June 8, 2026 • 47 mins
This week on On The Front Foot, Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney conduct a postmortem on the Lord's test which provided less than two days of cricket on a sub-standard pitch.
Plus, former England spinner Vic Marks and statistician Andy Zaltzman joined them to review the proceedings from the home of cricket.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk Sat B.
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Take another's it is out. The test is over. Goodness, smoke, beauty,
it is out.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Here, you gos. This delivery has in the music to Goold.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney,
powered by News Talks head B at iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Hello, welcome to On the Front Foot host Lord's Test.
What's a sad result from New Zealand's point of view,
A comprehensive loss in the test that lasted less than
two full days. It should lords be exempt from criticism.
Just excuses for the poor pitch. The black Cats catch
(01:08):
needs work. Oh don't tell me. Another nightclub has jumped
out and collided with the Indian cricket team. Hope it's
only a small one and can be easily swept under
the carpet. There's plenty more to follow on that one,
Jeremy Coney, live from London. You would at the nightclub
by any chance were in.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I was well wrapped up well before that was so.
That was about three o'clock in the morning. Yes it is.
It's the latest of course, that's just come out over
here that Ben Stokes and Atkinson were at this nightclub
pretty late. It's not the fact that that is the issue.
(01:49):
I think there's probably been some fighting, I say, and
we don't know who the details of it yet. There
has been a sort of a declaration that they will
wait until they have found out exactly what happened before
they named their second Test squad. It's not a good look,
(02:10):
is it.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
I know.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
It's the only thing is that it's after the Test match.
It's not during, it's not before. I suppose you could
say it's before the second Test, but that's about nine
days away, so it is slightly different than perhaps the
Nuser thing. But nevertheless, they are watching them obviously very closely.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, and they have a curfew in place too, which
is probably sort of a lack of judgment so to speak.
I mean, players should be able to go and socialize
after a game, and generally they do. It's just something
that they don't need right in the middle of the
Test match, bearing in minds what's happened over the last
six months, and it just adds another I don't know,
(02:56):
step of controversy following what is a controversial pitch to
my mind. I mean, I just find that kind of
pitch and it iss and we know there will be
excuses made for Lords find it a substandard pitch in
as much as it does nothing for the cricket fan
(03:19):
who go there and they pay big bucks. I understand
it's about one hundred and twenty five pounds to get
in to Lords for a game and all I get
is one hundred and sixty six overs.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, yeah, money lost. Poor pitch, really poor pitch, and
obviously not for the bowlers. We always talk about, you know,
let's please, let's keep Test cricket going if we can.
You and I are too believers that it's probably the
most important format. There'll be many others who agree with us.
(03:53):
Summers don't. That's fine, but and Stokes is one of
those who actually does believe in the future of Test
cricket quite firmly and fervently, and he said basically at
the end of the Test match, this, this does nothing
for the you know, the extreme conditions. It's a very
(04:15):
unhelpful Test pitch to try and save a game that's
very gently, very gently dying with let with all of
us trying to hang on to it as long as
we can, but strong variable bounce going down down right
from the first ball, wasn't it low? Day four? Of
(04:36):
course the covers were on it and day three, and
then it went up up the last day, so then
you get Bethel's grubber coming in along. It virtually unplayable. Really,
you're getting a wicket every just every four overs, six balls.
(04:57):
So you know, no groundsman, no groundsman makes a pitch
and prepares a pitch where it's going to be a shocker.
I mean, that's a that's a fact. I went out
and had to look at it on the last day,
on the fourth day. Actually, they've used this steaming method
that he used at Wimbledon mimbleedon to kill all the
(05:18):
stuff in the weeds and the or anything that attacks
the grass and so on in between. And it looked
like that. It was kind of like Jeffrey Boycott's when
he had his hair done and he had those all
those little that come up from the back and you
got this kind of line of little tufts, but around
(05:39):
it was surrounded, you know, the nice shiny baldness, and
that's kind of how it looked with the grass too,
tufts of grass one little tuft of grass here, and
then a whole lot of organic matter which is just
the earth, and then another one, and then a more earth,
and so it looked a rather bear and very carefully
(06:00):
kind of manicured pitch where the tufts of grass were
really quite weird. And I don't understand why in cricket
we don't try these things out in other places. First,
for example, why not why not a championship game between
(06:20):
you know, in a Division two match or a Division
one match, to see what what if there's a if
there's a problem or a difficulty. I don't think you
do it in the test match once. So yeah, we
learned very quickly Lbw's eleven bowld twelve twenty three more
(06:44):
than any I think leg buyers quite a few leg byers,
so you had to I think his bowlers learn very
quickly and adapt. Now we had Williamson who was regarded
not as a horse whisperer but a pitch whisperer, and
he he kind of must have been passing things on
(07:04):
about his what he was seeing. But we didn't quite
bowl straight enough often enough, and I think the English
did a bit more. They were lucky, of course they
had their long fingered seamer who was ready to go
and didn't get injured the way al one. Did you
(07:27):
know Henry only four overs in that first day's play
that he could bowl, and then when he came back
from day two, when the sun came out for the
only time in the match, he was just a little
bit floating and he got a bit full and got
driven a bit. So we then had to there was
a lot on Smith. Actually, if you looked at our bowlers,
(07:51):
we didn't do too badly for two guys who coming
back from stress fractures. Jamison got through with a fire
in the first got a bit of swing both ways,
a little bit of control, but then not quite enough,
going at four and a half almost first for his
first innings. And then O'Rourke coming back are on a
(08:13):
slow surface and I thought he bowled really well, it's
not going to be hitting the stunt so much because
he naturally bowls a shorter length, doesn't he And he
challenges challenges batsman. He was hitting Besel on the shoulder,
on the chest and I thought he bowled, you know,
(08:34):
he looked dangerous and so and then Smith's of course
only in his sixth Test match picking up his sixper
as well. So and then Henry not quite able to
do what we know he can, which was a shame.
But I think the bowlers they didn't do badly. Was
I don't know what you will have seen it. I
(08:55):
know you pulled your bed into watch well.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I mean I was impressed with him. You can you
can accept that the ball is going to swing, You
can accept that the ball is going to seem a bit,
but it's the erratic bounce that players have troubled dealing with.
You know, one hundred and forty k is not a
spinner in sight, and the ball is up and down.
You don't know what bounce is going to come. And
as you say, Bethel got a low one, a few
(09:19):
others got low ones as well. Something of a nice,
reasonable bounce was very hard to predict. And so that's
where it comes to the fore. But you know, the
bowling was outstanding from museum and both sides. I suppose
you could say that the Sambollers did a great job.
New Zealand didn't lose the Test match necessarily because of
(09:42):
the pitch. I think one area that might have even
things up, as if they'd been able to catch a
little better, Brooke wouldn't have got fifty. He was spilt twice.
And in the second innings there were other chances they
turned down, the opportunity of at lbw from Henry and
the second innings. Some of those sorts of things added
(10:04):
to the fact that England were able to bat together
as a UNI and put on two hundred runs and
two hundred boy, that was a gold mine on that ground,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Oh, yes, it was.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
It was.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
You're right in all those things. The catching, obviously I've
got underlined just to mention to you, and I'm sure
everybody knows that dropped first at eight. It was Brook
backward point. It went reasonably quickly, but it was very catchable.
Two hands to Conway behind and he put that down.
(10:37):
Probably an easier catch was the one that he then
hit to Ravendra on the midwicket boundary and he just
muffed that completely, didn't judge it and was jumping half
jumping at it. He got an easier second one and
the second innings from Ben Duckett at midwicket. I can't,
I honestly don't know how how even a club cricket
(11:00):
can drop that was whether it amuses me a weebit
that he can concentrate so hard batting, and yet somehow
I don't think he actually even got a hand to
that second one off Ben Duckett. I think it just
hit him on the leg and as he fell away
and it wasn't traveling very far so and then we
(11:20):
dropped gay backward point again in the second innings that
was con again another reverse cup chance. And I think
also in the slips, didn't he there was a bit
of a bit of a mix up between first slipper
is getting just a bit too fine when the keeper
goes up, and if you'd gone a bit wider, then
(11:43):
at least if it had gone fine, it would have
been to his correct hand, wouldn't it. He's a right hander,
is Darryl Mitchell. So I just think we're not We're
not kind of on the task just a little bit
there with the catching, and there's got to be a
lot of work because it is costing as matches. Certainly
here probably I worked out between eighty five and one
hundred runs, and it's very different chasing one sixty one
(12:06):
seventy that it is two fifteen. You go in with
a much more positive view about playing things. Catching, Yeah, definite,
Bowling a tick and it'll get better. We'll get better
at that the batting. I felt England was able to
find more runs when New Zealand bowled straight and brought
(12:27):
the pads and the stumps into play. New Zealand weren't
quite capable of doing that. They either blocked it for
a defensive stroke or they missed it and were given out.
A lot more of our guys were bold, weren't they.
But we really must work out in those situations. If
(12:50):
you're only lasting twenty four balls. The whole point about
betting is to get a few runs, isn't it for
your team and you? Therefore, in those conditions which are severe,
I think you've got to be a little bit more aggressive.
