On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 28 April 2026, today it was announced that former Black Caps fast bowler Geoff Allott would become the new CEO of New Zealand Cricket come the first of July. There is going to be plenty on his plate when he steps into the role, including what is going to happen with the proposed NZ20 competition. He joined D'Arcy to discuss.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on Super Round at the new One NZ Stadium in Christchurch over the weekend.
And D'Arcy and New Zealand Herald sports journalist Alex Powell discuss Geoff Allott's appointment as the new CEO of New Zealand Cricket and the resumption of Formula 1 with the Miami Grand Prix this weekend.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It'd be time now for the Sports Fix. All you
need is now about the wonderful wide world of sport
concerning New Zealand. Anyway. My name is Darcy Waterergrave. I'm
with you right the way through the length of this podcast. No,
I don't know how long it lasts. I don't have
any time restraints. Fifteen twenty minutes.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
That'll do you.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
That is a Tuesday. It's the twenty eighth of a
Pull twenty twenty six d interview. Today is with the
brand new CEO of New Zealander Cricket from a fast
bowler for the team. His name is Jeff Allett and
he'll join us shortly. Alex Powell is going to be
in the chamber as we talk a bit of cricket
and a wee bit of Formula one because it's Miami
(00:58):
this weekend after what a five week break in the circus.
That's our plan and we're going to stick to it.
I think here on the Fix courtesy a news Talk z.
In other news and in backpage news today a player
turns coach, a CEO, pie fight and Polynesian video respect
across hemispheres and codes. Old school Phoenix lad that Chris
(01:22):
Greenacre has needed the role as head coach of the
well A League club. Former player assistant and interim coach
who lost out to Giancarlo and Taliano last time around,
has arisen from the ashes of rejection to grab himself
the gaffers gig very Phoenix like I've been at the
(01:43):
for such a long time and to finally be able
to take a cook forward and how I kind of
see fits quite an exciting prospect. New Blues CEO Carl
Budge has defended Eden Park and it's right to be
called the national stadium. Crusader's boss Colin Mansbridge as adamant
that the brand new Tahouo tiro Hakea Kea Takohu is
(02:05):
the go to number one stadium in the shape the isles.
Karl says, nah.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It is fantastic.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
Yes, it's not the size I'll either part respective, it's
not in Auckland, and when the population of the country
almost it's an Auckland, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
They can quite make those claims.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
But I'm sure they won't stop Gold anyway.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And in case you're wondering that Tahu Fadi Hakki Takaha
is ta Marti for one New Zealand Stadium at Takaha
and Vega Yowani, the whole king human who was the
NFL's fourteenth draft pick, has been seen congragular three messages
from All Blacks Cody Taylor, Riko Yuani and Kevin mi Alamu.
(02:47):
The Baltimore Raven Behemoth is one hundred and ninety five
centimeters and one hundred and forty five kilograms of God. Look,
if you could tickle a guard consider Vega pink.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
That's crazy. I got to give my dad and my
brother in there. That's yeah, that's an idiot.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
That means a lot man.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
That's that's like rugby is a big for smaller Coltshire
Pilons and Colture.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
So I means, you know, it's love with the entire culture.
I've seen something like that.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I mean to write to me and that's Sport Today
News and Avidion.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
It's Sportsfix with Darcy Waldegrave.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
And it's warm More. Welcome the Sports Vex podcast. Now
to the brand new CEO of New Zealand Crickets. Name
is Jeff Allen. Good Ay, Jeff Darcy, How are you good?
Speaker 4 (03:35):
First up?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Congratulations on getting the role. It's funny, isn't it. You
play for them for so long, You've involved in and
out with all sorts of different organizations that are linked
up with in Z cricket. Who would I think you'd
be running the whole show?
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Yeah, I must have me probably even twelve months or
even less than that.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
A couple of months ago, I hadn't really seriously considered
the opportunity.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
But I have stayed really connected.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I've been really proud to sort of serve on the
Kennedy Cricket board for a couple of years, in New
Zealand Cricket board for eight years. So and outside of that,
you know, even with business into India. I just feel
like I've I've stayed, as I say, connected to the
game and certainly the passion has always been there.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
You've had time away. How important is that taxting not
be in the weeds within Z cricket. You see, you've
been with canterbur Cricket, You've been working with Quality in Z.
