which I
think makes it makes a message different. So yeah, it's
important we always adapt. We talk about that all the
time and hopefully we can do that.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Well. Do you expect this tour to have much impact
on the Test series coming up in England and later
this year?
Speaker 7 (19:58):
I think you're sort of isolated into as the series
by itself really Obviously we play now and then as
you said, we go into a heavy diet of rebel
cricket a couple of weeks at home to prepare for
that series in England. So as I said, it's a
really good opportunity for the young guys or less experienced
guys to go over into some conditions that can be
(20:20):
really challenging. And yeah, as I said, I think if
you isolate this series as a whole, and you know,
we take it game by game, and yeah, I guess
I have as much fun as this group as we
can and hopefully, you know, if we play well, we
give ourselves an opportunity to play well, then hopefully we
can be where we want to be.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
At the end. Interesting stuff, Jerry. I understand the Sri
Lanka a tour. That's a development phase which we have
to be part of it. I just think that these
meaningless T twenties and and Odie eyes, they are opportunities
to have a look at other players as such. But
I just feel spectators to some extent of being short
(21:02):
changed by some of these tours.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Well, it's inevitable. I think that you won't be the
only one sinking that way, Brian, particularly with so many
T twenties played nowadays, and ODI's kind of filling out
a schedule, isn't it when you might think, all right, well,
what's coming up? There's quite an important Test series, three
(21:29):
Tests this time, thank heavens playing in England coming up
in June, and maybe a four day match. I know
they're playing a four day match in Sri Lanka, which
is pretty handy, but certainly the Bangladesh series doesn't include that,
does it? So a little bit odd, but loads of
(21:50):
I was looking at the four sides and you know
that were named recently two to two sides to Bangladesh
and two sides to Sri Lanka, and I was struck
just by the sheer size a number of the players
and I actually started to count them up and name
(22:12):
to thirty five different names. Some of the players, of course,
are in both tours, as you mentioned a moment ago,
and you told me, I think there were sixteen already
away at the IPL or the Pakistan League or some
other franchise. So you add those two together and you
(22:35):
get to fifty one fifty one New Zealand players at
the moment, playing in different parts of the world. And
I wondered, and I did ask you how many plunket
shields we have six plunket shield sides? How many in
the actual squads? Was?
Speaker 4 (22:55):
I think they contract fifteen, but of course they can
use others and they become players who are playing on
you know, random contracts that they get once they get selected.
But they attractive players. I don't know what they earn.
It's a reasonable amount, but it's not something that will
make them rich. But all of them have used in
(23:16):
excess of the fifteen except Otago and the Plunkets held
they used fifteen players and came second, could have come
first and seventeen and white ball cricket, so they've been limited.
And other sides too have have had around that, but
(23:38):
it is a lot of players, and I suppose, you know,
injuries and such like play a big part in the
number of players that are being used. But you know,
I just wonder about that. It's nice to go to
Bangladesh and help out cricket over there and get some
(23:59):
of our players prepared, but you know, to me, it
seems pointless. Say, as well as the three Tests in England,
they've got a Test against Ireland as well, so they've
got four tests to prepare for and none of the
expected Test players are basically playing in the two four
day games that are being played in SrAl Ankle, although
(24:19):
some may come to the four.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Yeah, it's a very high percentage though, isn't it. Once.
I mean, you're saying fifteen, and some use a few
more obviously for illness and things like that and injuries.
But fifty one out of basically ninety you were saying fifteen,
you know, contracted players to each of the six sides.
(24:44):
That's over half. That's looking at one other guy in
your side and say one of us is going to
play for New Zealand A or New Zealand this year.
So and you wonder why that, why is that happening?
Is it? Because well, obviously sixteen are being in either
a better players are playing in the IPL or the
(25:07):
higher echelons of the franchise system. But it's a lot,
isn't it. I mean, why do you think that is happening.
There's got to be a reason other than there's a
gap there.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Well, they're obviously looking to give cricketers earning potential and
the competition in various forms, and that happens. They released
the players to go to the Pakistan and the end
in Premier League because there's good money for them there
or else they wouldn't be going. And you know there's
(25:44):
going to be a squad of fifteen going to England
Test match squad and last year, the last twelve months
we've played five Test matches West Indies and Zimbabwe and
used twenty one players. So six of those are going
to miss out on the Test squad. Because the hope
(26:06):
is that the likes of ok and those players you've
missed out because of an injuria and we understand that
the hope is that they will be back in the
side against England playing a Test match at Lord's the
Home of cricket and the place where all players want
to go. That's high on the list of priorities, isn't
it for Test match players?
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, of course it is very high. I don't think
that's changed at all over the years. That's a key
place that you would like to nail down if you
play international cricket. But I mean the New Zealand players
in those sides are over those fifty one. There are
some New Zealand, as you say, coming back from injury generally,
aren't they raw Sears who's continuing after the games against
(26:51):
South Africa? A here and then Tickner those three there's
an ex New Zealand player kind of in the sense
Sody yeah, and Latham Young and Smiths and Fish so
yeah and Fisher that's right. So you know, not too
many of the fifty one. And it just seems that
the New Zealand selectors to me are trying to very
(27:13):
rapidly raise and prepare a greater number of New Zealand
players to play in the future. For New Zealand. They're
having a look, aren't they. And they're taking advantage because
these games were on the schedule to use as many
as possible. And I think this is one of the
first years that New Zealand. More and more players are
(27:36):
heading away over December and January to play franchise cricket,
aren't they. And that's understandable in a way, and New
Zealand Cricket understand that too and they've allowed them to
do that. And at the moment it's getting quite crowded.
I mean, you've got the ILT twenty that starts on
(27:58):
the third of December, more of a second tier I
would have said. Of the franchises, you've got the Big
Bass starting in the fourteenth of December and going through
to late jan that's New Zealand players there and also
second tier England and some pakistanis basically. Then you've got
(28:19):
South Africa twenty December, the twenty sixth starting you know
then and going through to the end of jan You've
got the Bangladesh League that starts the twenty sixth as
well and goes through to late jan and then you've
got the new one of New Zealand. We don't know
really that's what they're talking about at the moment. That's
(28:41):
going to be January, isn't it. By the look of it,
that's the plan, that's what that's the window they're asking
to play anyway, so there are lots of choices then,
and then of course you've got the if you want
to play Pakistan, that's on at the moment, isn't it.
That's the PCL. That's a brill elevance to May the eighteenth.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
And shorter than the IPL, yep.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
And then the IPL goes from late March right to
the end of May. That's when the finals. So if
you're in the final in the IPL, you'll have three
days to get to Lords and if you're playing for
the New Zealand side, three days to prepare for that
Test match. So it's very busy, you couldn't You've got
(29:32):
plenty of choices as a player, haven't you. And while
you take a contract for New Zealand, you know you
can still make a lot of money wards, can't you.
I mean, and don't forget you've got the MLC that
comes along a little bit later, isn't it in June
and July a year Yeah, that's wrong, but that that
(29:56):
would clash with Lords, you know, and the New Zealand
New Zealand tour to England.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Well, and you zield have made a commitment to that
MLC as well, so you know, for these eyes to
earn good money and internationally they are earning good money,
the contracts that they get, the expenses that go with it,
the fact that they are able to run, you know,
a contract with New Zealand Cricket. Well, will players do
(30:25):
that in the future or will they be looking to
be free agents as many of them seem to be
at the moment.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
And that's one of the reasons ondds why perhaps they're
broadening this sort of base if you like, for some
of those things to occur, but still have maybe some
who want to play a little bit of franchise stuff.