And aggressive doesn't mean slogging. Jamieson did in the first
dig and got away with it, didn't he And he
(13:10):
certainly confumed Robinson and he dragged it down. They went
even on a pitch where he said bring the stumps
into play. They went into the short, the short pitched
method with guys who were all packed around the leg side,
so they really upset them. And I think we could
have perhaps done that not so long, but be very
selective about the hitting. And we saw it with Phillips,
(13:31):
didn't we in the second evings, and so that was
probably the way to play on that surface. So that's
what we got to learn from that.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
The ingramd bowlers are going to bring the stumps into
play more often, because I still have concerns about Latham, Conway,
even Ravendra on the front foot that half press. They're
getting their pads very much into play and bowling around
the wickets. Atkinson, Robinson, tongue. They were all attacking the
off stump and were basically putting them under immense pressure
(14:02):
early on and they didn't get established.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
No, that's right. There was that the over of course
where he might he nearly got a hat trick, wasn't it.
Really he had it, and you know it's hard when
you just go in and you're trying just to play
a defensive stroke to get started. Latham three and nought.
That was the second dismissal that was slightly concerning out there.
He was clearly wanting to be more aggressive, but he
(14:26):
went harder and got an edge and was caught second slip.
Conways stuck at it, but he looked pretty uncomfortable, as
we know Devon can at times. But he hung in
there and he hung in there and he got a forty,
didn't he And then was caught off the back of
the bat and then Williamson again very early in the
first and inns. That says a lot, doesn't it. I mean,
(14:47):
when you've got Root who's basically got I'd look at
what would he have? Fourteen and a half thousand or
something like that runs, and you've got and then you've
got Williamson with nine and a half to twenty three
and a half thousand runs between them. Neither of them
really got to twenty. It wasn't an easy surface. We
were one for two, two for two, three for two,
four twelve. It's hard to come back from there. Lords
(15:11):
have got a problem, haven't they.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
They do.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
They've got three Test matches there this season, one against
Pakistan coming up, and then they've got a Women's Test
as well, and they only have two normally, don't they,
And so they've got an extra one this year between
England and India. I just think I don't think they'll
take a test away from them. I spoke to Rob Lynch,
(15:37):
who's the guy in charge of the groundsman. He was
very subdued. He has a long term plan. But the
problem for Lords will be over the next four years.
The long term plans, they're going to do what Eden
Park do. They're going to have the trays outside, the
portable trays, and they'll have three of them, and they'll
(15:58):
have a crane to transport them out there. The problem
with Lords, of course is the slope. Those pictures are
going to have to be put in on a slope,
and so whether the frame of the pitch is what
higher on one side than the other to make that slope,
and they'd have to know exactly where that was going
in the field, or they change the base upon which
(16:20):
it will sit. Those are the only two options. I
can think that they can use those, and then once
they've played championship matches on them, they might be able
to use them. At Lords. The Lord's surface is done
wards it's dead and they don't know what to do
with it.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
No, and they don't want to take it off the
circuit because it earns a lot of money. There's always
big crowds there. It is the home well place. Yeah, ah,
there's no doubt about that. I mean, it's a delightful
place to go and there's a lot to experience when
you get there. But you know, the MCG copped it
for a two day test, Perth copped it for a
two day test, and lords has to stand up and
(17:00):
face the issue and deal with it as best they can.
And you're quite right, it looks from the outside as
though it needs to be relaid, certainly the center block,
because there's only an area where they have test matches
that's in the center of the block. The rest of
the purchase, I'm not sure how they respond, but you
know that slope, how many do they need? Do they need? One?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Five? Five to seven? Five to seven they required because
that's where the TV. That's all they can cope with.
So they cost them ten million pounds to dig it
up and then not use it for three years while
it's so there's the issue they confront as well. But
(17:47):
that's their long term problem, long term solution. It's the
next four or five years that is the issue. So
they have to do something. You cannot play on a
surface like that, otherwise if that happens, you know, two
more times, then it will might it could well be
it's there making tests away.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Well that's something that they will have to look at
along with the nightclub issues. One of the manner I
suppose that will be of concern to New Zealand is
Matt Henry. Is he fully fit? Do they have to
look to Tickner? They got away to some extent without
having Henry, but without him it puts a lot of
pressure on Jamison, on O'Rourke and on Smith and they'll
(18:34):
be fit enough to do the job. But you know,
when you're talking about injuries that particularly O'Rourke and Jamison had,
They've got a break between the first and second Test match,
but Henry is still the man around who the bowling
attack survives, isn't he?
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Yes, And because of the nature of the service, they
didn't really have long spells. You know, Jamison fourteen overs
in the first in English, Rourke eleven, you know, that's
all out in thirty nine that's you know, you're not
(19:13):
go bowling a lot ah you there. And then in
the second and he's a little bit more fifty six overs,
so they had to bowl a bit more and Smith
where had to obviously come into play Vices seventeen and
hen Henry started to look a bit better. Wads I'm
confident if they look after him over the days they've
(19:35):
got before this, because it's a week over a week away,
that he could be okay. This is going to be
a very different game the next game. The oval is flat,
there are big runs being scored there. It'll be you know,
it'll be more of a test for the England bowlers too.
I think they're most dangerous bowlers on a surface like that.
(19:58):
That was perfect for Robinson, wasn't it Absolutely perfect? New ball,
no long spells, long fingered bowler, up and down, nipping
a out. He couldn't ask for a better return. How's
his fitness? We don't know that. That's one of the
big issues about him, so we don't quite know. And
(20:19):
I'll tell you the other dangerous bowlert for me is Ton.
He's a nasty you know guye of face comes in
about eleven o'clock, so that's where he bowls from. It's
past the perpendicular about eleven rather than the twelve, and
he gets at an angle that comes in at you
all the time, and he hits the pitch hard about
ninety and he's also getting seam as well, so he
(20:40):
bowls he bolts balls. It'll get you out. But he
does bowl bad bulls, short ones and he goes for
about four and over, so but he's he takes wickets.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Brian Waddle, Jeremy Coney on the front foot.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Let's have a look from the other side of the world.
An English viewpoint. One hundred and sixty six overs less
than two full days and the home of cricket produced
what I call a rogue results England one they can
celebrate Badley. The image of Test cricket for me, was tarnished.
Victor Marx, an old colleague of mine in the commentary box,
(21:15):
has been one who will celebrate and he loves to
celebrate at my expense, always has done. But Victor watched
that game. He's probably one of the most astute analysts
going around, and he's agreed to join us on the
front foot. And I guess Vick Gill enjoyed the one.
(21:36):
But to me, it wasn't one of the more memorable
tests I've seen at Lord's Well.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
When wickets fall quickly, I mean there is often a
lot of excitement. I mean it's a bit of a
nightmare for batsman. I'm not sure anyone's got past fifty
seven so far. In the match, so a certain amount
of excitement, but also quite a lot of disappointment really
in the corridors at Lord's because this Test has not
(22:04):
been played on a surface that is ideal for Test.
It they're going to lose quite a lot of money
at Lord's actually because the game has got into the
fourth day, but only because it poured with rain all Saturday.
And the balance has not been great because the ball
has dominated too easily. I mean, often we see matches,
(22:27):
don't we wear the batsmen have dominated too much. It
gets very dull. Well, in this one, it's been a
nightmare for batsman really. The ball has kept low, move
sideways and no one really has been able to play
you know, a lot of exciting cricket shots. It's been
a match for bowlders.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
It's unthinkable to suggest that Lords might be taken off
the Test circuit or they might be changes made. I
mean that that was done to the MCG when they
had a two day Test, and I was also mentioned
about person in the Eshes series. Will anything happen about
that at Lords? I mean it's it's the tradition of
the game, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Well, I'm sure there'll be a sort of internal inquest
because the Lords, as you know it, hosts two Test
matches very often per season and it has that luxury
to do that, and everyone wants to come and play
at Lords, so there will be an internal phase of
(23:29):
agonizing about how they get a pitch with the right balance.
They've had a few problems here recently, but you know,
One day finals have been a bit drod because the
ball hasn't come onto the bat and have been low
scoring affairs. Everyone wants to come and play at Laws,
but they don't really want to come and play on
(23:50):
a surface like that, especially unless you happen to be
a fast bowler. So it's pretty serious for them and
they will try and work it out, but they haven't
managed to for this game because I'm sure they wanted
a pitch that was likely to us for four or
five days and produced quite a lot of runs, but
(24:11):
they haven't been able to do that.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
In the end result is the outcome of the Test
basically given England some form of confidences and answered questions
and about the criticisms after the issues.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Well, a win is a win, isn't it, and that
will give them a bit of confidence and there's been
a lot of soul searching posts the ashes which were
so disappointing, so they'll take some confidence from that. I
mean it's but it's been a disappointment more generally because
it hasn't been the sort of Test match people want
(24:51):
to come and watch, I don't think. But the bowlers
have been on target. It's been a simple operation bowlive.
But you've still got to get to board the right
place and England did that well. They've thought better than
New Zealand. They have put the old one down, but
New Zealand had a few nightmariesh periods in the field
I suppose, so that O victory is a victory and
(25:14):
they will go on to the feeling a bit better.
