Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at b
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talk sad Be.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Greetings, greetings, welcome into the Sports Fix podcast. I'm Darcy Watergrave.
It's a Wednesday, twenty seventh of November twenty twenty four
and this is your home of all the sports news
and need to know tied up in a Bete sized bundle.
Coming up on this podcast shortly, I'll be speaking with
Tom Blundle, the key part of the New Zealand lineup
(00:44):
who take on tomorrow the might of the English at
Hagleyoval in christ Church, the first.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Of three tests.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
A lot to look forward to, a lot to hope
for as well. Find out from Tom Blundele what he
makes of the upcoming series. The All Blacks reportedly are
going to be playing one of their home fixtures next
year against France b over in the United States of America.
The thin end of the wedge, I think it is,
so share that opinion with you shortly and then we
(01:13):
go into the chamber where we've dragged our cricket aficionado
Andrew Alderson into the chamber for a chamber cricket special.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
That's all we'll talk about.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
The white, the creams, the glorious thwack of the leather
on willow. That's our chamber and that's what our Sports
Fixed podcast is looking like today, Wednesday, twenty seventh of
November twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
In other news, let's take a quick look or listen,
what's the point to sport today?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is shrugging his shoulders at
the chorus of booing from home fans at Eddy Yard
after the sixth consecutive match without a win.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
The sky Blues capitulated.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
In the final fifteen minutes of their Champions League encounter,
with FAYANRD conceding three goals for a three all draw.
Guardiola has been asked if he's surprised given everything achieved.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
People come here not to remember the success in the past,
come here to the see that the win and perform well.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
And you are not the ones. I'm not the one
when the situation is bad. What they have to do
when he is bad? So this support us all the time.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
The black Caps are confident there part time spinners will
provide variety if needed. In the first Test against England
and christ starting tomorrow. Coach Gary Stead says it's a
luxury having slow bowling options when Phillips and Rutchen Ravendra
batting in the top seven, though allow for a four
prong pace attack on what's likely to be a grassy wicket.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
When you look at the history of playing out here
at Hagley, spin hasn't been a huge factor and I
guess being at November a little bit earlier in the season,
I'm not sure that spin will have a massive factor
in the match breakers.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Coach Terry Copenhan is hopeful new signing Taco Fall is
ready for regular trans Tasman travel. The seven foot six
Senegalese centers signed to two year deal running until the
end of the twenty twenty six NBL season, copping and
seas traveling down Under. It will be an interesting challenge
for Fall compared to the luxuries he got in the NBA.
(03:20):
Of course, their planes, their facilities, their resources, right they're having.
NBA is different.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
They fly with the tyres all the time, but you're not.
It's starkwa and it's part of their job beating a vix.
We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
It's sports Fix News talks Ivy black Caps.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
That's the flavor right here, right now.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Tom Blundle joins us. Get a Tom. How are you good?
Speaker 5 (03:41):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Not so bad?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Looking forward to Thursday? On the beautiful ground? Wow, my
favorite anyway, Hagley Oval.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Maybe not yours.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
You probably prefer the base and reserve. What a great
place to start a series though.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
It is, you know, Hegley is a lovely ground, like
you say, you know, and by the sounds that we're
going to get a lot of support along the way.
So you know, for us, we're just fizzing to get
underway and hopefully carry on that momentum from India.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
How do you ground you after what was and still
is an extraordinary result on the subcontinent? Is it necessary
to pull yourself back and try and like flatten it
out or do you celebrate and carry on? Yahoo?
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Yeah, I guess it's very hard because you know, to
win a series in the nearl like we did, it's
it's pretty hard to sort of come down from that.
But you know this the series is a new one,
you know, in different conditions all together against a very
good England side. So we're we're trying to take as
much momentum from that series and confidence into the series
coming up.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
I suppose that you know now you can and that
is massive. That's something that you can't train for, is it?
And you now know deep within yourselves, if required, you
can actually pick up and go from anywhere and beat anybody.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Yeah, definitely, I think, you know, having that belief we
can we can win in probably the hardest conditions like India,
you know, and coming into the series, you know, we're
pretty familiar with these conditions and we know it's going
to be a tough series in the way England play,
you know, bes and all that, and I think it's
just going to be a hell of a series. And
you know, we've got a lot of confidence coming into it,
which is which is a nice mind frame to be in.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Do you consider this basball concept much. It's quite a
good term to throw around. But how much does that
plan to what you guys do in your approach?
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Yeah, I guess it changes our plans a little bit.