And of course there's this and we've been lucky in
New Zealand really because most of our top players do that,
(30:53):
don't they They choose that option rather than going completely
for the franchise opportunities, you know, and don't forget they
are getting now a contract to play for New Zealand.
If you take the World Pups out, our summer has
now been reduced potentially by about a quarter, hasn't it
(31:15):
if you take now December January, February March as our
you know summer over here in the.
Speaker 4 (31:24):
International summer, Yeah, exactly, Yes, we're still played domestic.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Yeah, we do, but I mean, I'm I'm just thinking
of the international game at the moment. And if you
say favor looking at tests, it seems to me you've
really only got three places now in our summer for US,
either a bilateral series or a World Test Championship series.
Here you either play in December just prior up to
(31:52):
just prior to Christmas, and you know that's when England
toured of course in twenty four to twenty five, and
that then clashes with the ILT twenty and the Big
Bash and then so that's one area you could play
test because a three test series takes almost a month,
doesn't it. They normally have a teck cup of tea
(32:13):
twenties to try and make up some money as well
in a tour or in ode Is or two. So
all those early February to early March, and that's when
the SA twenty is just over, So no warm up
for the players if you're going to play at that period.
(32:34):
And then you've got early March, haven't you up until
about the twenty fifth because then the IPL starts. None
of those three periods are really in the holiday period either,
are they?
Speaker 4 (32:45):
No?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
But we you know, those are issues that we are
now in New Zealand confronting if we want to in
terms of the test formats anyway, plenty of time to
play the white ball games. So and then there's as
I say, June to July for the MLC, and that
clashes with a tour to England once every four years.
(33:09):
You know, that's where we're getting to as far as
our summer is concerned. It seems to me.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yeah, that's very much the way it is, and the
reaction that we're getting from some of the listeners seems
to support that. We look to the emails on the
front foot twenty at gmail dot com and we've got
a couple and we actually want you to give us
your idea of the New Zealand fifteen to tour England
(33:38):
and Ireland, sending suggestions of who should be in the side.
As I say, twenty one used over five tests since
this time last year. Is new blood needed for that
series or do we save it for the India series
at home Australia. In Australia then of course early next
year we've got Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Fraser who has
(34:02):
sent us emails in the past, lives in Japan jury
and is a great follower of the program. Thank you,
gentlemen for always providing an independent view on the state
of affairs of New Zealand cricket. Jeremy's passionate speech on
last week's episode re New Zealand twenty really resignated. He says,
a forty year fan, introduced to the game by his
(34:26):
late father, driving to the Baseman Reserve from Parmerston North
where they lived to watch cricket. I also have some
thoughts and he details those thoughts and haven't had a
chance to look at them thoroughly, but I'll send them
to you because it's worth discussing. As he says, he
lives in Japan now, but he asked a friend of
(34:46):
his who well by the name of Craig. We're not
going to give sir names out because it makes them
famous publicly. Craig, who he says, unfortunately was implicated in
some serious backyard match fixing scandals in the early nineties.
But that's for another episode. That sounds a bit like
you and your family, Jerry. But he says he and
(35:10):
his son went to watch the fourth T twenty in
Wellington against South Africa. Despite being a Sea team, the
prices were little changed. The game was scheduled at night
on a Sunday. I wonder why and for whom. And
it's not feasible during school time when work also starts
on Monday to go. And they're just issues that people
(35:36):
are taking into account. Fraser for a long trip to
come from Japan to to have a look, but he's
obviously got Matsia back in New Zealand. And you know
that issues that have to be considered when we're planning
out our summer, because we're losing our summer, aren't.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
We most certainly, And as I said, it's all being squeezed.
I'm afraid at the moment over the older days sometimes
once but it's not to be. We can't. We've only
got so much. Summer seems to be moving slightly towards March,
doesn't it. You know, December is not quite such good
(36:15):
weather at the mod Well it wasn't this year anyway. Yeah, look,
I agree I agree with what he's a phrase is saying.
I don't think night games really, to be honest, it
might look good on the telly, I don't know whether
that how much that impacts on the times that they play.
(36:37):
But it just seems to me with due as I
was talking about last week, doesn't help the team bowling. Second,
if you're a spinner particularly, it just slides on. And
maybe I don't know. We haven't got many grounds with lights,
not really, not lots.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
No, not that you can get a lot of people into.
I mean this talk that they want lights at the
bas Reserve, and I'd be happy for that idea, but
you know you only get eight to ten thousand. I mean,
when you give a T twenty competition, you're going to
want more, aren't you. That's what this New Zealand twenty wants?
(37:15):
Or else? Is it just for television and there's extra
programming for the viewers those who love cricket? Are we
just old fashioned stick in the mud traditionalists? Jerry people
say that at times, I don't necessarily think so. You
and I we are. Yeah, well we are because we've
(37:36):
we are setting our ways to some extent. But we
still watch a lot of cricket. You still travel the
world to watch games. I used to and I still
watch games. I get up in the middle of the
night to watch New Zealand play. The New Zealand a
side play in Sri Lanka on Internet, you know, so
we still take that interest in cricket, and I think
(37:58):
that there are people who feel the same way as us. Yes,
the newbies will come along and say, oh yeah, you
got to move on and you know, but you know,
is it doing a lot for our game and the
spectators who want to go along? And Phraser's friend basically
amplified that point, didn't.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
He I think there's room for all. It's just that
we've got one particular format at the moment which seems
to be pushing and pushing and pressing so hard, and
everybody seems to want to watch that. At the moment,
there's this pressure on boards to try and make as
much money as they can because other formats are losing money.
(38:41):
So you know, it's a kind of a circle that's
going on at them right now. They've even got to
a point. Watts. I just wanted to mention about seeing
you talking about tests as well, because you and I
tend to have favored test matches and I think people
will know that. Did you see at the ICC they're
discussing that the World Test Championship they've formed the working party?
(39:06):
Watts to consider one one test as a series that
counts towards the World Test Championship and you'll be over
the moon with that idea. I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (39:18):
Well, it doesn't make a series. Sorry, it's at one
test between sides.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Yeah, that's right, that's right. And Roger Boos from New Zealand,
who played for New Zealand and played in England I
think is heading up that group and he will present
their findings. I wonder how many points that one test
will be worse. That'll be an interesting discussion. And the
ICC I can obviously considering adding other sides to the
(39:47):
World Test Championship like Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe. And I
guess they feel that if there were test series any
longer than one then you know, it'd be very costly
for those sides to run, you know, playing against those
three teams and maybe not quite the interest that they're
(40:12):
in their countries of those sides. So they're giving it
a crack, But I do it certainly. I'm like you,
I don't see it as it's not a series, is it.
It's one ties.