They've had one debiton come in Emilio Gay, who top
scorer in the match, albeit with just fifty seven, so
that's quite achievement for him. So he's got a nice
future ahead of him just at the moment. So there's relief.
I think there'll be relief from an English perspective that
(25:37):
they've stopped the rot, stop the bleeding post ashes, which
was as ever a bit of a trauma for them.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Yeah, there's been plenty of quality in the past bowling.
There's been controversy about Joffre Archer and the money he's
paid and not being available for the Test match, but
they don't look as though they really need them at
the moment the way the England bowling takers going well.
Speaker 5 (25:59):
No, I mean Joffre has special talent of attle quick
from anything else, but on this surface pace was not
particularly required. I mean Ollie Robinson coming back into the
team of coursed havoc in the first and what you
needed was sustained accuracy in England in the shape of Robinson.
(26:24):
Josh Tongue has had a very good game again and
is building his reputation, and Atkinson also has felt you
know able to just bang away on a length, on
a length, that's all you needed to do, be disciplined.
So they didn't miss Joffra in this match. I don't
(26:45):
think you'll playing the next one because I'm not sure
he'll be ready for that too. If you're used to
bowling four overs per match in the IPR, it's a
huge leap to suddenly go into a Test match and
the next one will be on a flatter service I'm
sure where you're sort of required to bowl twenty overs
per day, so that you've got to get your body
(27:05):
prepared for that. So I don't think there's in the
second Test. Maybe you're playing the third Test if you know,
but if the other bowlers are doing so well, you
might have to wait a bit longer than that. So
it's a handy position to be in a way that
there's no real urgency just at the minute to get
(27:27):
him back in the team.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Yes, well, Betsman haven't had much like in the Test match.
A couple of fifties have probably been almost the difference
between the two sides. The fact that Harry Brooke was
let off a couple of times and got to fifty.
That was basically the difference in the first innings and
will ultimately probably be the difference in the Test.
Speaker 5 (27:48):
Yeah, that's right, but I mean fifty in this match
is a sort of equivalent to one hundred in some
other Test matches. And all the guys who have got
leak back two people have got to fifty and they
gave chances to get there. So there's been deflation the
opposite whatever of the opposite of this in terms of
(28:09):
the run scores, and oddly the wicket has done so
much that Actually, the players who've been prepared to take
a few chances have generally been the ones who have
prospered a little bit. If you've played just conventionally like
everyone's been craving, and just play everything on its merit,
(28:30):
if you've let the bowlers keep bowling at you, there's
always a ball there that's going to get them out.
So I think people came to the conclusion this match
progress actually you've got to take more risks, as the
bassment to just try and upset the rhythm of the
bowlers and make them bowl badly. But no one's really
much to do that over a long period of time.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Yeah, and sadly from your position, not a spinner scene.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
No. I mean, so Sharon Bashir came back into the
side and he hadn't bowled the ball. He's had almost
the perfect game. In fact, I think I might be
nominating him for matter the match.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
He's not made a mistake.
Speaker 5 (29:06):
Wickets like this, it's going to kill the ass is
spin bowling. But I don't suppose they'll all be The
next two will be quite the same.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Can we just look at this as almost a rogue
result of rogue Test match because of the pitch conditions
and we will expect better in the next two tests.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Oh, I think so. I think you'll find that the
services will be more batsman friendly. And also it's a
nasty pitch to start a series with. If you're a batsman,
you know it's been very difficult just to stay in
sohea do you get a bit of rhythm going after
a long break? So I wouldn't draw too many conclusions
(29:44):
from the key. We defeat here, but they're having to
come from behind there and the batsmen generally, I don't
look very confident, but no one looked confident on this surface.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
On the front foot with Waddle and Cody.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Speaking of Lords, it's fitting that the ground should celebrate
at status as the home of cricket, and this test
the one hundred and fifty at the ground, thirty two
more than the next most used ground four tests, the MCG.
When it comes to statistics, there's few more passionates about
the game and the facts and figures than Test Match
(30:22):
Special Statsman Andy Saltzman, who does the job previously held
by Bill Frindle. Jeremy Cooney has been working with Andy
and the TMS team during the match at Lord's and
as it came to its inevitable conclusion, I tracked Andy
down to the Spaceship media box and Andy, nice to
(30:43):
have you on the front foot with us. Despite the
margin of defeat, New Zealand sustained. It seems from the
way this has concluded in just one hundred and sixty
six overs, it'll be more overused than just used.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Well, yes, it's not been a good game, I think.
And so just in terms of the cricket and said
one and fifty tests, here the balls for wicket in
this game twenty five balls, and of those previous un
forty nine tests, has ever been one Lord's Test with
a lower balls.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
For wicking That was back in eighteen eighty eight.
Speaker 6 (31:18):
So I don't know if it's quite the same media
attention as this game has got.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Well, I think, yeah, this is I'm questioningly being one.
Speaker 6 (31:25):
Of the worst pitches for test cricket lords and very
random bouncy is it's made bat.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
In completely lost three.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
Really you can see the effect that's had on the
bloes sort of footwork and the trust they have in
where the bull is going to go. And so it's
a been a rather unsatisfying game sort of dramatic at times,
but again not really what you still want as a
test book at love, I think, and a bit of
a shame for this. Yeah, I guess a bit of
a landmark game one hundred and match here.
Speaker 4 (31:56):
First I was back in eighteen eighty four, but.
Speaker 6 (31:59):
We've not had a better surface and a better contest,
but a more even contest between batting and bowlings.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I guess it's a statistician's dream as well, because already
they're are three, as I think beck on this tis
match who have got themselves on the honors board in
both dressing rooms.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Yes, and in fact, which is one of this, Kyle
Jamison and the first in ins I meant that he
was the three hundred.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
Player to get on the.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
Lord's Honors boards home and away in test cricket with
his fiper. We've since had Olie Robinson and Nathan Smith
get on as well, so something to see. Other how
quite how long all the honors walls have actually physically
been there, but comes a big part of the I
guess the Fabrica, but not just the Lorson but cricket
(32:46):
pavilions around the world. And yeah, so then there's a
lot of great players that never made it on there,
and so yeah, I imagine that both both do get
on there. It's an absolute dream. But it sort of
feels in this game that Harry Brooke and an Emilio game,
you haven't gone on there for getting fifties. In fact,
you could make it getting twenty five on the speeches.
(33:08):
Have a little special honors board of your own.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Yeah. Well, those honors boards, of course carry a lot
of history and there's a lot of memories with it,
but there are a lot of people who have performed
in the past who wouldn't make the honest boards, as
you mentioned in the one hundred and fifty Tish matches
that have been played there.
Speaker 6 (33:25):
Yeah, it's Sachin Tendulcan never got a center here, Brian
Laura Rippey, Ponting, Shane Warnt never got a fight for here.
So this's you know, some of the great names. I
guess that's part of a charm of gard that an
Indian Thailander came in and smashed one hundred in two
thousand and two to get himself on the Honest wall.
So it's one of those. Yeah, it's a weird.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Aspect of cricket, but you can be amongst the greatest players.
Speaker 6 (33:51):
And you know they get even long and might get
a maximum five tests of Lord as a visiting player.
So you can see why it's it's such a great
opportunity when players do come here and you can see
that that sort of emotion and pride when in Jamison
and Nathan Smith is a visiting players that they've got
their book tickets.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Yeah, and I suppose they are relatively you players when
you took a look at the history of Test cricket,
there's a lot of New Zealand names on the honors board.
And of course there's another feature as well that has
been highlighted in this Test match, and that is the
portrait of Martin Crow. And I've just seen a video
image of it and it's a wonderful portrait of Crow.
(34:33):
I think it really stands out.
Speaker 6 (34:35):
I'm not actually seen the picture, but he was actually
I grew up watching.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
Cricket in the eighties and he was, you know, one
of the players we've.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Looked forward to to watching as a cricket bat.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
And it came over with New Zealand and.
Speaker 6 (34:47):
Would have been eighty three and eighty six nineteen nineteen
ninety four beautiful player to watch. I was looking up
to meet him a couple of times when I used
to work for Cricket. One of the most extraordinary people
I've never talked, so fascinating about the game. His writings
about the game where I think some of the most
insightful they'd better read from the next player. They were
(35:08):
talking about that today with Big Marx and article Martin
wrote in twenty fourteen about the gaps between balls that you.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Can find still on crip info.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
It's one of the most extraordinary bits of writing about
what it's like being in the middle in an international game,
in a test match, the battle of the minds that
you don't see as a spectator. So yeah, it's great
that he's commemorated here at Lords for what he did
as a player and the contributions he made to the
(35:40):
game as a person.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Everybody has special memories of Lords. How many test matches
have you seen the one hundred and fifty test matches
you've been doing the job for a fair at a time.
Do you have a statistical record of how many you've done?