You know, they do come out aggressive and you know,
we've got to come to that somehow. It has spoken
about not basball as such, but in terms of the
way they approach their batting and you know, we've got
plans for most of their batters, and you know, hopefully
we can sort of, you know, put that into effect
(05:46):
come come the next couple of days.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Throwing a bit of a spanner in the work. Seventh,
they with the introduction of the brand you fella coming
in at first drop. That's quite the shock, and I
suppose more so they actually announced their team so early. Tom, Yeah,
it is.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
You know, it's he's obviously a pretty talented player from
from all counts, and you know there'll be a lot
of pressure on him coming in betting at three playing
that style. But you know, we've got our plans and
we're going to play our way, and you know it's
going to be a great contest for the next probably
a month or so.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And when you do have to transfer your skills from
what happened to the subcontinent, Tom Blundell, to where we
are now dramatically different, how much adjustment do you have
to make? How much time do you spend looking at
that transfer of skills on different surfaces.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah, I guess we're pretty familiar with these conditions. We
obviously play day and day out in these conditions.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
But you know, I in India.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I didn't really face much seam at all, So it's
just making that small transition to facing that you know
that bouncy on, bouncy your wickets and you know, like
like I said before, we're pretty familiar and we're confident
in our home conditions and.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
You talk much about what you can possibly achieve World
Test Championship or is that pushing the boat out a
wee bit too far?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Yeah, I guess that's in our in the back of
our minds, and you know there'll be a great, great
thing to achieve. And but you know, obviously the old
pretty it's pretty cliche. You know, we're taking this game
one game at a time and you know, whatever happens happens.
But you know, that would be nice and it would
be a great you know, coming from pretty much behind
to make the World Test Championship final would be would
(07:24):
be amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
And Tom Blundell just going back to the changes in
the English side. So this Bethel, Jacob Bethel, who's going
to debut in there. That's because Cox was out with
a fractured right thumb that he had in practice and
they couldn't really cover him. So only Pope's got to
come in, so he's will come into the keeper's role,
so he'd moved to six or siddy there the whole
at three. How disruptive is having such a change in
(07:49):
order and manpower in the lead up to a test?
You think?
Speaker 6 (07:54):
I think these days it's pretty easy.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I think from from his perspective, Olipope like he's probably bettered.
I think he's better all around the order, So I
think it's probably moreso the keeping side of things. He
hasn't probably kept for a while, but I'm sure like
could he could adjust pretty quickly, and he probably gets
that confidence from from Bears he can do a great
job and then fill the role.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It's all about playing for a team. You well know
that we love about cricket is it's individuals within a team.
When you set out your score, what do you need
to achieve? Do you run to various goals during a series?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Likeness?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Not really?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
I think for me personally, it's more contributing if that's
with the gloves or with a bad But I think
it's all about contributions along the way. Whatever that may
look like. It might be a hard for forty or
fifty whatever maybe or might be a big score But
for me personally, it's all about contributions. And if you
focus on that, you know, those those big, big runs
that we all want will come naturally. But yeah, it's
(08:52):
all about contributions and that's what we speak about a
lot as a group. If each of us can contribute
along the way, it might be, it might not be
this game, might be the next game. But it's all
about contributions.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I reckon tim Southy's retiring after I think, at last
count seven hundred years playing cricket for New Zealand. How
much does that affect the team knowing that a guy
like him is bowing out. Also, of course, over the
last few years a number of big names have slowly
slipped the way. How does that work with the attitude
(09:24):
of the team. What do you take on ball with that?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Yeah, I guess it's a tough one when you lose
so much experience out of a group. Timmy's been around for,
like you say, a long long time, and when you
take that out of a group, you know, it does
sort of you sort of lose a little bit there.
But I think if you look at the guys coming
through Willow Rourke, you got Matt Henry there, even Ben
sears when fat. You know, I think we've got we've
(09:47):
covered that. But Timmy's going to be a big miss
what he brings to the group in the chaining room.
You know, he's been you know, he's a staateble this
team for a long time and you know he'll be
sorely missed. But you know he's had a wonderful career
and you know it's you know, all good things have
to come come to an end unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
And on that we'll let you get on with preparation.
Always a pleasure, Miss Bundle, Thank you very much for
your time. Looking forward to Thursday. You go well, play
hard great.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Thanks for having me mate, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
We've got just a ticket. It's Sports Vex powered by
News Talks IVY.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Will the All Blacks really take a home test match
off the United States of America next year? Apparently in July,
I'll take one of their tests against the so called
understrength French team across to the United States of America.
They'll partake it in a double header including the United States.
(10:43):
He'll be taking on England. Initially, you say, fine, they've
got to spread the love for the game because the
World Cup is going to be held in the United
States of America. The more examples they have of the
game of rugby union to try and entrance the American public,
the more the better. But on that, the big thing
(11:04):
for me here is it's another test match being taken off. Sure,
that's a harbinger of what happens with All Black rugby.