Speaker 4 (40:24):
What it's trying to do, quite clearly is to get
away from the change to a two tier system for
the World Test Championship, which none of the sides seem
to like, and a promotion relegation which means they can
extend the one competition to more teams ten, twelve, fifteen, however,
(40:44):
many sixteen whatever. You'd still have to have home and
away games, and it's still got to include traditional series,
doesn't it The Ashes and India versus whoever, they've got
traditional series that are not as traditional as some of
the others. But that's obviously where the thinking is coming in,
(41:05):
because if we remember the past, CEO Scott Winning wanted
to do a lot for test cricket in New Zealand,
but we're not getting quite the Test cricket. Although they've
got thirteen tests between now in March, there's only four
in this country, which to my mind is about what
(41:25):
we've always had, the rest of the tests are being
played elsewhere. So it's highlighting the changing nature of the
international game. The bigger countries are keeping the programs that
they want and the timings that they are used to
for all their competitions without having to create windows for
(41:49):
the T twenty competitions, and places like New Zealand, perhaps
Bangladesh Afghanistan lesser South Africa because they don't seem to
want to play a lot of test cricket the moment
having to fit in again with the Big three, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Oh, that's nothing new or either, is it really? I mean,
these are things that have happened because of the rise
of the t twenties in a way as well, isn't
it really? They're just there's no time to play test
cricket really any longer. It's just being squeezed and we've
(42:25):
reached a tipping point. So I don't know, but anyway,
we're trying to get through and provide players who are
capable of playing for these for US and test matches
in the future. That's what these series we're going to
have to get used to it that we are going
to have the South Africa's coming here and they're not
(42:45):
going to include our better players. We are going to
go to Sri Lanka and this time of the year
and we are going to have mainly other players, and
the same thing going to Bangladesh. It looks as though
these are going to be developmental tours from now on
in order to prepare a range of players that they
(43:06):
may play for New Zealand, Ay and New z So
that's get used to it. Everybody don't yet, we can't.
We can't keep moaning about it because it is a
fact of life about these things, because of the T
twenty and the prevalence of that game and how people
are wanting to follow that. We'll wait and see how
(43:26):
the New Zealand twenty gets on. But yeah, look, I
think the players that they've selected will There are some
that are are pushing, aren't there. Watts? I mean, Mariu
looks a player of the future, he Fee looks a possibility,
a Bass looks a possibility. And there are other names
(43:49):
obviously to go. They're just the ones off the top
of my head, and they're all kind of batsmen, I know.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
But don't set your thinking right because we're going to
try and pick a squad next week before the New
Zealand selectors. We'll wait for what anybody puts forward in
terms of an email suggestions. So yeah, there's one other email.
(44:15):
Just before we finished that, I received Carl from Taranaki
basically agreeing with comments that we made last week. The
woman's test match would be around eight to nine months away.
Why couldn't we get a squad together, now give the
girls some fitness goals. Over wanted to help get some
mileage in the legs at the bowlers, then do some
things with the squad at Lincoln to start preparing them.
And why couldn't we have a couple of rounds of
(44:36):
domestic cricket playing two or three days so they get
used to bowling and batting for longer periods. Oh good points.
I'm sure some of your younger rips in the association
would also love the opportunity to help them get ready too.
When I was eighteen, I have loved the opportunity to
bowl to a curse sister and probably would have been
fast enough to keep it realistic for them. Carl says,
(44:57):
I'm disappointed we aren't even trying to go there, and
I think that echoes. Well we were saying last week,
you've got to take those opportunities.
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Yeah. Look, I think it's as far as the women's side.
They had a really good win against South Africa, didn't they.
I mean, we're probably thought of as being rather critical
about the women's side. I don't think necessarily we are.
We look at them in terms of the other women's
(45:28):
sides around the world and we see things that possibly
they could improve upon, and they don't seem to be
getting a bit better. However, having said that, I think
they had good wins against South Africa along with England.
I think South Africa probably the third or the fourth
(45:48):
side in the women's game. Now I think they've supplanted
us and we've dropped just a little below that. But
this was a good win therefore, because we played them, yes,
at home, but we won the t twenties for one,
and that's pretty impairt We lost the first ODI, which
(46:11):
was the clincher, wasn't it the last ball victory to
South Africa are six off the last ball, and then
we went ahead and won that series two to one,
scoring three hundred plus in each of the last two games,
the one about Amelia cur that we spoke about, and
(46:32):
also the following game with Maddie Green getting one hundred
and forty and Halliday getting ninety eight. Isn't it great
to see other names bearing up? And that's what we
want to see, isn't it. We want to see experienced
players who Maddie Green and Halliday are. We want to
see them performing. We want to see Jess Kerr getting
(46:56):
their wickets that she's getting. We want to see Mayor
getting some wickets that she's getting. You know, that's good.
We're seeing performances coming from different parts. Wasn't it good
to see Nancy petti Well come through with her off
spinners those kinds of things. I like, it doesn't say
we're there yet, and I am I'm like out, Like Carl,
(47:19):
I'm a bit disappointed. We seem intimidated at the thought
of doing something new and something may beyond what our
capabilities are at the moment. Unusual. It's a bit frightening
to consider, you know, to get exposed. But I just think,
is it the players? Is it the coaches? Is it
(47:41):
the money that's required to prepare them? I don't know
what it is. It might be always please.
Speaker 4 (47:48):
I don't think it'll be the players, because I think
the players would jump at the opportunity. I think it's leadership.
That the reason why we can't talk about it, is
it well, we can't talk about it, but we can't
seem to find anybody who's prepared to well.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
Isn't that no one wants to talk about it? From
the As a woman, how many weeks have you tried
to get someone on not they either hate.
Speaker 4 (48:15):
Us probably do they we're too critical, or they are
unfare but they won't come on. Well, I've had half
a dozen requests because you've got to ask for permission
now to talk to the players. You can't just string up
and say I want to talk. You've got to go
through media liaison or chief executives or whatever. And no
(48:40):
one has been prepared to comment. And that disappoints me
because women cricketers are being paid, they're accountable. Yes, they
have to face the fact that they're going to get criticized,
but there's also the compliments that go with the game
as well, and one of those compliments is one of
the best players in the world going around at the moment,
(49:00):
Merely Kerr, who's just been announced as a winner of
an ICC Player of the Month title and thoroughly deserved.
She's had an outstanding series against South Africa, as you mentioned,
and she's taken on the captaincy and basically leading from
the front that old cliche that we use.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
Look, I can't disagree with any of that, but there's
plenty of room for improvements still on the side, and
that's what we really want to discuss why because we
want them to be better exactly, We want them to
improve and they will too. They will want to improve.
Speaker 4 (49:34):
Got to be prepared to be professional and approach the
promotion of the game. Not everything is the way that
you want it, and that's the way cricket is. But
we'll find somebody at some stage that can give us
a view points about it. And you can now spend
(49:55):
the next week thinking about fifteen players who you will see.
I think when you get over there to go to England,
I'm sure you're still heading towards that way to watch
the New Zealand series against to England. Yeah, well, if
the planes have got a gas.
Speaker 3 (50:16):
Yes, that's right, which is I hope?
Speaker 4 (50:21):
Yeah, yeah, you might get there, it be struggling to
get back. But never mind, go pick your squad and
we'll look at that next week along with any other
of the major issues. Because the siders in Bangladesh will
have played a couple of ODIs this time next week,
and of course we will have seen the outcome of
the New Zealand a series of matches against Sri Lanka
(50:43):
A being played in Hambantota. You can talk about your
test squad next week. Jerry, thanks for spending time and
going through the interesting process you do to to join
this podcast. I'm sure you've got it licked.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
At all. See next week, nor Jeers once for the
wonderfuls of summary.
Speaker 4 (51:15):
Do do
Speaker 1 (51:20):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
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You're listening to a podcast from News Talk st B.