Speaker 6 (35:55):
I don't actually, I mean in terms of working on
test matches. The first test I started working on Test
matches and a Test Match special in twenty twenty and
that was the COVID time of the note, so twenty
twenty one would have been the first one, but it
would have been in New Zealand here in twenty twenty one,
or of a strange game that ended up with the
Engram blopping out on the final day reading two hundred
(36:18):
and seventy on before and over.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
I think they didn't go for it.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
And the New Zealand one the second Test at edge
Press to take this the first Test I caim to
watch here. The memory I think would have been a
sawing came down the last day of the nineteen ninety
five Tests against West Indian to Dominic port taker fourth
innings seven to forty three on his debut, which was
a rather dramatic day's days Test Crooket. So it's yeah,
(36:45):
it's the great place to come and watch the watch
Crookt and obviously Avyard to watch everything on television. And
the first Laws Test I remember with nineteen eighty two,
most in Karna Pakistan's ending are getting a double century.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
In Pakistan winning that game. So I actually a lot.
Speaker 6 (37:04):
Of the I guess iconic moments of Lords have been.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
You know, when there's a seen teams.
Speaker 6 (37:08):
Have won and particularly when they've got their their.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
First victory on this ground.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
And then New Zealand won when here was the nineteen
ninety nine game. Maw All got the ninth century then
only got some wickets. So yeah, that Pakistan which in
the West Indies game, we just took myney in the
historic Lord's Moments West Indleys in nineteen fifty at the
School Park in the game they won then with Ramadin
and Valentine they're two spinners and that game was over
(37:33):
six hundred overs long in just sort of four and
a big days, so they really got through the overs
in those days.
Speaker 4 (37:42):
So yeah, there's.
Speaker 6 (37:43):
Any any cricket love of that, that sense of history
when I view on there, and lucky enough the work
here working with you on the World Cup fun in
twenty nineteen, one of the most loud one of the
loudest Lord's ever been the twenty twenty three Ashes tests
that ended in that sort of two months. It was
final day in the Johnny Bursto stamping and all the
(38:07):
you area around ben so it's almost taking England to
a brilliant victory. So yeah, so privilege obviously, so I'll
be able to to.
Speaker 4 (38:17):
Come here and use it as an oits.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Yes, I was going to say, you're sitting in the
t mis box, You're probably in one of the best
seats in the house, and you have a lot of
people around you that are wanting your information and they
want it correct. How much time do you spend making
sure that the information and the stats that you've got
(38:40):
are correct and you have them on your fingertip. I
mean you must have a messive computer program.
Speaker 4 (38:47):
Well, it's not really my program.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
There's a kind of online databases as the crick Info
starts through, which is publicly available.
Speaker 4 (38:53):
Anyone can can.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Use that, and as the crickliz system which the broadcasters
use that I have access to. So yeah, a lot
of being able to get that information quickly of just
these incredible databases and knowing how to as to use them,
how to get the information that's it's relevant In terms
of knowing it's true, I guess I just have to
trust the people who are putting that data into those
(39:17):
those databases, And I guess over the years and just
sort of trained myself to know how to get to
those those facts that you have any commentation of tromas
and if I can.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Find something to illustrate what they're saying.
Speaker 6 (39:29):
Statistically, just fine interesting works or happens within the game. Yeah,
with that, without those databases, it will be pretty difficult.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Bill Brindle, who did this.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
Test especially store of about thirty forty years. I think
carrier hold some suitcase with trolley and books with him everywhere,
and so it's a bit easier now.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Not only is that it's such an of course you're
you're a cricket lover and you will have great memories
of Lord's Test metsch is it Is there any one
particular memory over the time that you've been following cricket
that sits with you?
Speaker 4 (40:07):
Oh? That's that's mentioned a few of the.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
Games.
Speaker 6 (40:12):
The one particular match in twenty twelve England played South
Africa game slightly overshadowed by the you've been the Olympics
in London. I think it had finished by that point.
There had been the spat between Strauss and Peterson. Peterson
was left out of that Test and it was a
brilliant Test match and ended up in England nearly chasing
down a big score in the fourpinnings. I think they
(40:33):
got to needing about sixty in with three with its
left and prior and swam going well and then Swan
was run out and it was just a wonderful game
with crickets and fantastic players on both sides. Stephen Finn
and Ally magnificent in that game.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
So I just don't remember that. It was a game
that doesn'tn't talked.
Speaker 6 (40:50):
About a lot because the series didn't get some keep
it amount of profile because of the Olympics and because
of England losing here. You intend to look back on
it too much. But it was a sort of classic
game which owed everything great about Test cricket and the
way the narrative shifts and the bowls and you know
those sort of infinite possibilities that you talk about with
Test cricket that was sort of.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Shown in that game. That's my my favorite games. I
think that the the World.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
Cup Final, obviously the drama at the end of that
that game, and the it's a curious way but it
was decided on a regulation that no one had noticed
until about five minutes before and came into effect, and
not one can quite work out come up with this
crazy idea. But I guess you know, it's supposed to
be life.
Speaker 4 (41:38):
And that's that's brown.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Yeah, I should never ask that question because that coming up,
but it cuts deep into a still understand. Yeah, well
it's it's nice to talk to you and the you
talk with a lot of passion, and having worked with you,
of course I realized that passion that well, various grounds
(42:02):
in the United Kingdom. Of of course Lords is the one
that has just been complete. Did the one hundred and
fiftieth Test match there, And there'll be plenty of memories
you'll take away from this Test match, I guess.
Speaker 6 (42:14):
Yes, Yeah, Like I say, it's not a Test that
I've enjoyed as a cricket fan. There's been some some
great bowling from from both sides.
Speaker 4 (42:23):
You know, there's some clatters of of.
Speaker 6 (42:25):
Wickets, but it's you know, generally in a match what
I said, that's a battle between between back and ball.
And but I think basically the game has sort of
been assuming England when it decided by New Zealand's fielding
areas as much as as much as anything, so curious,
untatisfying game this one. But yeah, there's looks for lots
(42:49):
of game sort of better memories, I guess than in
this one.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Yes, and I don't want the stets to drop catches
or the mist chances.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
No.
Speaker 6 (42:59):
Luckily, building stats are still in their infancy. Generally they're
not entirely reliable, but I think you can probably agree
it was not New Zealand's finest, finest matching.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Lovely to talk to Andi Zeltzman a comedian in his
own right. Of course, he works on BBC programs and
is a very funny man, but also a very passionate
cricket tragic. So we may well catch up with him
again at some time. He's always got the facts and figures,
and you would know, Jerry that when you want the
(43:30):
facts and figures and you like giving correct figures and
he's going to provide them.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
Yeah, he follows the game intently. I have to say
that the two men you spoke to Vic and then
in fact none of the English was celebrating, particularly about
the victory, they knew exactly what the pitch and the
(43:56):
part that it played in that we dropped a couple
of catches, really two or three key catchers, and that
kind of might have been the game. And they realized
very you know, very clearly that they can't be preparing
surfaces like that again in such an important place. It's
(44:16):
got such a lovely things around it, around the ground itself,
but the most important part is the pitch. That's why
people go there to watch the game, not go out
in the Harris Garden, not go out into the museum
and so on. So they were almost apologetic to me
(44:40):
and saying, look, this is not good at all. And
I'm sure you got that feeling as you were listening
to them both.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
Well, certainly with Vic. They didn't apologize for the twenty
nineteen World cut though, so.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
No, well they don't. But well he laughed. He laughed
at the result though, didn't he and how it was decided.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
Yeah, most definitely.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
Yep, you laugh out of him. Well done.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
You can put your feet up for a week or
so and prepare for the oval. Have you been able
to catch up much with the Women's World Cup? Obviously
big over there. They've had the big launch and New
Zealand have had a warm up game against Bangladesh and
also won against South Africa. They're slowly getting into the
(45:25):
rum of the Women's World Cup tea twenties, aren't they.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (45:30):
I think I mean the way that the competition has
set up. Was it looks as though England and New
Zealand are in one group and West Indies and Sri
Lanka and so on, and then it's the other group.
Of course that looks pretty tough, doesn't it. With Australia
South Africa that's going to be an interesting game and
(45:55):
the other team India. You know, that's the hard group.
I think, so New Zealand a little bit lucky to
have that. Some people are saying, well, New Zealand should
get through. Let's hope so and let's hope they've they've
had a break yep.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
As world champions, they've got a chance to try and
retain their title and a comprehensive win over Bangladesh in
particular was a important boost for them. We'll catch up
with their first game in the program next week is
we will be previewing the Oval Test match. So nice
to have had you, Jerry, get your books out read
(46:34):
up on that. Well, you know the Oval anyway, you
do a lot of work there for the BBC and
the Surrey club, don't you.
Speaker 3 (46:40):
I do. I'm off to do some commentary tomorrow. Was
Surrey are playing Hampshire at the moment they're not in
very good condition Surrey about seventh, which is most unusual
for them that low on the table. They've had a
lot of drawers, so there's a bit of pressure. We
had rained here again today so they've lost a bit
of time in that match. But yeah, no Odal is
(47:03):
going to be a different set of circumstances we saw
at launch.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
Yep, most definitely. All right, we'll go and enjoy yourself
and stay away from those nightclubs, eh, all right.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
What I'll do that, especially straight after in England. Win,
I will, that's for sure. You don't want to get
to do any trouble kid, alright, what cheers out.