We've seen it over the last few years, and that
are more than keen to take some of the New
Zealand games away or indeed set up separate individual test
matches in the United States of America. You can say
(11:26):
it says to appease their paymasters, and that in itself
is understandable. But when they start taking test matches away
from our shores, you think this is the thin end
of the wedge. Next year, there'll be one the year
after that. There might be one or two the year
after that, maybe two or three the year after that.
(11:47):
Then the soul of New Zealand rugby is sold to
the Middle East. Look, that's worst case scenario. But if
you slowly let this creeping death creep, before you know it,
the All Blacks will no longer be a team that
play a great deal of games in their home nation.
I understand that the money in world sport is global.
(12:08):
The All Blacks brand is the brand that makes all
of the money for ends that are they need to
push that brand far and wide in order to establish
a huge fan base globally. That is completely understandable. But
at what cost. We'll only have the All Blacks playing
in the main centres the Eden Parks, at the Wellington Stadium,
(12:28):
at the New Stadium, Takaha in christ Church and even
Forsyth Bar in Dunedin and all of the provinces. The
heart of the game here in New Zealand will miss out.
It's inevitable that more games supposedly being played at home
will be taken overseas. It will happen, but it doesn't
mean we have to like it.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
We're in the chamber now with old mate Andrew or Aldison.
He is a cricket Officionado wouldn't say cricket tragic because
that's hardly fair. Andrew, you're in christ Church ready for
the first teast?
Speaker 3 (13:07):
How good mate? What's it like down there?
Speaker 7 (13:08):
Describe it for me the greeting stars. It's been lovely
so far. Just getting into the mood of suppose of
the of the week and seeing just the players practicing
up close in watching that in also under overcast skies,
but nonetheless they're out there giving a decent crack.
Speaker 6 (13:29):
And then just hearing the team news.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
That Nathan Smith is going to get the chance to
debut to New Zealand, so tests number two hundred and
eighty eight, so outstanding for him. And I think probably
you know, the unluckiest person who's on credit.
Speaker 6 (13:43):
At the moment, but certainly a good team man.
Speaker 7 (13:45):
And will Young who's made way for came Williamson to
come back.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Well that said, but what do you do?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
You just move? Came Williams and say, look, I'm sorry.
This spoke some rear form right now. It's an impossible
situation for the selectors, right.
Speaker 6 (13:59):
I think it's the term is an embarrassment of riches stars.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Yeah, just leave it there.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Before about New Zealand, do you he talking?
Speaker 6 (14:08):
Not a phrase we can always use.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
No talking about Smith debuting.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
There's another debut, Tom who's playing for England. And this
is a great story. This guy Bethel. He's basically not
scored at first class. Toney's only played a handful of
Red bull first class games. Suddenly he's at number three.
What chance Smith removes Bethel?
Speaker 6 (14:30):
I think possibly every chance. I mean Bethel. I just
saw him actually training and coming down. He looked touch pensive.
Speaker 7 (14:36):
I have to say, as Ben Stokes strode up the
stairs and his spikes who's been doing a lot of
running around ben Stokes, and he sort of just moved
his head to one side as he was about to
go down and face some deliveries. I think that the
selection of Bethel's probably it's probably got the fingerprints of
Brendan McCullum all over it. And just picking someone who
hasn't made a first class time to bet at number
(14:58):
three in their first test, that's a.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Significant ask, I would have thought.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
But nonetheless he'll get that opportunity to step up in
the big stage.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Is he going to get eyes on Storre talks when
he sees the green decks? Because this is there the
swift trick that New Zealand are always playing, look at
the green surface and then nothing happens.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Is that likely to change their thing?
Speaker 7 (15:19):
Andrew Well, I was just on the edge of the days
and I don't think its emerald as I've probably seen
in the past I mean, maybe maybe let's just go.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Through the color chart to paint color chart.
Speaker 7 (15:31):
Maybe chut Shruce Pistacio, maybe something of that, but not
absolutely blazing Emerald. It can be we designed it. We're
needing and magnifying glass to distinguish between.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
That and the outfield. So I thought, well, who knows,
someone might even better at first.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Cricket writer and fan Andrew Ordison joins us. I say
fan because in essence you are a huge fan of
the game. So when you look at it from a
fans point of view, can you isolate a couple of
keys to success for both the English side and the
New Zealand side?
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Is it that easy or not?
Speaker 7 (16:05):
Look, there's no doubt on the fantasyest cricket doce and
this is I'm just.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
In my element down here observing this look.
Speaker 7 (16:13):
I think probably for the New Zealand perspective, you want
to see some runs. I mean, it's a cliche runs
up top, and I just if the openers, if they're center,
say Lathan and Conway, just to establish and see off
that new ball in the first session, because I don't
think the England attack us perhaps as potent as it
has been in the past and they'll be looking in mind,
(16:34):
they'll be looking to prove themselves some of those players
in the lineup.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
But that would be one of the keys from my mind.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Well form again, isn't he after having a pretty treacherous
couple of years of it or year if it say
he's coming back and we know what Lathan provides at
home to you.