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Speaker 2 (00:20):
You want to take another It's it is out, the
test is over. Couldn't just smoke? Wows a beauty? It
is out here you guys. Just delivery has in the users.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Be Bold.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney,
powered by News Talks Dead be at iHeart Radio.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Hello, coming up on the front foot this week. The
season is over in New Zealand, but all New Zealand players,
well most of them anyway, are overseas, playing in competitions
in various places. A tough start to New Zealand day
in Sri Lanka? Does the Black Cat twur of Bangladesh
fall in the meaningless category? What value is it? And
(01:08):
the lead up to the England Tests? It is our
summer crickets on a precipice or has it already tipped
over interesting situations developing the game? Jeremy Coney, the future
of our cricket summer and our future of cricket in
general is worthy of discussion this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Well, I think it is ond and particularly with the
respect to these tours that have been to Sri Lanka
and that's just ongoing, isn't it. There's a four day
match I think starting either today or tomorrow and that's
still in Sri Lanka, and then the Bangladesh series as well,
and so many players I don't think I've seen so
(01:51):
many been used before by New Zealand selectors now, whether
they yeah, whether they basically are having a look at
other players, or they're taking advantage of these games that
have been organized for a while to have a look
at as many as possible and how they tour. But
(02:12):
maybe we're getting to it, as you say, that tipping
point in our summer.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Well, we'll talk about that a little later. We've got
a couple of emails to address which are interesting in
terms of your comments about the game as the listeners.
The New Zealand day side have just completed a one
day series with Sri Lanka, a tough assignment for them
straight out of New Zealand conditions. Wellington batsman Tim Robinson
(02:38):
played in all three games. It is also featuring in
the first four air game before heading to join the
Black Caps T twenty squad in Bangladesh. Tim and Robinson
joins on the front foot from hamband Tota preparing for
the four day clash before heading to Bangladesh and Tim
it's been fairly challenging for you.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
Yeah, it's been challenging, all right. I think that's one
of the beauties of tering cricket though, isn't it. You
get to experience different different cultures, different foods, different climates,
and then a different cricket on top of that, and
it and it probably creates a pretty good opportunity to
learn a few different things. And and that's definitely something
that we're doing over here is learning, learning as fast
(03:19):
as our brains can handle.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
So yeah, yeah, we're getting there slowly.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Have you been to Sri Lanka previously?
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Yeah, been too, a bit more central so been to
Candy and dan Buler for a for a T twenty
series against the Shri Lankans, I think a couple of
years ago now, so yeah, but it's so I learned
a little bit from that and they're now learning a
little bit more from from this tour so far. So
it's been it's been. It's been difficult.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Yeah. What's the biggest challenge been for you?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I think you come to these subcontinent places, and you
get told that it's spins and things like that, and
and that's true. But I also think it's not about
throwing out plan A. You know, plan A works in
New Zealand and these elements of plan A that work
over here and spinning condition as well. So I think
it's about just refining your craft a little bit over here.
(04:13):
It's not necessarily reinventing the wheel. It's it's about it's
about taking you know, taking the right options and taking
the smart options and learning what those are as quickly
as you possibly can. I think another main major challenge
for us has been there has been the heat. You know,
you you and what that does to your mind and
your and your body. I suppose it's I was saying before,
(04:35):
was it's thirty I think it was thirty seven degrees
when we were when we were playing the last one day.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
And although read's not quite.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
As as hot, it's it's the humidity that just sort
of SAPs here and takes all their energy out of
and dulls your mind a little bit.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
So that's something you've got to be aware of over here.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Yeah, that's quite a dramatic change too, from what you've
been playing in New Zealand, conditions have been a lot
cooler and probably a lot more friendly for New Zealanders.
Speaker 6 (05:05):
Yeah, I reckon. And same with the wickets too.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
You get on those slippers, green ones back at home
and then there's not a blade of grass in sight
over here. So it's yeah, it's definitely a change. But
that's the challenge and that's what the modern day cricketer
has got to get. Its got to get ushait around
and yeah, and try and try and make the best
of the conditions.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
We've been able to watch some of the games on
the internet, have been available on YouTube. I've been interested
in the firstly, their spin bowlers. They seem to from anyway,
from far away, look as though they bowl a little
bit quicker than spin bowlers do in New Zealand. Are
judging by you know, the form of game they're playing,
(05:46):
either T twenty or ODI cricket. Is that a fact?
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Yeah, I think they're on on the whole, That's that's right.
I think there's the variation is the slow one, you know,
their variation is the one that that that does the
batsman in the air. I think when you get to
New Zealand, and the wickets generally don't spin as much.
And you hear ages Ptel talk about it a lot
that he's got to use the air and uses drop
(06:11):
and has drift and things to beat the batsman, whereas
here you get a lot more assistance off the surface.
And so the way they maximize the surface and maximize
the conditions as make sure they're challenging the stumps all
the time and at a at a generally good pace
that you that you it's it's harder to get forward
or to get back to. So yeah, I think it's
(06:32):
a pretty fair observation and.
Speaker 6 (06:34):
They've they've certainly done that in the one day one
day stuff.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
It'll be interesting to see when you when you get
into the longer format red ball cricket, how they how
they use the air a little bit more.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
But that's just something well, yeah, we'll try and adapt
too quickly.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I've never been to ham Mantota, but it looks like
a huge ground. But did they have the boundaries and
were they short boundaries for the games that you played
there or is that just the natural size of the
ground that made it look that way.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, I think it does look a little bit silly
on the broadcast when you have this huge, huge heaps
of heaps of acreage and then and then you bring
in the ropes in. But yeah, that that ground is massive.
It's I think it's I don't know exactly the dimensions,
but I tell you what, Chris Gale would have a
hard time hitting a sixth on those if they were
boundaries of right at the fence. So I think they
(07:22):
were about sixty two or sixty three, you know, all
around when they brought the ropes in. But yeah, I
think it's a it's a mess.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
It's a huge ground.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
That walk out to the middle is pretty slow and
the walk off is even slower.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
So yeah, yeah, the Marquees were out by the boundary,
so it was a fair way away. I guess it's
one of the things though that you have to be
prepared for now playing international cricket. Adaptability. You've got to
change from New Zealand conditions to Sri Lankan conditions, format
to format pretty quickly. So it's more a mindset thing
to some agree, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (07:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (07:57):
I think so.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
In a mindset to me as being organized and being
organized in each format that you're playing. And I suppose
what does that look like across Yeah, across the format
is making sure that you've that you've got your your
your options or I suppose your areas that you that
you look to hit and have them nailed down really
really tightly. I think that you look at some some
(08:20):
of these really good T twenty international sides like India
or or South Africa or something like that, and they've
they've got there I suppose two or three two or
three zones that they hit really really well, and that
and the execution percentage is ridiculous. And I think that's
sort of that's where the you know, it might not
necessarily be about playing one hundred different shots, but it's
(08:42):
about playing three or four really really well and executing
them to a high percentage. And I think that's across
across all three formats, and that's sort of the refinement
that I'm that I talk about in terms of with
the Yeah, with your craft across across each format.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Yeah, because you're going from fifty over to a longer
form four day first class game and then straight into
T twenties in Bangladesh, so and in different conditions, so
you have to be adaptable as much as anybody don't you.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
Well, yeah, I hope.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
So, I mean that's a that's a to me, I said,
it's a great privilege. I've got these opportunities to to
test my adaptability and to and to test my versatility
as a batsman, and I think that's something that I'm
going to try and you know, keep striding towards is
how to be you know, not let the conditions be
an excuse, or not let the heat be an excuse
or you or not let the changing formats be an
(09:37):
excuse either. It's it's about how can you try and
perform and how can you produce produce, produce results in
those those different conditions and formats and and countries and
things like that. So that's just that's just part of it.