Speaker 4 (47:27):
All the wonderful summer.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
Do For more from News Talk sed B, listen live
on air or online, and keep our shows with you
wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk Sat B.
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Take another's it is out. The test is over. Goodness, smoke, beauty,
it is out.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Here, you gos. This delivery has in the music to Goold.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney,
powered by News Talks head B at iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Hello, welcome to On the Front Foot host Lord's Test.
What's a sad result from New Zealand's point of view,
A comprehensive loss in the test that lasted less than
two full days. It should lords be exempt from criticism.
Just excuses for the poor pitch. The black Cats catch
(01:08):
needs work. Oh don't tell me. Another nightclub has jumped
out and collided with the Indian cricket team. Hope it's
only a small one and can be easily swept under
the carpet. There's plenty more to follow on that one,
Jeremy Coney, live from London. You would at the nightclub
by any chance were in.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I was well wrapped up well before that was so.
That was about three o'clock in the morning. Yes it is.
It's the latest of course, that's just come out over
here that Ben Stokes and Atkinson were at this nightclub
pretty late. It's not the fact that that is the issue.
(01:49):
I think there's probably been some fighting, I say, and
we don't know who the details of it yet. There
has been a sort of a declaration that they will
wait until they have found out exactly what happened before
they named their second Test squad. It's not a good look,
(02:10):
is it.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
I know.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
It's the only thing is that it's after the Test match.
It's not during, it's not before. I suppose you could
say it's before the second Test, but that's about nine
days away, so it is slightly different than perhaps the
Nuser thing. But nevertheless, they are watching them obviously very closely.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, and they have a curfew in place too, which
is probably sort of a lack of judgment so to speak.
I mean, players should be able to go and socialize
after a game, and generally they do. It's just something
that they don't need right in the middle of the
Test match, bearing in minds what's happened over the last
six months, and it just adds another I don't know,
(02:56):
step of controversy following what is a controversial pitch to
my mind. I mean, I just find that kind of
pitch and it iss and we know there will be
excuses made for Lords find it a substandard pitch in
as much as it does nothing for the cricket fan
(03:19):
who go there and they pay big bucks. I understand
it's about one hundred and twenty five pounds to get
in to Lords for a game and all I get
is one hundred and sixty six overs.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, yeah, money lost. Poor pitch, really poor pitch, and
obviously not for the bowlers. We always talk about, you know,
let's please, let's keep Test cricket going if we can.
You and I are too believers that it's probably the
most important format. There'll be many others who agree with us.
(03:53):
Summers don't. That's fine, but and Stokes is one of
those who actually does believe in the future of Test
cricket quite firmly and fervently, and he said basically at
the end of the Test match, this, this does nothing
for the you know, the extreme conditions. It's a very
(04:15):
unhelpful Test pitch to try and save a game that's
very gently, very gently dying with let with all of
us trying to hang on to it as long as
we can, but strong variable bounce going down down right
from the first ball, wasn't it low? Day four? Of
(04:36):
course the covers were on it and day three, and
then it went up up the last day, so then
you get Bethel's grubber coming in along. It virtually unplayable. Really,
you're getting a wicket every just every four overs, six balls.
(04:57):
So you know, no groundsman, no groundsman makes a pitch
and prepares a pitch where it's going to be a shocker.
I mean, that's a that's a fact. I went out
and had to look at it on the last day,
on the fourth day. Actually, they've used this steaming method
that he used at Wimbledon mimbleedon to kill all the
(05:18):
stuff in the weeds and the or anything that attacks
the grass and so on in between. And it looked
like that. It was kind of like Jeffrey Boycott's when
he had his hair done and he had those all
those little that come up from the back and you
got this kind of line of little tufts, but around
(05:39):
it was surrounded, you know, the nice shiny baldness, and
that's kind of how it looked with the grass too,
tufts of grass one little tuft of grass here, and
then a whole lot of organic matter which is just
the earth, and then another one, and then a more earth,
and so it looked a rather bear and very carefully
(06:00):
kind of manicured pitch where the tufts of grass were
really quite weird. And I don't understand why in cricket
we don't try these things out in other places. First,
for example, why not why not a championship game between
(06:20):
you know, in a Division two match or a Division
one match, to see what what if there's a if
there's a problem or a difficulty. I don't think you
do it in the test match once. So yeah, we
learned very quickly Lbw's eleven bowld twelve twenty three more
(06:44):
than any I think leg buyers quite a few leg byers,
so you had to I think his bowlers learn very
quickly and adapt. Now we had Williamson who was regarded
not as a horse whisperer but a pitch whisperer, and
he he kind of must have been passing things on
(07:04):
about his what he was seeing. But we didn't quite
bowl straight enough often enough, and I think the English
did a bit more. They were lucky, of course they
had their long fingered seamer who was ready to go
and didn't get injured the way al one. Did you
(07:27):
know Henry only four overs in that first day's play
that he could bowl, and then when he came back
from day two, when the sun came out for the
only time in the match, he was just a little
bit floating and he got a bit full and got
driven a bit. So we then had to there was
a lot on Smith. Actually, if you looked at our bowlers,
(07:51):
we didn't do too badly for two guys who coming
back from stress fractures. Jamison got through with a fire
in the first got a bit of swing both ways,
a little bit of control, but then not quite enough,
going at four and a half almost first for his
first innings. And then O'Rourke coming back are on a
(08:13):
slow surface and I thought he bowled really well, it's
not going to be hitting the stunt so much because
he naturally bowls a shorter length, doesn't he And he
challenges challenges batsman. He was hitting Besel on the shoulder,
on the chest and I thought he bowled, you know,
(08:34):
he looked dangerous and so and then Smith's of course
only in his sixth Test match picking up his sixper
as well. So and then Henry not quite able to
do what we know he can, which was a shame.
But I think the bowlers they didn't do badly. Was
I don't know what you will have seen it. I
(08:55):
know you pulled your bed into watch well.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I mean I was impressed with him. You can you
can accept that the ball is going to swing, You
can accept that the ball is going to seem a bit,
but it's the erratic bounce that players have troubled dealing with.
You know, one hundred and forty k is not a
spinner in sight, and the ball is up and down.
You don't know what bounce is going to come. And
as you say, Bethel got a low one, a few
(09:19):
others got low ones as well. Something of a nice,
reasonable bounce was very hard to predict. And so that's
where it comes to the fore. But you know, the
bowling was outstanding from museum and both sides. I suppose
you could say that the Sambollers did a great job.
New Zealand didn't lose the Test match necessarily because of
(09:42):
the pitch. I think one area that might have even
things up, as if they'd been able to catch a
little better, Brooke wouldn't have got fifty. He was spilt twice.
And in the second innings there were other chances they
turned down, the opportunity of at lbw from Henry and
the second innings. Some of those sorts of things added
(10:04):
to the fact that England were able to bat together
as a UNI and put on two hundred runs and
two hundred boy, that was a gold mine on that ground,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Oh, yes, it was.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
It was.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
You're right in all those things. The catching, obviously I've
got underlined just to mention to you, and I'm sure
everybody knows that dropped first at eight. It was Brook
backward point. It went reasonably quickly, but it was very catchable.
Two hands to Conway behind and he put that down.
(10:37):
Probably an easier catch was the one that he then
hit to Ravendra on the midwicket boundary and he just
muffed that completely, didn't judge it and was jumping half
jumping at it. He got an easier second one and
the second innings from Ben Duckett at midwicket. I can't,
I honestly don't know how how even a club cricket
(11:00):
can drop that was whether it amuses me a weebit
that he can concentrate so hard batting, and yet somehow
I don't think he actually even got a hand to
that second one off Ben Duckett. I think it just
hit him on the leg and as he fell away
and it wasn't traveling very far so and then we
(11:20):
dropped gay backward point again in the second innings that
was con again another reverse cup chance. And I think
also in the slips, didn't he there was a bit
of a bit of a mix up between first slipper
is getting just a bit too fine when the keeper
goes up, and if you'd gone a bit wider, then
(11:43):
at least if it had gone fine, it would have
been to his correct hand, wouldn't it. He's a right hander,
is Darryl Mitchell. So I just think we're not We're
not kind of on the task just a little bit
there with the catching, and there's got to be a
lot of work because it is costing as matches. Certainly
here probably I worked out between eighty five and one
hundred runs, and it's very different chasing one sixty one
(12:06):
seventy that it is two fifteen. You go in with
a much more positive view about playing things. Catching, Yeah, definite,
Bowling a tick and it'll get better. We'll get better
at that the batting. I felt England was able to
find more runs when New Zealand bowled straight and brought
(12:27):
the pads and the stumps into play. New Zealand weren't
quite capable of doing that. They either blocked it for
a defensive stroke or they missed it and were given out.
A lot more of our guys were bold, weren't they.
But we really must work out in those situations. If
(12:50):
you're only lasting twenty four balls. The whole point about
betting is to get a few runs, isn't it for
your team and you? Therefore, in those conditions which are severe,
I think you've got to be a little bit more aggressive.