So you have You've had some distance since your last
I suppose officially employment was that back in two thousand
and eight twenty ten.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yeah, I mean it is from an operational point of view, Yi,
and I think your point's valid that you sort of
broaden your horizons and particularly to have that experience in
India has been incredible over the last fourteen years, so
that's that really helps with networks and there are a
nation that you've really got to do the hard yards
around relationships to make it different.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
So we've thoroughly enjoyed that piece.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
But I guess, you know, referring back to the eight
years on the board of New Zealand Cricket, at least
from me, I.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Feel like I really know what the leaders are. I
have a really good understanding.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
Of what you know how and what is important to
New Zealand Cricket.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
So I feel comfortable and confident. I guess going into.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
It that I've got enough in the background to have
a wee bit of a headstart.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Jeff, things have changed dramatically in the landscape of pro sport.
I think in cricket it is changing extraordinarily quickly, so
you can't lean too much on that time because almost
it's not relevant anymore.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Yeah, although again, you know, when you look at what's
going on in India and you look at what's going
on around the world around broadcast rights and so forth,
you know that being in those markets helps you understand that. So,
you know, and I think that's the important piece about
staying connected all the way through. So you know, for me,
it's knowing and watching the game evolve, and I'm really
excited by that, to be honest. You know, if you
(05:50):
look at the skills of the current men's and women's players,
you know, they are infinitely better in my opinion what
they were, and certainly I played and certainly my own abilities.
But you know, and I love that because that's what
we need to keep pushing the development of our game.
That is what's going to you know, it's a competitive,
a competitive environment out there, and you know, we need
(06:10):
people with great skills. We're seeing that come through and
I'm actually the next few years in terms of the
evolvement of cricket is going to be a really exciting one.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
What's your most pressing task? First up? So look at
the first three months, the first six months, what do
you need to achieve?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
Look, I like to sort of rely on strong relationships,
and I think cricket needs a little bit of cohesiveness
and a little bit of direction. So I want to
get out into the maas and our das, our districts
and our major associations. I want to get to our
commercial partners, our life members. You know, it's important that
(06:50):
we connect. And so it sounds a little bit cliche,
but I genuinely feel that we've got enormous opportunities. Once
we're all sort of heading in the same direction, in
the right direction, then you know, that makes makes a
big difference, right, And we've got some really capable people
out there and on that I think is the area
that I really want to push in the first few months.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
A difficult time for New Zealand cricket, Scott Winning stepping
to one side. We've got the drama that in Z
twenty and actually who wants to engage with this product
and how it's going to affect the international game. So
considering the speed at which they want to travel in
ZED twenty, you've got to be leaning into that reasonably quickly,
don't you, Jeff.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Yeah, I think there's a number of projects actually, and
on top.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Of that, of course, We've got a huge twelve months
playing program.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
You know ahead for both me and Womanly, So you know,
there's those couple of key projects that are really exciting.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I think for our game, you know, we have to
make sure.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
That that we are putting the resource to looking into
the opportunities and making sure that we're actually also having
to say on what the future looks like. So one
hundred percent, you know, let's let's explore those opportunities.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
And from my point of view, you know, it looks
like cricket will prosper.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Essentially, the last CEO he lost his job because he
wasn't interested in m Z twenty. You want to do
due process, and we know the story, it's being one
for such a long time. Where do you sit within
Z twenty about whether you want it or not, whether
it will be effective or not, how much controlled you
believe you have in that space with initiating this, what
(08:24):
will be your turning point if it happens for end
zed cricket. Where do you stand on this one.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
Jeff, Look, I had a little bit of an insight
early on into it, and I need to obviously get
up to speed.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
On the first of July or before that when I
get into it.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
But I'm really excited by the opportunity and there's some
really strong cricket brains that are now involved in pursuing
the opportunity. And for me, as I say, you know,
we're the only nation that doesn't or full member, I
should say that doesn't have its own franchise league. The
game is evolving rapidly, broadcasters are wanting different material and
(09:01):
we need to be you know, I guess at the
forefront of these opportunities or where we will left behind.
So exploring it. I know there's been a huge amount
of working behind it and just the concept, you know,
when we're actually if it's ticking a box around high performance,
if it's ticking a box where our players want to
play in a domestic competition and it's fan centric and
(09:24):
it creates some financial stability, then we should definitely be
pursuing it.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's sportsfex with Darcy Waldgrave outstanding.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
That's it. It's the only word I've got for what
happened over the weekend in the Super Rugby super Round
in Ottutahi. Christ what a weekend part of the journalist
in me Part of the bloody media and me wants
to find a whole wants to pecket some gap in
that entire weekend and point a finger at going, well, yeah,
(10:00):
could have done this better. And as much as this horrible, irritating,
nasty manchild would like to find something to unrave, you can't.
That was faultless right the way through the weekend. There
is no aspect or part of what I saw over
the weekend that I could possibly complain about. If I
(10:21):
was being really, really pecky, I would say, wow, maybe
the stadium shouldn't have shown their backside to the people. Ie.