And I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Yeah. How's the team looking at the tour of AUSTRILANKA
so far in terms of results, I mean you started
off fairly slowly. By the end of the last game,
that the side was starting to perform and produce runs
with the bat, and that the players looks and can
be important because it's so much about winning or more
about doing what you're doing, you know, picking up the
(10:15):
skills that are required to be used in that environment.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Yeah, this place, the Sri lank over here is a
really challenging place for touring teams especially I think, for
for for kiwis where you know, the conditions are obviously
drastically drastically different. And and I think if you if
you focus on too much about winning, then it's then
it's even more difficult to do so versus if you
(10:43):
if you focus on trying to do the things that
will that will put you in a good position to win,
and that's sort of those process based things, then then
you actually got to I think you've got a better
a better chance of putting putting results on the board.
And and I think if you if you focus too
much on the you know, the winning and the losing,
then then you lose opportunities to learn as well, and
you lose opportunities to actually develop and refine these skill sets.
(11:07):
So I think you know, over the last three games,
although the results haven't been been as favorable as we
would have liked, there's there's still a huge.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
Element of learning over those three games.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
And that's probably the pleasing thing is that you know
it's not got, it's not it's not gone from bad
to worse.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
It's gone from not so great to getting better.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So that's sort of, I think probably one of the
big positives that we can take out of those last
three games.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
You've had a pretty busy year so far since Christmas anyway,
in terms of domestic cricket and other involvement in short
form cricket. How have you reflected so far on your
own personal summer.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Yeah, I've had a great time. It's been awesome.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
I've you know, I think this playing cricket's a fantastic
way to earn your living. We you know, you get
to hang out with all your mates and play a
game that we really enjoy and and and it provides
a huge amount of challenge and and so I felt
really challenged over the last sort of twelve months. I've
had that had a we stint in the UK which
(12:11):
was challenging in itself, and then straight into the New
Zealand summer and had a tour to India and now
Sheril Anchor and so it's it's it's all go really
and and and that's you know, that's that's it's pretty cool,
I think. So I've been very busy and we had
some good performances, had some had some bad performances.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
But I think trying to manage.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Your way through through the goods and the bads is
just part of part of cricket.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Isn't it.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
And and yeah, so I've had a bit of an
up and down summer, but that's just that's just how
it goes.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
And you've got any more chance to play in England
during the off season.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
Not not at this stage.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
So I'm actually looking forward to heating home and spending
a bit of time on the farm with the with
the family and and then going I've got a few
hunting trips sorted and in a dive trip, so I'm
looking forward to a little bit of off field off
field activities too.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
I suppose brain up the cricket for a wee bit,
which will be good. But yeah, it's I've.
Speaker 5 (13:13):
They haven't got anything in the UK lined up just yet,
but we'll see. You never know what's going to pop up,
and might be last minute things that that that jump
on the on the computer on.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
The page, so we'll just see how it go.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Yeah. Yeah, that can be brought about by the number
of competitions there are and injuries because there are more
and more players seemingly getting injured and you have to
have injury replacements. So I was looking at the county
scene one of the county games. It's just finished. I
had thirteen players playing it. Once stage two got injured
and Somerset had to use an extra couple of players.
So there's always that opportunity available, isn't it.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
I think that's one of the you know, we talk
about being versatile across conditions, but it's also just I
think being being nice and relaxed and calm through through
all of the stuff. You might get a you know,
I have had a couple of times where I get
a call, you know, almost the night before I've got
to travel over to Pakistan or something like that for
a trip or a tour of the air or whatever.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
You know.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
So it's just kind of taking it as it comes
and going with the flow.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
And and and it's writing writing, not you know, writing
the waves of cricket, but also writing the waves of
where you're going to be at what time you're going
to be there, all that kind of stuff. So yeah,
it's just cricket's just as you know, it's blowing up,
and there's more and more cricket being played that requires
more and more players, and more and more injuries and
then more and more replacements, and so that's just a
(14:35):
whole whirlpool of different bloody stuff going on. So it's
pretty cool to be pretty cool to be a part
of that sometimes.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Yeah, I hope there's aviation fuel to get everybody to
and from where they have to go, because that's going
to be one of the challenges for international cricket.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
I think, yeah. Yeah, I also yeah, it will be tricky.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Yeah. Looking ahead to New Zealand, the possibility that there
may be a T twenty competition set up that's been
agreed to in principle by New Zealand Cricket, how do
you view that likely competition and do you know what
the other players feel or is it a bit too
early to make a real judgment on it.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Yeah, I think it might be. It might be a
little bit too early. I mean this.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
The whether it will go ahead next next year is
another thing to be sort of be discussed. But the
way I see it is that if if it's going
to bring energy to to the game of cricket in
New Zealand, if it's going to.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Make more kids, you know, come to the game, and
there will.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Be more kids on the on the boundary asking for
signatures and things like that, and and excited about excited
about the game like I was at a young age.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Then then to me, that sounds like a great thing.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
You know, if there's more opportunities for for our local
guys to potentially get overseas and be seen by and
be seen by other franchise owners and things and help
kick start their careers.
Speaker 6 (15:59):
Then then I also see that as a good thing.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
So, I mean, there's a lot of there's a lot
of unanswered questions with this, with the with the with
the n Z twenty and and but you know, I
think in principle it seems like it's going to be
a fantastic thing for New zealand a fantastic thing for
the game.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
So we'll just have to see how it all pans out,
I suppose.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Yeah, I guess that's one of the things that you
sort of have to take in the stride as you
move along through this season. Right now, of course, though
you're heading towards a first class game in handband Tata,
and I guess you've got practice to do in the
in the heat, or do you do it as early
as you can or late in the day to avoid
the heat, or does it not come into the calculations.
Speaker 6 (16:40):
No, No, we want to get into the heat. We
want to sweat as much as we possibly can. It's no,
it's good.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
The whole challenge of playing in the heat and things
like that has made harder if you don't try and
train in the heat.
Speaker 6 (16:51):
So yeah, it's no, it's good.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
We've got a we've got a sweaty session this afternoon
and we'll hit a few red balls and see if
we can. Yeah, see if we can. Typically Old chilenkans
up on, which is I don't know, in the next couple.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Of days, Yeah, Thursday, Friday, I think it's something like that.
So then you on a flight to Bangladesh. Thanks very
much for joining us on the front foot, Tim, it's
been great to talk to you, and all the very
best for what the rest of us too holds for.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
Thank you very much. Wards appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Yeah, rightfully, he says. Every opportunity is a good opportunity
and he'll take them. He's obviously a keen player of
the international game. And you'll go anywhere to play. It's
going to be another challenge for him though. The black
Caps heading for Bangladesh and that's where he's going. Dakhar
after Hamband total what a trip? What can be achieved
(17:43):
on this tour of Odi I's and T Twitties. The
team left last Monday and they're under the leadership of
Test captain Tom Latham. That seems a second string side
without first choice players. Tom.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
Yeah, I guess with all the guys at ipl PSL,
I guess it presents opportunities to just some younger guys,
or maybe not necessarily younger, but some guys with a
little less experienced than than what we used to But
I think if you look at the squad as a whole,
everyone's played for New Zealand at some point, whether it
be T twenties or one day crewits so the fact
(18:18):
that everyone's had some international experience will hopefully bode well
for the I guess the tour coming up, and I
guess the more experience we can get into into some
of these guys obviously builds depth, you know, throughout our lineup.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
One positive is the return of Willow Rowk to the
black Caps.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Yeah, it's great to see him back. I think we've
all seen the talent that he has, you know, especially
in the longer form games. But I think that the
work that he's put in over the last sort of
nine months probably maybe even a little bit longer to
get back to where he is. I have been fortunate
enough to see him sort of up close, you know,
do a little bit of training with him and stuff,
and you know, it's great to see him back, running
(18:56):
and hard, and you know, we know the skill that
he has with you know, he can swing the ball,
bounce and pace all the attributes you want as a
fast ball. So you know, really excited to see him back,
and we'll send him back playing anywhere.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
I suppose one expectation will be the dominance of spin,
which Bangladesh is renowned for.