And aggressive doesn't mean slogging. Jamieson did in the first
dig and got away with it, didn't he And he
(13:10):
certainly confumed Robinson and he dragged it down. They went
even on a pitch where he said bring the stumps
into play. They went into the short, the short pitched
method with guys who were all packed around the leg side,
so they really upset them. And I think we could
have perhaps done that not so long, but be very
selective about the hitting. And we saw it with Phillips,
(13:31):
didn't we in the second evings, and so that was
probably the way to play on that surface. So that's
what we got to learn from that.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
The ingramd bowlers are going to bring the stumps into
play more often, because I still have concerns about Latham, Conway,
even Ravendra on the front foot that half press. They're
getting their pads very much into play and bowling around
the wickets. Atkinson, Robinson, tongue. They were all attacking the
off stump and were basically putting them under immense pressure
(14:02):
early on and they didn't get established.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
No, that's right. There was that the over of course
where he might he nearly got a hat trick, wasn't it.
Really he had it, and you know it's hard when
you just go in and you're trying just to play
a defensive stroke to get started. Latham three and nought.
That was the second dismissal that was slightly concerning out there.
He was clearly wanting to be more aggressive, but he
(14:26):
went harder and got an edge and was caught second slip.
Conways stuck at it, but he looked pretty uncomfortable, as
we know Devon can at times. But he hung in
there and he hung in there and he got a forty,
didn't he And then was caught off the back of
the bat and then Williamson again very early in the
first and inns. That says a lot, doesn't it. I mean,
(14:47):
when you've got Root who's basically got I'd look at
what would he have? Fourteen and a half thousand or
something like that runs, and you've got and then you've
got Williamson with nine and a half to twenty three
and a half thousand runs between them. Neither of them
really got to twenty. It wasn't an easy surface. We
were one for two, two for two, three for two,
four twelve. It's hard to come back from there. Lords
(15:11):
have got a problem, haven't they.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
They do.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
They've got three Test matches there this season, one against
Pakistan coming up, and then they've got a Women's Test
as well, and they only have two normally, don't they,
And so they've got an extra one this year between
England and India. I just think I don't think they'll
take a test away from them. I spoke to Rob Lynch,
(15:37):
who's the guy in charge of the groundsman. He was
very subdued. He has a long term plan. But the
problem for Lords will be over the next four years.
The long term plans, they're going to do what Eden
Park do. They're going to have the trays outside, the
portable trays, and they'll have three of them, and they'll
(15:58):
have a crane to transport them out there. The problem
with Lords, of course is the slope. Those pictures are
going to have to be put in on a slope,
and so whether the frame of the pitch is what
higher on one side than the other to make that slope,
and they'd have to know exactly where that was going
in the field, or they change the base upon which
(16:20):
it will sit. Those are the only two options. I
can think that they can use those, and then once
they've played championship matches on them, they might be able
to use them. At Lords. The Lord's surface is done
wards it's dead and they don't know what to do
with it.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
No, and they don't want to take it off the
circuit because it earns a lot of money. There's always
big crowds there. It is the home well place. Yeah, ah,
there's no doubt about that. I mean, it's a delightful
place to go and there's a lot to experience when
you get there. But you know, the MCG copped it
for a two day test, Perth copped it for a
two day test, and lords has to stand up and
(17:00):
face the issue and deal with it as best they can.
And you're quite right, it looks from the outside as
though it needs to be relaid, certainly the center block,
because there's only an area where they have test matches
that's in the center of the block. The rest of
the purchase, I'm not sure how they respond, but you
know that slope, how many do they need? Do they need? One?
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Five? Five to seven? Five to seven they required because
that's where the TV. That's all they can cope with.
So they cost them ten million pounds to dig it
up and then not use it for three years while
it's so there's the issue they confront as well. But
(17:47):
that's their long term problem, long term solution. It's the
next four or five years that is the issue. So
they have to do something. You cannot play on a
surface like that, otherwise if that happens, you know, two
more times, then it will might it could well be
it's there making tests away.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Well that's something that they will have to look at
along with the nightclub issues. One of the manner I
suppose that will be of concern to New Zealand is
Matt Henry. Is he fully fit? Do they have to
look to Tickner? They got away to some extent without
having Henry, but without him it puts a lot of
pressure on Jamison, on O'Rourke and on Smith and they'll
(18:34):
be fit enough to do the job. But you know,
when you're talking about injuries that particularly O'Rourke and Jamison had,
They've got a break between the first and second Test match,
but Henry is still the man around who the bowling
attack survives, isn't he?
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Yes, And because of the nature of the service, they
didn't really have long spells. You know, Jamison fourteen overs
in the first in English, Rourke eleven, you know, that's
all out in thirty nine that's you know, you're not
(19:13):
go bowling a lot ah you there. And then in
the second and he's a little bit more fifty six overs,
so they had to bowl a bit more and Smith
where had to obviously come into play Vices seventeen and
hen Henry started to look a bit better. Wads I'm
confident if they look after him over the days they've
(19:35):
got before this, because it's a week over a week away,
that he could be okay. This is going to be
a very different game the next game. The oval is flat,
there are big runs being scored there. It'll be you know,
it'll be more of a test for the England bowlers too.
I think they're most dangerous bowlers on a surface like that.
(19:58):
That was perfect for Robinson, wasn't it Absolutely perfect? New ball,
no long spells, long fingered bowler, up and down, nipping
a out. He couldn't ask for a better return. How's
his fitness? We don't know that. That's one of the
big issues about him, so we don't quite know. And
(20:19):
I'll tell you the other dangerous bowlert for me is Ton.
He's a nasty you know guye of face comes in
about eleven o'clock, so that's where he bowls from. It's
past the perpendicular about eleven rather than the twelve, and
he gets at an angle that comes in at you
all the time, and he hits the pitch hard about
ninety and he's also getting seam as well, so he
(20:40):
bowls he bolts balls. It'll get you out. But he
does bowl bad bulls, short ones and he goes for
about four and over, so but he's he takes wickets.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Brian Waddle, Jeremy Coney on the front foot.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Let's have a look from the other side of the world.
An English viewpoint. One hundred and sixty six overs less
than two full days and the home of cricket produced
what I call a rogue results England one they can
celebrate Badley. The image of Test cricket for me, was tarnished.
Victor Marx, an old colleague of mine in the commentary box,
(21:15):
has been one who will celebrate and he loves to
celebrate at my expense, always has done. But Victor watched
that game. He's probably one of the most astute analysts
going around, and he's agreed to join us on the
front foot. And I guess Vick Gill enjoyed the one.
(21:36):
But to me, it wasn't one of the more memorable
tests I've seen at Lord's Well.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
When wickets fall quickly, I mean there is often a
lot of excitement. I mean it's a bit of a
nightmare for batsman. I'm not sure anyone's got past fifty
seven so far. In the match, so a certain amount
of excitement, but also quite a lot of disappointment really
in the corridors at Lord's because this Test has not
(22:04):
been played on a surface that is ideal for Test.
It they're going to lose quite a lot of money
at Lord's actually because the game has got into the
fourth day, but only because it poured with rain all Saturday.
And the balance has not been great because the ball
has dominated too easily. I mean, often we see matches,
(22:27):
don't we wear the batsmen have dominated too much. It
gets very dull. Well, in this one, it's been a
nightmare for batsman really. The ball has kept low, move
sideways and no one really has been able to play
you know, a lot of exciting cricket shots. It's been
a match for bowlders.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
It's unthinkable to suggest that Lords might be taken off
the Test circuit or they might be changes made. I
mean that that was done to the MCG when they
had a two day Test, and I was also mentioned
about person in the Eshes series. Will anything happen about
that at Lords? I mean it's it's the tradition of
the game, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Well, I'm sure there'll be a sort of internal inquest
because the Lords, as you know it, hosts two Test
matches very often per season and it has that luxury
to do that, and everyone wants to come and play
at Lords, so there will be an internal phase of
(23:29):
agonizing about how they get a pitch with the right balance.
They've had a few problems here recently, but you know,
One day finals have been a bit drod because the
ball hasn't come onto the bat and have been low
scoring affairs. Everyone wants to come and play at Laws,
but they don't really want to come and play on
(23:50):
a surface like that, especially unless you happen to be
a fast bowler. So it's pretty serious for them and
they will try and work it out, but they haven't
managed to for this game because I'm sure they wanted
a pitch that was likely to us for four or
five days and produced quite a lot of runs, but
(24:11):
they haven't been able to do that.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
In the end result is the outcome of the Test
basically given England some form of confidences and answered questions
and about the criticisms after the issues.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Well, a win is a win, isn't it, and that
will give them a bit of confidence and there's been
a lot of soul searching posts the ashes which were
so disappointing, so they'll take some confidence from that. I
mean it's but it's been a disappointment more generally because
it hasn't been the sort of Test match people want
(24:51):
to come and watch, I don't think. But the bowlers
have been on target. It's been a simple operation bowlive.
But you've still got to get to board the right
place and England did that well. They've thought better than
New Zealand. They have put the old one down, but
New Zealand had a few nightmariesh periods in the field
I suppose, so that O victory is a victory and
(25:14):
they will go on to the feeling a bit better.