There was one side of the stadium that was unfortunately exposed.
It had been down trout and I thought that didn't
look great. But they'll fill it up in time with
temporary seats. I'm sure anything else to complain about the
(10:42):
fact I wasn't there or that had something to moan about.
But I'll defeend myself because flying me my child down
to christ Church for a weekend, paying for accommodation and tickets. Sorry,
I'm a sports broadcaster and I get paid the fitting
of that title. What a weekend, what a stadium, what
a crowd, what a series of extraordinary games of football.
(11:06):
I'll say right here, right now, if one New Zealand
at Stadium at Takaha cannot secure the Magic Round on
a permanent basis for the next five to ten years,
there's something going horribly wrong in Super rugby. Nobody, no ground,
no city, nowhere in Australasia could provide what Attatahi christ
(11:28):
Church provided over the weekend. They should be absolutely proud
of themselves. And next time I might even sell my
selection of Warriors jerseys just so I can get down there.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Welcome to the Pleasuredome. Oh sorry, it's not the pleasure Doome.
This is called the Chamber, and in the Pleasudome. In
the chamber with me is New Zealand Herald journalist mister
Alex Powley's excited as i am because Formula one's finally
back at the end of the week. Will touch on that,
but more importantly we're going to touch on Bangladesh beating
(12:04):
New Zealand in the cricket though we're not. We're going
to talk about the new CEO. Jeff Allett has been
given the role. We've spoken a lot about this It
was kind of a lady own Masia, wasn't it because
here was no one else there? Is that a fair
thing to say? Or they actually got their man.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
No, I wouldn't say Ali Darcy Festival. I wouldn't say
that he was the last man standing by any means.
I understand that there was a three person shortlist of
which he was the final candidate who didn't commit elsewhere,
whether or not that's because the riding was on the
wall for the other two that they weren't going to
get the job. But if you look at Jeff Ellett,
he's been involved with New Zealand cricket as a player.
(12:39):
He's been involved in an administration role when he was
the Director of Director of Cricket. He's been a board member.
So if you're looking at someone to come in who
knows this organization from the ground up, I think it's
a brilliant hiring.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
And he's been all over the place with Canterbury Cricket
from back in the day too, so he understands the landscape.
Although it does change every half an hour and international
cricket has he got the ability to deal with this.
It didn't work with weaning. He obviously came to disagreement
of what happens around n Z twenty, the faith that
(13:13):
Jeff can pick his way through this tip through these julips.
Speaker 6 (13:17):
I mean, it's understood that Jeff Aller is on board
with NZ twenty. So I think, first of all, that
obstacle is out of the way, in the way that
Scott winning perhaps wasn't.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
But you're right.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
The landscape of cricket is so different from what we
might be expecting, or you know what we're used to.
You think of you would start every summer and you've
got five or six test matches. That doesn't happen anymore.
You look at the place of international cricket and it's
not the peak of the game anymore. It's now the club,
the club.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Game, franchise game. Don't you call it a game.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
I'm used to club football and that's club v. Country.
But you're right, there is a lot for Jeff Aller
to come in and sort of get a hold of
pretty quickly, because we know that NZ twenty does have
a very short run way to get.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Off the ground. His first day in the job, knees
under the Table, started July. What's going to be happening
between now and the start of July doesn't twenty you
have to kind of maybe be up and running by then.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I love these words.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
I understand talks are ongoing and that they are positive.
The big obs to call at the moment is that
January window. The Black Caps are due to play Sri
Lanka in the Test series during that time. Whether or
not that can be moved is something. Just how much
of NZ twenty New Zealand CREDI will owns another thing
they have to work out. Obviously, the initial concept was
(14:39):
that it would be completely private. Now it's going.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
To well Criveton, no, no, no, we'd actually like some
skin of this game because it is kind of our game,
and I think they need that control or that ability
to have some form of control and where the balances there.
Speaker 6 (14:56):
I think if NZ twenty is going to work as intended,
it does need to be privately run. We're seeing with
Super Rugby the difficulty in making it into a profitable competition.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Well, it's not.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
It's not because of the involvement of New Zealand Rugby
and Rugby Australia as is. They want it's their competition,
They felt they should run it. But you look at
you know the great privately run leagues around the world.
You look at I mean it's not apples with apples,
but the CPL and that is completely independent and sold
back to Westerndiest Cricket and that's a great success. The
SA twenty in South Africa. It's similar the IPL, the
(15:30):
All Conquering Beast. There is definite involvement with Indian Cricket,
the BCCI. So it's about finding a structure that everyone
is comfortable with and can agree on. And I mean
the clock is ticking because they want it to be
up and running in January next year. But there are,
of course, there are going to be compromises that each
side has to make.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Well, there always is negotiating, absolutely, that's what they are.