Speaker 7 (19:15):
I think you sort of get the characteristics of games
all the way surfaces play, and you look back on
games or previous games and trigging as much information as
you can. But obviously heading to Bangladesh, we know that
spin plays a massive part. Understanding that you know, things
may look slightly differently than what they do here in
New Zealand. So I think whenever you head to Bangladesh
(19:38):
or places that are a little bit more foreign. The
work that you do leading up to the game is
really important and hopefully you can start well, which I
think makes it makes a message different. So yeah, it's
important we always adapt. We talk about that all the
time and hopefully we can do that.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Well. Do you expect this tour to have much impact
on the Test series coming up in England and later
this year?
Speaker 7 (19:58):
I think you're sort of isolated into as the series
by itself really Obviously we play now and then as
you said, we go into a heavy diet of rebel
cricket a couple of weeks at home to prepare for
that series in England. So as I said, it's a
really good opportunity for the young guys or less experienced
guys to go over into some conditions that can be
(20:20):
really challenging. And yeah, as I said, I think if
you isolate this series as a whole, and you know,
we take it game by game, and yeah, I guess
I have as much fun as this group as we
can and hopefully, you know, if we play well, we
give ourselves an opportunity to play well, then hopefully we
can be where we want to be.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
At the end. Interesting stuff, Jerry. I understand the Sri
Lanka a tour. That's a development phase which we have
to be part of it. I just think that these
meaningless T twenties and and Odie eyes, they are opportunities
to have a look at other players as such. But
I just feel spectators to some extent of being short
(21:02):
changed by some of these tours.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Well, it's inevitable. I think that you won't be the
only one sinking that way, Brian, particularly with so many
T twenties played nowadays, and ODI's kind of filling out
a schedule, isn't it when you might think, all right, well,
what's coming up? There's quite an important Test series, three
(21:29):
Tests this time, thank heavens playing in England coming up
in June, and maybe a four day match. I know
they're playing a four day match in Sri Lanka, which
is pretty handy, but certainly the Bangladesh series doesn't include that,
does it? So a little bit odd, but loads of
(21:50):
I was looking at the four sides and you know
that were named recently two to two sides to Bangladesh
and two sides to Sri Lanka, and I was struck
just by the sheer size a number of the players
and I actually started to count them up and name
(22:12):
to thirty five different names. Some of the players, of course,
are in both tours, as you mentioned a moment ago,
and you told me, I think there were sixteen already
away at the IPL or the Pakistan League or some
other franchise. So you add those two together and you
(22:35):
get to fifty one fifty one New Zealand players at
the moment, playing in different parts of the world. And
I wondered, and I did ask you how many plunket
shields we have six plunket shield sides? How many in
the actual squads? Was?
Speaker 4 (22:55):
I think they contract fifteen, but of course they can
use others and they become players who are playing on
you know, random contracts that they get once they get selected.
But they attractive players. I don't know what they earn.
It's a reasonable amount, but it's not something that will
make them rich. But all of them have used in
(23:16):
excess of the fifteen except Otago and the Plunkets held
they used fifteen players and came second, could have come
first and seventeen and white ball cricket, so they've been limited.
And other sides too have have had around that, but
(23:38):
it is a lot of players, and I suppose, you know,
injuries and such like play a big part in the
number of players that are being used. But you know,
I just wonder about that. It's nice to go to
Bangladesh and help out cricket over there and get some
(23:59):
of our players prepared, but you know, to me, it
seems pointless. Say, as well as the three Tests in England,
they've got a Test against Ireland as well, so they've
got four tests to prepare for and none of the
expected Test players are basically playing in the two four
day games that are being played in SrAl Ankle, although
(24:19):
some may come to the four.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Yeah, it's a very high percentage though, isn't it. Once.
I mean, you're saying fifteen, and some use a few
more obviously for illness and things like that and injuries.
But fifty one out of basically ninety you were saying fifteen,
you know, contracted players to each of the six sides.
(24:44):
That's over half. That's looking at one other guy in
your side and say one of us is going to
play for New Zealand A or New Zealand this year.
So and you wonder why that, why is that happening?
Is it? Because well, obviously sixteen are being in either
a better players are playing in the IPL or the
(25:07):
higher echelons of the franchise system. But it's a lot,
isn't it. I mean, why do you think that is happening.
There's got to be a reason other than there's a
gap there.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Well, they're obviously looking to give cricketers earning potential and
the competition in various forms, and that happens. They released
the players to go to the Pakistan and the end
in Premier League because there's good money for them there
or else they wouldn't be going. And you know there's
(25:44):
going to be a squad of fifteen going to England
Test match squad and last year, the last twelve months
we've played five Test matches West Indies and Zimbabwe and
used twenty one players. So six of those are going
to miss out on the Test squad. Because the hope
(26:06):
is that the likes of ok and those players you've
missed out because of an injuria and we understand that
the hope is that they will be back in the
side against England playing a Test match at Lord's the
Home of cricket and the place where all players want
to go. That's high on the list of priorities, isn't
it for Test match players?
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, of course it is very high. I don't think
that's changed at all over the years. That's a key
place that you would like to nail down if you
play international cricket. But I mean the New Zealand players
in those sides are over those fifty one. There are
some New Zealand, as you say, coming back from injury generally,
aren't they raw Sears who's continuing after the games against
(26:51):
South Africa? A here and then Tickner those three there's
an ex New Zealand player kind of in the sense
Sody yeah, and Latham Young and Smiths and Fish so
yeah and Fisher that's right. So you know, not too
many of the fifty one. And it just seems that
the New Zealand selectors to me are trying to very
(27:13):
rapidly raise and prepare a greater number of New Zealand
players to play in the future. For New Zealand. They're
having a look, aren't they. And they're taking advantage because
these games were on the schedule to use as many
as possible. And I think this is one of the
first years that New Zealand. More and more players are
(27:36):
heading away over December and January to play franchise cricket,
aren't they. And that's understandable in a way, and New
Zealand Cricket understand that too and they've allowed them to
do that. And at the moment it's getting quite crowded.
I mean, you've got the ILT twenty that starts on
(27:58):
the third of December, more of a second tier I
would have said. Of the franchises, you've got the Big
Bass starting in the fourteenth of December and going through
to late jan that's New Zealand players there and also
second tier England and some pakistanis basically. Then you've got
(28:19):
South Africa twenty December, the twenty sixth starting you know
then and going through to the end of jan You've
got the Bangladesh League that starts the twenty sixth as
well and goes through to late jan and then you've
got the new one of New Zealand. We don't know
really that's what they're talking about at the moment. That's
(28:41):
going to be January, isn't it. By the look of it,
that's the plan, that's what that's the window they're asking
to play anyway, so there are lots of choices then,
and then of course you've got the if you want
to play Pakistan, that's on at the moment, isn't it.
That's the PCL. That's a brill elevance to May the eighteenth.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
And shorter than the IPL, yep.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
And then the IPL goes from late March right to
the end of May. That's when the finals. So if
you're in the final in the IPL, you'll have three
days to get to Lords and if you're playing for
the New Zealand side, three days to prepare for that
Test match. So it's very busy, you couldn't You've got
(29:32):
plenty of choices as a player, haven't you. And while
you take a contract for New Zealand, you know you
can still make a lot of money wards, can't you.