They've had one debiton come in Emilio Gay, who top
scorer in the match, albeit with just fifty seven, so
that's quite achievement for him. So he's got a nice
future ahead of him just at the moment. So there's relief.
I think there'll be relief from an English perspective that
(25:37):
they've stopped the rot, stop the bleeding post ashes, which
was as ever a bit of a trauma for them.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Yeah, there's been plenty of quality in the past bowling.
There's been controversy about Joffre Archer and the money he's
paid and not being available for the Test match, but
they don't look as though they really need them at
the moment the way the England bowling takers going well.
Speaker 5 (25:59):
No, I mean Joffre has special talent of attle quick
from anything else, but on this surface pace was not
particularly required. I mean Ollie Robinson coming back into the
team of coursed havoc in the first and what you
needed was sustained accuracy in England in the shape of Robinson.
(26:24):
Josh Tongue has had a very good game again and
is building his reputation, and Atkinson also has felt you
know able to just bang away on a length, on
a length, that's all you needed to do, be disciplined.
So they didn't miss Joffra in this match. I don't
(26:45):
think you'll playing the next one because I'm not sure
he'll be ready for that too. If you're used to
bowling four overs per match in the IPR, it's a
huge leap to suddenly go into a Test match and
the next one will be on a flatter service I'm
sure where you're sort of required to bowl twenty overs
per day, so that you've got to get your body
(27:05):
prepared for that. So I don't think there's in the
second Test. Maybe you're playing the third Test if you know,
but if the other bowlers are doing so well, you
might have to wait a bit longer than that. So
it's a handy position to be in a way that
there's no real urgency just at the minute to get
(27:27):
him back in the team.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Yes, well, Betsman haven't had much like in the Test match.
A couple of fifties have probably been almost the difference
between the two sides. The fact that Harry Brooke was
let off a couple of times and got to fifty.
That was basically the difference in the first innings and
will ultimately probably be the difference in the Test.
Speaker 5 (27:48):
Yeah, that's right, but I mean fifty in this match
is a sort of equivalent to one hundred in some
other Test matches. And all the guys who have got
leak back two people have got to fifty and they
gave chances to get there. So there's been deflation the
opposite whatever of the opposite of this in terms of
(28:09):
the run scores, and oddly the wicket has done so
much that Actually, the players who've been prepared to take
a few chances have generally been the ones who have
prospered a little bit. If you've played just conventionally like
everyone's been craving, and just play everything on its merit,
(28:30):
if you've let the bowlers keep bowling at you, there's
always a ball there that's going to get them out.
So I think people came to the conclusion this match
progress actually you've got to take more risks, as the
bassment to just try and upset the rhythm of the
bowlers and make them bowl badly. But no one's really
much to do that over a long period of time.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Yeah, and sadly from your position, not a spinner scene.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
No. I mean, so Sharon Bashir came back into the
side and he hadn't bowled the ball. He's had almost
the perfect game. In fact, I think I might be
nominating him for matter the match.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
He's not made a mistake.
Speaker 5 (29:06):
Wickets like this, it's going to kill the ass is
spin bowling. But I don't suppose they'll all be The
next two will be quite the same.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Can we just look at this as almost a rogue
result of rogue Test match because of the pitch conditions
and we will expect better in the next two tests.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Oh, I think so. I think you'll find that the
services will be more batsman friendly. And also it's a
nasty pitch to start a series with. If you're a batsman,
you know it's been very difficult just to stay in
sohea do you get a bit of rhythm going after
a long break? So I wouldn't draw too many conclusions
(29:44):
from the key. We defeat here, but they're having to
come from behind there and the batsmen generally, I don't
look very confident, but no one looked confident on this surface.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
On the front foot with Waddle and Cody.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Speaking of Lords, it's fitting that the ground should celebrate
at status as the home of cricket, and this test
the one hundred and fifty at the ground, thirty two
more than the next most used ground four tests, the MCG.
When it comes to statistics, there's few more passionates about
the game and the facts and figures than Test Match
(30:22):
Special Statsman Andy Saltzman, who does the job previously held
by Bill Frindle. Jeremy Cooney has been working with Andy
and the TMS team during the match at Lord's and
as it came to its inevitable conclusion, I tracked Andy
down to the Spaceship media box and Andy, nice to
(30:43):
have you on the front foot with us. Despite the
margin of defeat, New Zealand sustained. It seems from the
way this has concluded in just one hundred and sixty
six overs, it'll be more overused than just used.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Well, yes, it's not been a good game, I think.
And so just in terms of the cricket and said
one and fifty tests, here the balls for wicket in
this game twenty five balls, and of those previous un
forty nine tests, has ever been one Lord's Test with
a lower balls.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
For wicking That was back in eighteen eighty eight.
Speaker 6 (31:18):
So I don't know if it's quite the same media
attention as this game has got.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Well, I think, yeah, this is I'm questioningly being one.
Speaker 6 (31:25):
Of the worst pitches for test cricket lords and very
random bouncy is it's made bat.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
In completely lost three.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
Really you can see the effect that's had on the
bloes sort of footwork and the trust they have in
where the bull is going to go. And so it's
a been a rather unsatisfying game sort of dramatic at times,
but again not really what you still want as a
test book at love, I think, and a bit of
a shame for this. Yeah, I guess a bit of
a landmark game one hundred and match here.
Speaker 4 (31:56):
First I was back in eighteen eighty four, but.
Speaker 6 (31:59):
We've not had a better surface and a better contest,
but a more even contest between batting and bowlings.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I guess it's a statistician's dream as well, because already
they're are three, as I think beck on this tis
match who have got themselves on the honors board in
both dressing rooms.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Yes, and in fact, which is one of this, Kyle
Jamison and the first in ins I meant that he
was the three hundred.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
Player to get on the.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
Lord's Honors boards home and away in test cricket with
his fiper. We've since had Olie Robinson and Nathan Smith
get on as well, so something to see. Other how
quite how long all the honors walls have actually physically
been there, but comes a big part of the I
guess the Fabrica, but not just the Lorson but cricket
(32:46):
pavilions around the world. And yeah, so then there's a
lot of great players that never made it on there,
and so yeah, I imagine that both both do get
on there. It's an absolute dream. But it sort of
feels in this game that Harry Brooke and an Emilio game,
you haven't gone on there for getting fifties. In fact,
you could make it getting twenty five on the speeches.
(33:08):
Have a little special honors board of your own.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Yeah. Well, those honors boards, of course carry a lot
of history and there's a lot of memories with it,
but there are a lot of people who have performed
in the past who wouldn't make the honest boards, as
you mentioned in the one hundred and fifty Tish matches
that have been played there.
Speaker 6 (33:25):
Yeah, it's Sachin Tendulcan never got a center here, Brian
Laura Rippey, Ponting, Shane Warnt never got a fight for here.
So this's you know, some of the great names. I
guess that's part of a charm of gard that an
Indian Thailander came in and smashed one hundred in two
thousand and two to get himself on the Honest wall.
So it's one of those. Yeah, it's a weird.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Aspect of cricket, but you can be amongst the greatest players.
Speaker 6 (33:51):
And you know they get even long and might get
a maximum five tests of Lord as a visiting player.
So you can see why it's it's such a great
opportunity when players do come here and you can see
that that sort of emotion and pride when in Jamison
and Nathan Smith is a visiting players that they've got
their book tickets.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Yeah, and I suppose they are relatively you players when
you took a look at the history of Test cricket,
there's a lot of New Zealand names on the honors board.
And of course there's another feature as well that has
been highlighted in this Test match, and that is the
portrait of Martin Crow. And I've just seen a video
image of it and it's a wonderful portrait of Crow.
(34:33):
I think it really stands out.
Speaker 6 (34:35):
I'm not actually seen the picture, but he was actually
I grew up watching.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
Cricket in the eighties and he was, you know, one
of the players we've.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Looked forward to to watching as a cricket bat.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
And it came over with New Zealand and.
Speaker 6 (34:47):
Would have been eighty three and eighty six nineteen nineteen
ninety four beautiful player to watch. I was looking up
to meet him a couple of times when I used
to work for Cricket. One of the most extraordinary people
I've never talked, so fascinating about the game. His writings
about the game where I think some of the most
insightful they'd better read from the next player. They were
(35:08):
talking about that today with Big Marx and article Martin
wrote in twenty fourteen about the gaps between balls that you.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Can find still on crip info.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
It's one of the most extraordinary bits of writing about
what it's like being in the middle in an international game,
in a test match, the battle of the minds that
you don't see as a spectator. So yeah, it's great
that he's commemorated here at Lords for what he did
as a player and the contributions he made to the
(35:40):
game as a person.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Everybody has special memories of Lords. How many test matches
have you seen the one hundred and fifty test matches
you've been doing the job for a fair at a time.
Do you have a statistical record of how many you've done?