I want this, well, I want that. Akay, where do
we meet? That's the way it works. And from my
personal experience with Chief Allett, because I was pestering when
he was a player, and of peat that I'm right
the way through his career. He's a pretty upfront guy,
pretty easy to deal with. But the proof of the pudding,
of course, will be.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
In the eat your favorite saying.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Let's move on to our second topic, Miami on last week,
I said, oh're still a couple of weeks away. Now
it's come quicker than I thought. Five weeks a long time,
but it's accelerated. Excuse the pump, but it has, isn't it.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
How are you feeling because I sort of don't know
what to make of this. You know, we've had the
regulations change in between racing and now we're going to
you know, teams have obviously had more than a month
to work out what they're doing and try and get better.
But now that they're actually going to be on track
racing this weekend, I think it's just almost like a
complete reset. Will Mercedes still be the dominant team?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Nobody knows until post race. Matter is that they can.
You can make up whatever you want during the practice,
doing anything, doing qualifying, but when the racings is on,
we'll see if any of these extraordinarily complex tweaks have
made any difference at all, because you kind of go
blank when you listen to someone explain them to your
sah whatever.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
Yeah, it's it's like we've been saying, all yeah, we
will not know until we see each track host a race.
You know, the regulations had a completely different effect on
Melbourne than they did on Shanghai. You know, they had
a different effect on Suzuka. We've obviously had two races
canceled because of the fantastic operations of the US and
the Middle East. Not so yeah, what happens in Miami.
(17:27):
Miami is a really tricky track. You know, it's not
quite a street circuit, but it's not quite a race track.
It's just a car park of a stadium. So I think,
come this time Monday will happen, Maybe have a better
idea of where things are going to go.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Which is kind of funny because the two Middle Eastern
races that were left off the calendar because of that
wonderful homeless situation, they basically looked like car parks. So
I had to say, I don't like them at all.
So the big thing for us this week we want
to see Mercedes. We want to see if every board
actually lifted their game or not. We want to look
(18:01):
at Ferrari. They've continued what these adjustments have done to
change the relative speeds of these cars. But what do
we want to look at?
Speaker 6 (18:09):
Well, I mean I want to look at Aston Martin,
but I know you want to look at Liam Lawson.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Indeed, I do not in a creepy way, but so
talk to me about Aston Martin.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
Aston Martin have been a train wreck this year. They
put so much into the recruitment side, so they've spent
hundreds of millions getting Adrian Neui the car designer, but
there has just been a horrendous stuff up with their
engine from Honda. So Hondra were of course with Red
Bull last year they wanted out of the sport. They've
managed to go to Aston Martin and from what we
learned in Melbourne, a bunch of people who were involved
(18:38):
with Honda and making the engine at Red Bull have
left the company all together before they've moved to Honda.
So you've got people designing an engine who have never
designed the Formula One engine before. So now that they
are comfortably the worst team on the grid, even behind Cadillac,
who are brand new to the sport this year. So
whether or not that the five week break we've had
will actually help them's going to be another thing where
(18:59):
we can actually see because you look at the resource
that goes into Aston Martin and they spend just as
much as anyone and they have got nothing to show
for it.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
And Liam Laws and he's having a great not great,
He's having a good season. He's having acceptable season so far.
Expectations of him over the next few.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
Months, I'd say he's exceeding expectations. You know, you were
expecting well, so we went, but Red Bull were very
much expecting him to come in and be a bit
of a yardstick for his new teammate Avid Limblad, and
he is eating him comfortably. I've nearly just said a
swear with what.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
He's showing the value of experience. And look Arvid limblade
playing is a quick racer, but time in the saddle
and Liam's had that, so of course that's going to
show up surely.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Yeah, And editors, you look at how Liam's going compared
to He's a Cadja who was his teammate last year.
Haj I got promoted to Red Bull ahead of laws
and potentially going back there. And Liam is miles clear.
You know you can't overtake him. He is really turning
into the complete driver. Drives a wide car, drives a
wide car. You don't want to be stuck behind him, No,
you don't looking.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Forward to that? Well, eight o'clock on Monday morning.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Yeah, sprint race as well now Sunday.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
They've got everything, the whole lot, and we've had Alex
Powell here in the pleasure that I'm that I've got
to stop saying in the chamber, Alex, thanks for your
time anytime, mate.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Beating a X. We've got just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix powered by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Thanks very much for listening to The Fix. Been a
real pleasure bringing you this podcast. If you've enjoyed it,
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(20:47):
thought between seven and eight pm Monday to Friday. Jason
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Sport twelve day through till three o'clock Saturday and Sunday.