Speaker 7 (16:51):
Exactly, I was thinking that Lathan at home and captaining
the side is you know, he's earned the right now
to be the captainist team rather than filling in. I
think that provides a pretty key campaigment for New Zealand
as well. I wouldn't mind betting that he would. He'd
be looking to showcase there and make the most there.
It just seems to help him grow into the game
(17:11):
when he does have that responsibility at home, be it
openly betting, but now with the captaincy as well, I
think really helps being stakes was asked the I guess
the obligatory questions about now that your home, to which
he bristled a touch but was able to muster up
a diplomatic answer. So that was quite entertaining to observe
(17:32):
because I don't think he considers quite huge home and all,
even though he had family living here and he's very
much an Englishman, as he was keen to point out.
But I think too that yeah, he's England had a
lack luster at times new period of the game. I
think there's some disappointment, particularly in Pakistan that they know
they won their first Test, but we're able to go
and win the series in New Zealand. Just just blooming
(17:56):
with confidence he does, I mean three in India States
couldn't quite believe it when he was talking about he
was just in awe of that.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Could no one could believe that, Andrew.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
No one could.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
A ravishast refused to believe it. You talk about guys
who are born over here, but then playing for England,
we've got will I Rock and I expected to have
a field day at home on the deck there. I
didn't realize this he was actually born when his parents
are over in England. He's from Surrey to me, but
he's very much in New Zealander. But this is set
(18:27):
up for him to do something spectacular. Would think comfortable
at a pitch and a deck that he knows that
he's learned, has trade on. This could be like fire
from Iraq I agree.
Speaker 7 (18:36):
That's another example of the keys of the game would
be will I Rock and what he Kembridges, particularly if
you can do it in tandem with with Matt Henry
again at home, I mean in Iraq is very much
the inverse to the stakes thing.
Speaker 6 (18:49):
It's the direct opposite.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
And that Surrey born will I Rock, Christian Sporn, Ben Stokes,
It's yeah, it might sell a few papers in England.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Well we'll go and leave you for a second. You've
got plenty of preparation to do, including getting his zinc
and your wide brimmed hat and all the rest of
it that you need.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Is there do you know me too?
Speaker 6 (19:09):
Well?
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Is there a clear I tell you what?
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Though, when you when you're here, you do tend to
take the overcoade as well, just in case, Like you know,
I mean, you're you're a man from christ it's born.
But when the Northwest is around, that's fine. But if
it comes to the South. I've been I've been caught
short in the media. Tend to in the past where
you really do it, you know, once your fingers start
to shake when you're typing towards the end of the
day with the chill factor, so you know, I might
(19:32):
be getting soft in my old age perhaps.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Well now you feel in norweist to know the Southerly
is going to come and blow it away. So these
you're warning just quickly, Andrew. Is there clear favoritism on
either side?
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Will they go in? Possibly? Pretty much?
Speaker 7 (19:43):
Even No, I think these two teams are relatively even there,
so I really do. And they've showcut showing that in
the past and in recent series, and I know even
stretching back to tweenty tweet, so I know England won
that three mil. But we're in each of those contests,
no doubt about it. And then of course you had
the famous series last time with Tom Tom Blundle taking
that catch of Neil Wagnerton to win by a run
(20:04):
the based on reserve after following on just extraordinary scenes
more of that, please, would? I would just my professional
component can can handle it again? It was just so
full on in one of the great finishes, greatest versts.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
I think I'll ever see the test.
Speaker 7 (20:22):
So yeah, I don't think there's much between them and
the two great They've got great fighting spirit and also
great team spirit out there for the matches are played
in really good there's a good vibe.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Forget the professionalists and just get in, get amongst and
enjoy yourself. I'm insanely jealous at you're back in my hometown,
but so be it. Andrew Ortison, thanks for joining us
in the chamber.
Speaker 6 (20:42):
You go well, oh loving it, Dars, this will be awesome.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
It's Sports Fix with Jason Pain and Darcy Waltergrave.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
And that's it for another edition of the Sports Fixed.
My name's Darcy Watergrove. Thanks very much for listening. If
you enjoyed it, please subscribe. That means this will turn
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you're more than welcome. Sports Talk between seven and eight
Monday to Friday with myself or Jason Pine and of
(21:15):
course Piney takes the whole thing over on at News
Talking ZB with weekends Sport between twelve midday and three
on Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
I hope you've enjoyed the show for.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Wednesday, the twenty seventh of November twenty twenty four, look
after yourself and you'll catch us again tomorrow For.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
More from News Talk zed B, listen live on air
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