Speaker 6 (35:55):
I don't actually, I mean in terms of working on
test matches. The first test I started working on Test
matches and a Test Match special in twenty twenty and
that was the COVID time of the note, so twenty
twenty one would have been the first one, but it
would have been in New Zealand here in twenty twenty one,
or of a strange game that ended up with the
Engram blopping out on the final day reading two hundred
(36:18):
and seventy on before and over.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
I think they didn't go for it.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
And the New Zealand one the second Test at edge
Press to take this the first Test I caim to
watch here. The memory I think would have been a
sawing came down the last day of the nineteen ninety
five Tests against West Indian to Dominic port taker fourth
innings seven to forty three on his debut, which was
a rather dramatic day's days Test Crooket. So it's yeah,
(36:45):
it's the great place to come and watch the watch
Crookt and obviously Avyard to watch everything on television. And
the first Laws Test I remember with nineteen eighty two,
most in Karna Pakistan's ending are getting a double century.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
In Pakistan winning that game. So I actually a lot.
Speaker 6 (37:04):
Of the I guess iconic moments of Lords have been.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
You know, when there's a seen teams.
Speaker 6 (37:08):
Have won and particularly when they've got their their.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
First victory on this ground.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
And then New Zealand won when here was the nineteen
ninety nine game. Maw All got the ninth century then
only got some wickets. So yeah, that Pakistan which in
the West Indies game, we just took myney in the
historic Lord's Moments West Indleys in nineteen fifty at the
School Park in the game they won then with Ramadin
and Valentine they're two spinners and that game was over
(37:33):
six hundred overs long in just sort of four and
a big days, so they really got through the overs
in those days.
Speaker 4 (37:42):
So yeah, there's.
Speaker 6 (37:43):
Any any cricket love of that, that sense of history
when I view on there, and lucky enough the work
here working with you on the World Cup fun in
twenty nineteen, one of the most loud one of the
loudest Lord's ever been the twenty twenty three Ashes tests
that ended in that sort of two months. It was
final day in the Johnny Bursto stamping and all the
(38:07):
you area around ben so it's almost taking England to
a brilliant victory. So yeah, so privilege obviously, so I'll
be able to to.
Speaker 4 (38:17):
Come here and use it as an oits.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Yes, I was going to say, you're sitting in the
t mis box, You're probably in one of the best
seats in the house, and you have a lot of
people around you that are wanting your information and they
want it correct. How much time do you spend making
sure that the information and the stats that you've got
(38:40):
are correct and you have them on your fingertip. I
mean you must have a messive computer program.
Speaker 4 (38:47):
Well, it's not really my program.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
There's a kind of online databases as the crick Info
starts through, which is publicly available.
Speaker 4 (38:53):
Anyone can can.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Use that, and as the crickliz system which the broadcasters
use that I have access to. So yeah, a lot
of being able to get that information quickly of just
these incredible databases and knowing how to as to use them,
how to get the information that's it's relevant In terms
of knowing it's true, I guess I just have to
trust the people who are putting that data into those
(39:17):
those databases, And I guess over the years and just
sort of trained myself to know how to get to
those those facts that you have any commentation of tromas
and if I can.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Find something to illustrate what they're saying.
Speaker 6 (39:29):
Statistically, just fine interesting works or happens within the game. Yeah,
with that, without those databases, it will be pretty difficult.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Bill Brindle, who did this.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
Test especially store of about thirty forty years. I think
carrier hold some suitcase with trolley and books with him everywhere,
and so it's a bit easier now.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Not only is that it's such an of course you're
you're a cricket lover and you will have great memories
of Lord's Test metsch is it Is there any one
particular memory over the time that you've been following cricket
that sits with you?
Speaker 4 (40:07):
Oh? That's that's mentioned a few of the.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
Games.
Speaker 6 (40:12):
The one particular match in twenty twelve England played South
Africa game slightly overshadowed by the you've been the Olympics
in London. I think it had finished by that point.
There had been the spat between Strauss and Peterson. Peterson
was left out of that Test and it was a
brilliant Test match and ended up in England nearly chasing
down a big score in the fourpinnings. I think they
(40:33):
got to needing about sixty in with three with its
left and prior and swam going well and then Swan
was run out and it was just a wonderful game
with crickets and fantastic players on both sides. Stephen Finn
and Ally magnificent in that game.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
So I just don't remember that. It was a game
that doesn'tn't talked.
Speaker 6 (40:50):
About a lot because the series didn't get some keep
it amount of profile because of the Olympics and because
of England losing here. You intend to look back on
it too much. But it was a sort of classic
game which owed everything great about Test cricket and the
way the narrative shifts and the bowls and you know
those sort of infinite possibilities that you talk about with
Test cricket that was sort of.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Shown in that game. That's my my favorite games. I
think that the the World.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
Cup Final, obviously the drama at the end of that
that game, and the it's a curious way but it
was decided on a regulation that no one had noticed
until about five minutes before and came into effect, and
not one can quite work out come up with this
crazy idea. But I guess you know, it's supposed to
be life.
Speaker 4 (41:38):
And that's that's brown.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Yeah, I should never ask that question because that coming up,
but it cuts deep into a still understand. Yeah, well
it's it's nice to talk to you and the you
talk with a lot of passion, and having worked with you,
of course I realized that passion that well, various grounds
(42:02):
in the United Kingdom. Of of course Lords is the one
that has just been complete. Did the one hundred and
fiftieth Test match there, And there'll be plenty of memories
you'll take away from this Test match, I guess.
Speaker 6 (42:14):
Yes, Yeah, Like I say, it's not a Test that
I've enjoyed as a cricket fan. There's been some some
great bowling from from both sides.
Speaker 4 (42:23):
You know, there's some clatters of of.
Speaker 6 (42:25):
Wickets, but it's you know, generally in a match what
I said, that's a battle between between back and ball.
And but I think basically the game has sort of
been assuming England when it decided by New Zealand's fielding
areas as much as as much as anything, so curious,
untatisfying game this one. But yeah, there's looks for lots
(42:49):
of game sort of better memories, I guess than in
this one.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Yes, and I don't want the stets to drop catches
or the mist chances.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
No.
Speaker 6 (42:59):
Luckily, building stats are still in their infancy. Generally they're
not entirely reliable, but I think you can probably agree
it was not New Zealand's finest, finest matching.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Lovely to talk to Andi Zeltzman a comedian in his
own right. Of course, he works on BBC programs and
is a very funny man, but also a very passionate
cricket tragic. So we may well catch up with him
again at some time. He's always got the facts and figures,
and you would know, Jerry that when you want the
(43:30):
facts and figures and you like giving correct figures and
he's going to provide them.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
Yeah, he follows the game intently. I have to say
that the two men you spoke to Vic and then
in fact none of the English was celebrating, particularly about
the victory, they knew exactly what the pitch and the
(43:56):
part that it played in that we dropped a couple
of catches, really two or three key catchers, and that
kind of might have been the game. And they realized
very you know, very clearly that they can't be preparing
surfaces like that again in such an important place. It's
(44:16):
got such a lovely things around it, around the ground itself,
but the most important part is the pitch. That's why
people go there to watch the game, not go out
in the Harris Garden, not go out into the museum
and so on. So they were almost apologetic to me
(44:40):
and saying, look, this is not good at all. And
I'm sure you got that feeling as you were listening
to them both.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
Well, certainly with Vic. They didn't apologize for the twenty
nineteen World cut though, so.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
No, well they don't. But well he laughed. He laughed
at the result though, didn't he and how it was decided.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
Yeah, most definitely.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
Yep, you laugh out of him. Well done.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
You can put your feet up for a week or
so and prepare for the oval. Have you been able
to catch up much with the Women's World Cup? Obviously
big over there. They've had the big launch and New
Zealand have had a warm up game against Bangladesh and
also won against South Africa. They're slowly getting into the
(45:25):
rum of the Women's World Cup tea twenties, aren't they.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (45:30):
I think I mean the way that the competition has
set up. Was it looks as though England and New
Zealand are in one group and West Indies and Sri
Lanka and so on, and then it's the other group.
Of course that looks pretty tough, doesn't it. With Australia
South Africa that's going to be an interesting game and
(45:55):
the other team India. You know, that's the hard group.
I think, so New Zealand a little bit lucky to
have that. Some people are saying, well, New Zealand should
get through. Let's hope so and let's hope they've they've
had a break yep.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
As world champions, they've got a chance to try and
retain their title and a comprehensive win over Bangladesh in
particular was a important boost for them. We'll catch up
with their first game in the program next week is
we will be previewing the Oval Test match. So nice
to have had you, Jerry, get your books out read
(46:34):
up on that. Well, you know the Oval anyway, you
do a lot of work there for the BBC and
the Surrey club, don't you.
Speaker 3 (46:40):
I do. I'm off to do some commentary tomorrow. Was
Surrey are playing Hampshire at the moment they're not in
very good condition Surrey about seventh, which is most unusual
for them that low on the table. They've had a
lot of drawers, so there's a bit of pressure. We
had rained here again today so they've lost a bit
of time in that match. But yeah, no Odal is
(47:03):
going to be a different set of circumstances we saw
at launch.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
Yep, most definitely. All right, we'll go and enjoy yourself
and stay away from those nightclubs, eh, all right.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
What I'll do that, especially straight after in England. Win,
I will, that's for sure. You don't want to get
to do any trouble kid, alright, what cheers out.
Speaker 4 (47:27):
All the wonderful summer.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
Do For more from News Talk sed B, listen live
on air or online, and keep our shows with you
wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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