We'd both love for you to join us on any
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two or give us a ring. Oh eight hundred and
(21:08):
eight ten eight That was the fix for Tuesday, the
twenty eighth of April twenty twenty six. You look after Yourself.
Back again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It'd be time now for the Sports Fix. All you
need is now about the wonderful wide world of sport
concerning New Zealand. Anyway. My name is Darcy Waterergrave. I'm
with you right the way through the length of this podcast. No,
I don't know how long it lasts. I don't have
any time restraints. Fifteen twenty minutes.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
That'll do you.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
That is a Tuesday. It's the twenty eighth of a
Pull twenty twenty six d interview. Today is with the
brand new CEO of New Zealander Cricket from a fast
bowler for the team. His name is Jeff Allett and
he'll join us shortly. Alex Powell is going to be
in the chamber as we talk a bit of cricket
and a wee bit of Formula one because it's Miami
(00:58):
this weekend after what a five week break in the circus.
That's our plan and we're going to stick to it.
I think here on the Fix courtesy a news Talk z.
In other news and in backpage news today a player
turns coach, a CEO, pie fight and Polynesian video respect
across hemispheres and codes. Old school Phoenix lad that Chris
(01:22):
Greenacre has needed the role as head coach of the
well A League club. Former player assistant and interim coach
who lost out to Giancarlo and Taliano last time around,
has arisen from the ashes of rejection to grab himself
the gaffers gig very Phoenix like I've been at the
(01:43):
for such a long time and to finally be able
to take a cook forward and how I kind of
see fits quite an exciting prospect. New Blues CEO Carl
Budge has defended Eden Park and it's right to be
called the national stadium. Crusader's boss Colin Mansbridge as adamant
that the brand new Tahouo tiro Hakea Kea Takohu is
(02:05):
the go to number one stadium in the shape the isles.
Karl says, nah.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It is fantastic.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
Yes, it's not the size I'll either part respective, it's
not in Auckland, and when the population of the country
almost it's an Auckland, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
They can quite make those claims.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
But I'm sure they won't stop Gold anyway.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And in case you're wondering that Tahu Fadi Hakki Takaha
is ta Marti for one New Zealand Stadium at Takaha
and Vega Yowani, the whole king human who was the
NFL's fourteenth draft pick, has been seen congragular three messages
from All Blacks Cody Taylor, Riko Yuani and Kevin mi Alamu.
(02:47):
The Baltimore Raven Behemoth is one hundred and ninety five
centimeters and one hundred and forty five kilograms of God. Look,
if you could tickle a guard consider Vega pink.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
That's crazy. I got to give my dad and my
brother in there. That's yeah, that's an idiot.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
That means a lot man.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
That's that's like rugby is a big for smaller Coltshire
Pilons and Colture.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
So I means, you know, it's love with the entire culture.
I've seen something like that.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I mean to write to me and that's Sport Today
News and Avidion.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
It's Sportsfix with Darcy Waldegrave.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
And it's warm More. Welcome the Sports Vex podcast. Now
to the brand new CEO of New Zealand Crickets. Name
is Jeff Allen. Good Ay, Jeff Darcy, How are you good?
Speaker 4 (03:35):
First up?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Congratulations on getting the role. It's funny, isn't it. You
play for them for so long, You've involved in and
out with all sorts of different organizations that are linked
up with in Z cricket. Who would I think you'd
be running the whole show?
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Yeah, I must have me probably even twelve months or
even less than that.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
A couple of months ago, I hadn't really seriously considered
the opportunity.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
But I have stayed really connected.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I've been really proud to sort of serve on the
Kennedy Cricket board for a couple of years, in New
Zealand Cricket board for eight years. So and outside of that,
you know, even with business into India. I just feel
like I've I've stayed, as I say, connected to the
game and certainly the passion has always been there.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
You've had time away. How important is that taxting not
be in the weeds within Z cricket. You see, you've
been with canterbur Cricket, You've been working with Quality in Z.
So you have You've had some distance since your last
I suppose officially employment was that back in two thousand
and eight twenty ten.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yeah, I mean it is from an operational point of view, Yi,
and I think your point's valid that you sort of
broaden your horizons and particularly to have that experience in
India has been incredible over the last fourteen years, so
that's that really helps with networks and there are a
nation that you've really got to do the hard yards
around relationships to make it different.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
So we've thoroughly enjoyed that piece.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
But I guess, you know, referring back to the eight
years on the board of New Zealand Cricket, at least
from me, I.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Feel like I really know what the leaders are. I
have a really good understanding.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
Of what you know how and what is important to
New Zealand Cricket.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
So I feel comfortable and confident. I guess going into.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
It that I've got enough in the background to have
a wee bit of a headstart.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Jeff, things have changed dramatically in the landscape of pro sport.