I mean, and don't forget you've got the MLC that
comes along a little bit later, isn't it in June
and July a year Yeah, that's wrong, but that that
(29:56):
would clash with Lords, you know, and the New Zealand
New Zealand tour to England.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Well, and you zield have made a commitment to that
MLC as well, so you know, for these eyes to
earn good money and internationally they are earning good money,
the contracts that they get, the expenses that go with it,
the fact that they are able to run, you know,
a contract with New Zealand Cricket. Well, will players do
(30:25):
that in the future or will they be looking to
be free agents as many of them seem to be
at the moment.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
And that's one of the reasons ondds why perhaps they're
broadening this sort of base if you like, for some
of those things to occur, but still have maybe some
who want to play a little bit of franchise stuff.
And of course there's this and we've been lucky in
New Zealand really because most of our top players do that,
(30:53):
don't they They choose that option rather than going completely
for the franchise opportunities, you know, and don't forget they
are getting now a contract to play for New Zealand.
If you take the World Pups out, our summer has
now been reduced potentially by about a quarter, hasn't it
(31:15):
if you take now December January, February March as our
you know summer over here in the.
Speaker 4 (31:24):
International summer, Yeah, exactly, Yes, we're still played domestic.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Yeah, we do, but I mean, I'm I'm just thinking
of the international game at the moment. And if you
say favor looking at tests, it seems to me you've
really only got three places now in our summer for US,
either a bilateral series or a World Test Championship series.
Here you either play in December just prior up to
(31:52):
just prior to Christmas, and you know that's when England
toured of course in twenty four to twenty five, and
that then clashes with the ILT twenty and the Big
Bash and then so that's one area you could play
test because a three test series takes almost a month,
doesn't it. They normally have a teck cup of tea
(32:13):
twenties to try and make up some money as well
in a tour or in ode Is or two. So
all those early February to early March, and that's when
the SA twenty is just over, So no warm up
for the players if you're going to play at that period.
(32:34):
And then you've got early March, haven't you up until
about the twenty fifth because then the IPL starts. None
of those three periods are really in the holiday period either,
are they?
Speaker 4 (32:45):
No?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
But we you know, those are issues that we are
now in New Zealand confronting if we want to in
terms of the test formats anyway, plenty of time to
play the white ball games. So and then there's as
I say, June to July for the MLC, and that
clashes with a tour to England once every four years.
(33:09):
You know, that's where we're getting to as far as
our summer is concerned. It seems to me.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yeah, that's very much the way it is, and the
reaction that we're getting from some of the listeners seems
to support that. We look to the emails on the
front foot twenty at gmail dot com and we've got
a couple and we actually want you to give us
your idea of the New Zealand fifteen to tour England
(33:38):
and Ireland, sending suggestions of who should be in the side.
As I say, twenty one used over five tests since
this time last year. Is new blood needed for that
series or do we save it for the India series
at home Australia. In Australia then of course early next
year we've got Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Fraser who has
(34:02):
sent us emails in the past, lives in Japan jury
and is a great follower of the program. Thank you,
gentlemen for always providing an independent view on the state
of affairs of New Zealand cricket. Jeremy's passionate speech on
last week's episode re New Zealand twenty really resignated. He says,
a forty year fan, introduced to the game by his
(34:26):
late father, driving to the Baseman Reserve from Parmerston North
where they lived to watch cricket. I also have some
thoughts and he details those thoughts and haven't had a
chance to look at them thoroughly, but I'll send them
to you because it's worth discussing. As he says, he
lives in Japan now, but he asked a friend of
(34:46):
his who well by the name of Craig. We're not
going to give sir names out because it makes them
famous publicly. Craig, who he says, unfortunately was implicated in
some serious backyard match fixing scandals in the early nineties.
But that's for another episode. That sounds a bit like
you and your family, Jerry. But he says he and
(35:10):
his son went to watch the fourth T twenty in
Wellington against South Africa. Despite being a Sea team, the
prices were little changed. The game was scheduled at night
on a Sunday. I wonder why and for whom. And
it's not feasible during school time when work also starts
on Monday to go. And they're just issues that people
(35:36):
are taking into account. Fraser for a long trip to
come from Japan to to have a look, but he's
obviously got Matsia back in New Zealand. And you know
that issues that have to be considered when we're planning
out our summer, because we're losing our summer, aren't.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
We most certainly, And as I said, it's all being squeezed.
I'm afraid at the moment over the older days sometimes
once but it's not to be. We can't. We've only
got so much. Summer seems to be moving slightly towards March,
doesn't it. You know, December is not quite such good
(36:15):
weather at the mod Well it wasn't this year anyway. Yeah, look,
I agree I agree with what he's a phrase is saying.
I don't think night games really, to be honest, it
might look good on the telly, I don't know whether
that how much that impacts on the times that they play.
(36:37):
But it just seems to me with due as I
was talking about last week, doesn't help the team bowling. Second,
if you're a spinner particularly, it just slides on. And
maybe I don't know. We haven't got many grounds with lights,
not really, not lots.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
No, not that you can get a lot of people into.
I mean this talk that they want lights at the
bas Reserve, and I'd be happy for that idea, but
you know you only get eight to ten thousand. I mean,
when you give a T twenty competition, you're going to
want more, aren't you. That's what this New Zealand twenty wants?
(37:15):
Or else? Is it just for television and there's extra
programming for the viewers those who love cricket? Are we
just old fashioned stick in the mud traditionalists? Jerry people
say that at times, I don't necessarily think so. You
and I we are. Yeah, well we are because we've
(37:36):
we are setting our ways to some extent. But we
still watch a lot of cricket. You still travel the
world to watch games. I used to and I still
watch games. I get up in the middle of the
night to watch New Zealand play. The New Zealand a
side play in Sri Lanka on Internet, you know, so
we still take that interest in cricket, and I think
(37:58):
that there are people who feel the same way as us. Yes,
the newbies will come along and say, oh yeah, you
got to move on and you know, but you know,
is it doing a lot for our game and the
spectators who want to go along? And Phraser's friend basically
amplified that point, didn't.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
He I think there's room for all. It's just that
we've got one particular format at the moment which seems
to be pushing and pushing and pressing so hard, and
everybody seems to want to watch that. At the moment,
there's this pressure on boards to try and make as
much money as they can because other formats are losing money.
(38:41):
So you know, it's a kind of a circle that's
going on at them right now. They've even got to
a point. Watts. I just wanted to mention about seeing
you talking about tests as well, because you and I
tend to have favored test matches and I think people
will know that. Did you see at the ICC they're
discussing that the World Test Championship they've formed the working party?
(39:06):
Watts to consider one one test as a series that
counts towards the World Test Championship and you'll be over
the moon with that idea. I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (39:18):
Well, it doesn't make a series. Sorry, it's at one
test between sides.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Yeah, that's right, that's right. And Roger Boos from New Zealand,
who played for New Zealand and played in England I
think is heading up that group and he will present
their findings. I wonder how many points that one test
will be worse. That'll be an interesting discussion. And the
ICC I can obviously considering adding other sides to the
(39:47):
World Test Championship like Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe. And I
guess they feel that if there were test series any
longer than one then you know, it'd be very costly
for those sides to run, you know, playing against those
three teams and maybe not quite the interest that they're
(40:12):
in their countries of those sides. So they're giving it
a crack, But I do it certainly. I'm like you,
I don't see it as it's not a series, is it.
It's one ties.