I think in cricket it is changing extraordinarily quickly, so
you can't lean too much on that time because almost
it's not relevant anymore.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Yeah, although again, you know, when you look at what's
going on in India and you look at what's going
on around the world around broadcast rights and so forth,
you know that being in those markets helps you understand that. So,
you know, and I think that's the important piece about
staying connected all the way through. So you know, for me,
it's knowing and watching the game evolve, and I'm really
excited by that, to be honest. You know, if you
(05:50):
look at the skills of the current men's and women's players,
you know, they are infinitely better in my opinion what
they were, and certainly I played and certainly my own abilities.
But you know, and I love that because that's what
we need to keep pushing the development of our game.
That is what's going to you know, it's a competitive,
a competitive environment out there, and you know, we need
(06:10):
people with great skills. We're seeing that come through and
I'm actually the next few years in terms of the
evolvement of cricket is going to be a really exciting one.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
What's your most pressing task? First up? So look at
the first three months, the first six months, what do
you need to achieve?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
Look, I like to sort of rely on strong relationships,
and I think cricket needs a little bit of cohesiveness
and a little bit of direction. So I want to
get out into the maas and our das, our districts
and our major associations. I want to get to our
commercial partners, our life members. You know, it's important that
(06:50):
we connect. And so it sounds a little bit cliche,
but I genuinely feel that we've got enormous opportunities. Once
we're all sort of heading in the same direction, in
the right direction, then you know, that makes makes a
big difference, right, And we've got some really capable people
out there and on that I think is the area
that I really want to push in the first few months.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
A difficult time for New Zealand cricket, Scott Winning stepping
to one side. We've got the drama that in Z
twenty and actually who wants to engage with this product
and how it's going to affect the international game. So
considering the speed at which they want to travel in
ZED twenty, you've got to be leaning into that reasonably quickly,
don't you, Jeff.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Yeah, I think there's a number of projects actually, and
on top.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Of that, of course, We've got a huge twelve months
playing program.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
You know ahead for both me and Womanly, So you know,
there's those couple of key projects that are really exciting.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I think for our game, you know, we have to
make sure.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
That that we are putting the resource to looking into
the opportunities and making sure that we're actually also having
to say on what the future looks like. So one
hundred percent, you know, let's let's explore those opportunities.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
And from my point of view, you know, it looks
like cricket will prosper.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Essentially, the last CEO he lost his job because he
wasn't interested in m Z twenty. You want to do
due process, and we know the story, it's being one
for such a long time. Where do you sit within
Z twenty about whether you want it or not, whether
it will be effective or not, how much controlled you
believe you have in that space with initiating this, what
(08:24):
will be your turning point if it happens for end
zed cricket. Where do you stand on this one.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
Jeff, Look, I had a little bit of an insight
early on into it, and I need to obviously get
up to speed.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
On the first of July or before that when I
get into it.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
But I'm really excited by the opportunity and there's some
really strong cricket brains that are now involved in pursuing
the opportunity. And for me, as I say, you know,
we're the only nation that doesn't or full member, I
should say that doesn't have its own franchise league. The
game is evolving rapidly, broadcasters are wanting different material and
(09:01):
we need to be you know, I guess at the
forefront of these opportunities or where we will left behind.
So exploring it. I know there's been a huge amount
of working behind it and just the concept, you know,
when we're actually if it's ticking a box around high performance,
if it's ticking a box where our players want to
play in a domestic competition and it's fan centric and
(09:24):
it creates some financial stability, then we should definitely be
pursuing it.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's sportsfex with Darcy Waldgrave outstanding.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
That's it. It's the only word I've got for what
happened over the weekend in the Super Rugby super Round
in Ottutahi. Christ what a weekend part of the journalist
in me Part of the bloody media and me wants
to find a whole wants to pecket some gap in
that entire weekend and point a finger at going, well, yeah,
(10:00):
could have done this better. And as much as this horrible, irritating,
nasty manchild would like to find something to unrave, you can't.
That was faultless right the way through the weekend. There
is no aspect or part of what I saw over
the weekend that I could possibly complain about. If I
(10:21):
was being really, really pecky, I would say, wow, maybe
the stadium shouldn't have shown their backside to the people. Ie.
There was one side of the stadium that was unfortunately exposed.
It had been down trout and I thought that didn't
look great. But they'll fill it up in time with
temporary seats. I'm sure anything else to complain about the
(10:42):
fact I wasn't there or that had something to moan about.
But I'll defeend myself because flying me my child down
to christ Church for a weekend, paying for accommodation and tickets. Sorry,
I'm a sports broadcaster and I get paid the fitting
of that title. What a weekend, what a stadium, what
a crowd, what a series of extraordinary games of football.
(11:06):
I'll say right here, right now, if one New Zealand
at Stadium at Takaha cannot secure the Magic Round on
a permanent basis for the next five to ten years,
there's something going horribly wrong in Super rugby. Nobody, no ground,
no city, nowhere in Australasia could provide what Attatahi christ
(11:28):
Church provided over the weekend. They should be absolutely proud
of themselves. And next time I might even sell my
selection of Warriors jerseys just so I can get down there.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Welcome to the Pleasuredome. Oh sorry, it's not the pleasure Doome.
This is called the Chamber, and in the Pleasudome. In
the chamber with me is New Zealand Herald journalist mister
Alex Powley's excited as i am because Formula one's finally
back at the end of the week. Will touch on that,
but more importantly we're going to touch on Bangladesh beating
(12:04):
New Zealand in the cricket though we're not. We're going
to talk about the new CEO. Jeff Allett has been
given the role. We've spoken a lot about this It
was kind of a lady own Masia, wasn't it because
here was no one else there? Is that a fair
thing to say? Or they actually got their man.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
No, I wouldn't say Ali Darcy Festival. I wouldn't say
that he was the last man standing by any means.
I understand that there was a three person shortlist of
which he was the final candidate who didn't commit elsewhere,
whether or not that's because the riding was on the
wall for the other two that they weren't going to
get the job. But if you look at Jeff Ellett,
he's been involved with New Zealand cricket as a player.
(12:39):
He's been involved in an administration role when he was
the Director of Director of Cricket. He's been a board member.
So if you're looking at someone to come in who
knows this organization from the ground up, I think it's
a brilliant hiring.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
And he's been all over the place with Canterbury Cricket
from back in the day too, so he understands the landscape.
Although it does change every half an hour and international
cricket has he got the ability to deal with this.
It didn't work with weaning. He obviously came to disagreement
of what happens around n Z twenty, the faith that
(13:13):
Jeff can pick his way through this tip through these julips.
Speaker 6 (13:17):
I mean, it's understood that Jeff Aller is on board
with NZ twenty. So I think, first of all, that
obstacle is out of the way, in the way that
Scott winning perhaps wasn't.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
But you're right.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
The landscape of cricket is so different from what we
might be expecting, or you know what we're used to.
You think of you would start every summer and you've
got five or six test matches. That doesn't happen anymore.
You look at the place of international cricket and it's
not the peak of the game anymore. It's now the club,
the club.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Game, franchise game. Don't you call it a game.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
I'm used to club football and that's club v. Country.
But you're right, there is a lot for Jeff Aller
to come in and sort of get a hold of
pretty quickly, because we know that NZ twenty does have
a very short run way to get.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Off the ground. His first day in the job, knees
under the Table, started July. What's going to be happening
between now and the start of July doesn't twenty you
have to kind of maybe be up and running by then.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I love these words.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
I understand talks are ongoing and that they are positive.
The big obs to call at the moment is that
January window. The Black Caps are due to play Sri
Lanka in the Test series during that time. Whether or
not that can be moved is something. Just how much
of NZ twenty New Zealand CREDI will owns another thing
they have to work out. Obviously, the initial concept was
(14:39):
that it would be completely private. Now it's going.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
To well Criveton, no, no, no, we'd actually like some
skin of this game because it is kind of our game,
and I think they need that control or that ability
to have some form of control and where the balances there.
Speaker 6 (14:56):
I think if NZ twenty is going to work as intended,
it does need to be privately run. We're seeing with
Super Rugby the difficulty in making it into a profitable competition.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Well, it's not.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
It's not because of the involvement of New Zealand Rugby
and Rugby Australia as is. They want it's their competition,
They felt they should run it. But you look at
you know the great privately run leagues around the world.
You look at I mean it's not apples with apples,
but the CPL and that is completely independent and sold
back to Westerndiest Cricket and that's a great success. The
SA twenty in South Africa. It's similar the IPL, the
(15:30):
All Conquering Beast. There is definite involvement with Indian Cricket,
the BCCI. So it's about finding a structure that everyone
is comfortable with and can agree on. And I mean
the clock is ticking because they want it to be
up and running in January next year. But there are,
of course, there are going to be compromises that each
side has to make.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Well, there always is negotiating, absolutely, that's what they are.