Speaker 4 (40:24):
What it's trying to do, quite clearly is to get
away from the change to a two tier system for
the World Test Championship, which none of the sides seem
to like, and a promotion relegation which means they can
extend the one competition to more teams ten, twelve, fifteen, however,
(40:44):
many sixteen whatever. You'd still have to have home and
away games, and it's still got to include traditional series,
doesn't it The Ashes and India versus whoever, they've got
traditional series that are not as traditional as some of
the others. But that's obviously where the thinking is coming in,
(41:05):
because if we remember the past, CEO Scott Winning wanted
to do a lot for test cricket in New Zealand,
but we're not getting quite the Test cricket. Although they've
got thirteen tests between now in March, there's only four
in this country, which to my mind is about what
(41:25):
we've always had, the rest of the tests are being
played elsewhere. So it's highlighting the changing nature of the
international game. The bigger countries are keeping the programs that
they want and the timings that they are used to
for all their competitions without having to create windows for
(41:49):
the T twenty competitions, and places like New Zealand, perhaps
Bangladesh Afghanistan lesser South Africa because they don't seem to
want to play a lot of test cricket the moment
having to fit in again with the Big three, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Oh, that's nothing new or either, is it really? I mean,
these are things that have happened because of the rise
of the t twenties in a way as well, isn't
it really? They're just there's no time to play test
cricket really any longer. It's just being squeezed and we've
(42:25):
reached a tipping point. So I don't know, but anyway,
we're trying to get through and provide players who are
capable of playing for these for US and test matches
in the future. That's what these series we're going to
have to get used to it that we are going
to have the South Africa's coming here and they're not
(42:45):
going to include our better players. We are going to
go to Sri Lanka and this time of the year
and we are going to have mainly other players, and
the same thing going to Bangladesh. It looks as though
these are going to be developmental tours from now on
in order to prepare a range of players that they
(43:06):
may play for New Zealand, Ay and New z So
that's get used to it. Everybody don't yet, we can't.
We can't keep moaning about it because it is a
fact of life about these things, because of the T
twenty and the prevalence of that game and how people
are wanting to follow that. We'll wait and see how
(43:26):
the New Zealand twenty gets on. But yeah, look, I
think the players that they've selected will There are some
that are are pushing, aren't there. Watts? I mean, Mariu
looks a player of the future, he Fee looks a possibility,
a Bass looks a possibility. And there are other names
(43:49):
obviously to go. They're just the ones off the top
of my head, and they're all kind of batsmen, I know.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
But don't set your thinking right because we're going to
try and pick a squad next week before the New
Zealand selectors. We'll wait for what anybody puts forward in
terms of an email suggestions. So yeah, there's one other email.
(44:15):
Just before we finished that, I received Carl from Taranaki
basically agreeing with comments that we made last week. The
woman's test match would be around eight to nine months away.
Why couldn't we get a squad together, now give the
girls some fitness goals. Over wanted to help get some
mileage in the legs at the bowlers, then do some
things with the squad at Lincoln to start preparing them.
And why couldn't we have a couple of rounds of
(44:36):
domestic cricket playing two or three days so they get
used to bowling and batting for longer periods. Oh good points.
I'm sure some of your younger rips in the association
would also love the opportunity to help them get ready too.
When I was eighteen, I have loved the opportunity to
bowl to a curse sister and probably would have been
fast enough to keep it realistic for them. Carl says,
(44:57):
I'm disappointed we aren't even trying to go there, and
I think that echoes. Well we were saying last week,
you've got to take those opportunities.
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Yeah. Look, I think it's as far as the women's side.
They had a really good win against South Africa, didn't they.
I mean, we're probably thought of as being rather critical
about the women's side. I don't think necessarily we are.
We look at them in terms of the other women's
(45:28):
sides around the world and we see things that possibly
they could improve upon, and they don't seem to be
getting a bit better. However, having said that, I think
they had good wins against South Africa along with England.
I think South Africa probably the third or the fourth
(45:48):
side in the women's game. Now I think they've supplanted
us and we've dropped just a little below that. But
this was a good win therefore, because we played them, yes,
at home, but we won the t twenties for one,
and that's pretty impairt We lost the first ODI, which
(46:11):
was the clincher, wasn't it the last ball victory to
South Africa are six off the last ball, and then
we went ahead and won that series two to one,
scoring three hundred plus in each of the last two games,
the one about Amelia cur that we spoke about, and
(46:32):
also the following game with Maddie Green getting one hundred
and forty and Halliday getting ninety eight. Isn't it great
to see other names bearing up? And that's what we
want to see, isn't it. We want to see experienced
players who Maddie Green and Halliday are. We want to
see them performing. We want to see Jess Kerr getting
(46:56):
their wickets that she's getting. We want to see Mayor
getting some wickets that she's getting. You know, that's good.
We're seeing performances coming from different parts. Wasn't it good
to see Nancy petti Well come through with her off
spinners those kinds of things. I like, it doesn't say
we're there yet, and I am I'm like out, Like Carl,
(47:19):
I'm a bit disappointed. We seem intimidated at the thought
of doing something new and something may beyond what our
capabilities are at the moment. Unusual. It's a bit frightening
to consider, you know, to get exposed. But I just think,
is it the players? Is it the coaches? Is it
(47:41):
the money that's required to prepare them? I don't know
what it is. It might be always please.
Speaker 4 (47:48):
I don't think it'll be the players, because I think
the players would jump at the opportunity. I think it's leadership.
That the reason why we can't talk about it, is
it well, we can't talk about it, but we can't
seem to find anybody who's prepared to well.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
Isn't that no one wants to talk about it? From
the As a woman, how many weeks have you tried
to get someone on not they either hate.
Speaker 4 (48:15):
Us probably do they we're too critical, or they are
unfare but they won't come on. Well, I've had half
a dozen requests because you've got to ask for permission
now to talk to the players. You can't just string up
and say I want to talk. You've got to go
through media liaison or chief executives or whatever. And no
(48:40):
one has been prepared to comment. And that disappoints me
because women cricketers are being paid, they're accountable. Yes, they
have to face the fact that they're going to get criticized,
but there's also the compliments that go with the game
as well, and one of those compliments is one of
the best players in the world going around at the moment,
(49:00):
Merely Kerr, who's just been announced as a winner of
an ICC Player of the Month title and thoroughly deserved.
She's had an outstanding series against South Africa, as you mentioned,
and she's taken on the captaincy and basically leading from
the front that old cliche that we use.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
Look, I can't disagree with any of that, but there's
plenty of room for improvements still on the side, and
that's what we really want to discuss why because we
want them to be better exactly, We want them to
improve and they will too. They will want to improve.
Speaker 4 (49:34):
Got to be prepared to be professional and approach the
promotion of the game. Not everything is the way that
you want it, and that's the way cricket is. But
we'll find somebody at some stage that can give us
a view points about it. And you can now spend
(49:55):
the next week thinking about fifteen players who you will see.
I think when you get over there to go to England,
I'm sure you're still heading towards that way to watch
the New Zealand series against to England. Yeah, well, if
the planes have got a gas.
Speaker 3 (50:16):
Yes, that's right, which is I hope?
Speaker 4 (50:21):
Yeah, yeah, you might get there, it be struggling to
get back. But never mind, go pick your squad and
we'll look at that next week along with any other
of the major issues. Because the siders in Bangladesh will
have played a couple of ODIs this time next week,
and of course we will have seen the outcome of
the New Zealand a series of matches against Sri Lanka
(50:43):
A being played in Hambantota. You can talk about your
test squad next week. Jerry, thanks for spending time and
going through the interesting process you do to to join
this podcast. I'm sure you've got it licked.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
At all. See next week, nor Jeers once for the
wonderfuls of summary.
Speaker 4 (51:15):
Do do
Speaker 1 (51:20):
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