I want this, well, I want that. Akay, where do
we meet? That's the way it works. And from my
personal experience with Chief Allett, because I was pestering when
he was a player, and of peat that I'm right
the way through his career. He's a pretty upfront guy,
pretty easy to deal with. But the proof of the pudding,
of course, will be.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
In the eat your favorite saying.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Let's move on to our second topic, Miami on last week,
I said, oh're still a couple of weeks away. Now
it's come quicker than I thought. Five weeks a long time,
but it's accelerated. Excuse the pump, but it has, isn't it.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
How are you feeling because I sort of don't know
what to make of this. You know, we've had the
regulations change in between racing and now we're going to
you know, teams have obviously had more than a month
to work out what they're doing and try and get better.
But now that they're actually going to be on track
racing this weekend, I think it's just almost like a
complete reset. Will Mercedes still be the dominant team?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Nobody knows until post race. Matter is that they can.
You can make up whatever you want during the practice,
doing anything, doing qualifying, but when the racings is on,
we'll see if any of these extraordinarily complex tweaks have
made any difference at all, because you kind of go
blank when you listen to someone explain them to your
sah whatever.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
Yeah, it's it's like we've been saying, all yeah, we
will not know until we see each track host a race.
You know, the regulations had a completely different effect on
Melbourne than they did on Shanghai. You know, they had
a different effect on Suzuka. We've obviously had two races
canceled because of the fantastic operations of the US and
the Middle East. Not so yeah, what happens in Miami.
(17:27):
Miami is a really tricky track. You know, it's not
quite a street circuit, but it's not quite a race track.
It's just a car park of a stadium. So I think,
come this time Monday will happen, Maybe have a better
idea of where things are going to go.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Which is kind of funny because the two Middle Eastern
races that were left off the calendar because of that
wonderful homeless situation, they basically looked like car parks. So
I had to say, I don't like them at all.
So the big thing for us this week we want
to see Mercedes. We want to see if every board
actually lifted their game or not. We want to look
(18:01):
at Ferrari. They've continued what these adjustments have done to
change the relative speeds of these cars. But what do
we want to look at?
Speaker 6 (18:09):
Well, I mean I want to look at Aston Martin,
but I know you want to look at Liam Lawson.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Indeed, I do not in a creepy way, but so
talk to me about Aston Martin.
Speaker 6 (18:17):
Aston Martin have been a train wreck this year. They
put so much into the recruitment side, so they've spent
hundreds of millions getting Adrian Neui the car designer, but
there has just been a horrendous stuff up with their
engine from Honda. So Hondra were of course with Red
Bull last year they wanted out of the sport. They've
managed to go to Aston Martin and from what we
learned in Melbourne, a bunch of people who were involved
(18:38):
with Honda and making the engine at Red Bull have
left the company all together before they've moved to Honda.
So you've got people designing an engine who have never
designed the Formula One engine before. So now that they
are comfortably the worst team on the grid, even behind Cadillac,
who are brand new to the sport this year. So
whether or not that the five week break we've had
will actually help them's going to be another thing where
(18:59):
we can actually see because you look at the resource
that goes into Aston Martin and they spend just as
much as anyone and they have got nothing to show
for it.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
And Liam Laws and he's having a great not great,
He's having a good season. He's having acceptable season so far.
Expectations of him over the next few.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
Months, I'd say he's exceeding expectations. You know, you were
expecting well, so we went, but Red Bull were very
much expecting him to come in and be a bit
of a yardstick for his new teammate Avid Limblad, and
he is eating him comfortably. I've nearly just said a
swear with what.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
He's showing the value of experience. And look Arvid limblade
playing is a quick racer, but time in the saddle
and Liam's had that, so of course that's going to
show up surely.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Yeah, And editors, you look at how Liam's going compared
to He's a Cadja who was his teammate last year.
Haj I got promoted to Red Bull ahead of laws
and potentially going back there. And Liam is miles clear.
You know you can't overtake him. He is really turning
into the complete driver. Drives a wide car, drives a
wide car. You don't want to be stuck behind him, No,
you don't looking.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Forward to that? Well, eight o'clock on Monday morning.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Yeah, sprint race as well now Sunday.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
They've got everything, the whole lot, and we've had Alex
Powell here in the pleasure that I'm that I've got
to stop saying in the chamber, Alex, thanks for your
time anytime, mate.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Beating a X. We've got just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix powered by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Thanks very much for listening to The Fix. Been a
real pleasure bringing you this podcast. If you've enjoyed it,
please subscribe that way it'll turn up in your inbox
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(20:47):
thought between seven and eight pm Monday to Friday. Jason
Pine's got the Monday gig. I'm Tuesday through Friday, and
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Sport twelve day through till three o'clock Saturday and Sunday.
We'd both love for you to join us on any
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two or give us a ring. Oh eight hundred and
(21:08):
eight ten eight That was the fix for Tuesday, the
twenty eighth of April twenty twenty six. You look after Yourself.
Back again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
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