October 9, 2025 • 8 mins
The White Ferns have struggled to fire throughout the first two matches of the women's ODI World Cup, falling short against Australia and South Africa.
With their third game coming up tomorrow night against Bangladesh, they will know how important a win will be in order to make it to the knockout stages of the tournament.
D'Arcy spoke with White Ferns head coach Craig McMillan to reflect on the opening two matches of the World Cup and look ahead to tomorrow night.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave
from News Talk zed.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be talk about the White Fans now. They really haven't
got their shizzled together so far. First two matches the
winning ODI World Cup and they've beaten by the Australians
in South Africa and the South Africa one was galling
because they fell apart toward the end. Third game coming
up tomorrow night's against Bangladesh. Gotta win to make it
(00:35):
to the knockout stages. They could probably lose and squeeze through.
Bit of sense, they're gonna keep winning. They've got to
keep winning. Cove McMillan, he assistant coach of the White Ferns.
He's with us now to reflect on the on the
opening two matches of the World Cup and look ahead
to what Bugladesh offer tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Hey Craig, Hello dar mate.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
It's been a long time and now you find yourself
fully ensconced in a full time role with the White Ferns.
What a couple of months you've been involved in that
now and in the middle of a of a cricket
World Cup. How's that working out for you?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Loving it? It's I love World Cups Darcy. They are
always a highlight on any players or coaches career. They
are exciting opportunity. So yeah, we're in the heat of
battle in India. We've got a couple of big matches
coming up and we've got banglaish tomorrow, so that's a
huge match for this team.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Is it too much to say they're all big matches now?
Because Australia, you're granted that you're probably going to lose
to the I hate to say that, but that is
That's what history says. But second game, dropping the ball
against South Africa, it's starting to get very pressure based now,
quite stressful, I'd suggest.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I think that's a fair comment. I think five matches
left in the tournament. Probably have to win a minimum
of four, if not five, to qualify for the semi finals.
So yeah, we realize that with two losses to start,
not the ideal start, but we're confident. We know that
we've got to tidy up a few years in our game.
(02:05):
Something's going well, just a little bit of tiding up
of a couple of areas and confident that we can
get the win that we need to tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So you started it, I'll finish it what areas need
to be tidied predominantly.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
With the bat. We were probably thirty run short. The
other day. We had a great partnership between Brookla Day
and Sophie Devine, who's played beautifully this World Cup. The
skipper is really leading from the front, but we needed
that partnership to go another four or five overs, and
then we didn't quite get the waggle from the lower
order that we needed, so we were probably thirty run
short of a good total, a challenging total for South Africa.
(02:39):
And then I think the bull Darcy. It's pretty simple.
It's ball stump to stump, nice and straight. The pictures
here tend to be on the low slow side with
a bit of turn. We've just offered up a little
bit too much width at times, which if you get
with over here as a batter, you're going after it.
So if we just tidy up those two areas then
that will help us immensely.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Hungeredst didn't come down on the last show. They've played
a couple that've had one victory. There not to be
looked at as easy. I suppose at this level Shire
of Australia it's quite tight, isn't it in the middle
of the pack.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
It is. I mean Australia were nearly upset by Pakistan
last night. Australia was seventy for seven and their batting
as before, they had a bit of a rescue out
which got them out of trouble. So you can't underestimate
any of the teams in this tournament, Darcy. There is
on any given day anyone I think can beat anyone,
and certainly the conditions lend themselves to teams like Pakistan
(03:36):
and Bangladesh where spin is a major factor. So we
realize that coming up against Bangladesh tomorrow will probably have
forty overs of spin to face from a batting point
of view. So we've got to get our heads around that.
And if we can do that and develop some good
partnerships and someone go big like Sophie's Devine's done the
last couple of matches, then we could put a good total,
(03:58):
good score on the board.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
How do you load the team considering the amount of
tweaking you're going to have to face. Does that really
changed the nature of selection.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
It's certainly something that is talked about and challenged within
the coaching group in terms of the balance of the side,
and we think we've got the balance pretty well sorted.
We've got obviously Merely Kerr who's world class leg spinner,
is a danger every time she's got the ball in hand.
Eden Carson, who's done an excellent job for the White
fans over the last twelve to eighteen months. We've also
(04:29):
got a cupable of i'd say part time spinners, but
more than useful in the likes of Susie Bates and
Maddie Green, who I think we will probably look to
use a little bit more than what they have been
in the previous games, because I think as this tournament
goes on, Darcy, as you know in India, that spin
will become more and more prevalent.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So how about fighting or battling the spin if you've
got the batters to do that, do you.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Think without a doubt we have. We've worked long and
hard on a number of game plans to facing spin.
The ability and quite often when you talk about facing spin,
quite often people will talk about boundaries, but for me,
it's about the ability to rotate the strike and in
many ways to find a single to get off strike
(05:14):
to get down the other end. So we've done a
lot of practice, a lot of training around that. Like
I said, it worked pretty well the other day against
South Africa up until the last ten overs, so we
didn't really know those last ten overs, that death phase,
and that's something that we want to get right tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
So when the players look at themselves after that, what
are you going to call it collapse? Because that's what
it was. What was their summation of what happened, because
they're in the best place to self critique and to
adjust right.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, absolutely, And that's where you have reviews after every
game and you want that accountability, that honesty from the players,
and we had that the other day where you know
that partnership between Sophie and Brook Holliday as I mentioned,
needed to go for another four or five overs, which
would have made things easier for everyone else that was
coming in. So it's just about taking that accountability and
(06:04):
trying to make those partnerships a little bit longer, but
really just giving ourselves a chance to have a death
face because we haven't really had that yet, and we
know that we've got some good power in that lower
order if we give them the opportunity in the last four,
five six overs to come in and play with some freedom.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Sophie Devine's having won a hala Hella time nearly a
couple of hundred runs already, and then Susie Bates with
a similarly lengthy career. They started roughly around the same time,
having a merit. She doesn't score ducks and she's managed
to get too in a row. I don't know where
her head is at right now, but i'd suggest you'd
be fealthy, and it's only a matter of time before
(06:42):
it actually comes to pass that she scored some runs.
But you can't load too much on that, can you.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
No, But I think you're right to ussy. She saved
them up for tomorrow. She hasn't scored in those two games,
and if I was bung the dish, I'd be very
wary of Susie Bates, who played her three hundred and
fiftieth international match the other day, which is quite a
remarkable achievement. Sophie Devine played her three hundred, so over
six hundred matches between the two In terms of experience,
(07:08):
it's quite remarkable the longevity and the quality of those
two girls over a long period of time. So I guess,
when your backs are against the wall, a little bit, Dars,
who do you look for. You look for your experienced
players to come out and to lead the way, and
you get the other young younger players who will follow suits.
So I'm expecting the big match again from those two
(07:29):
to really lead the way tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
I'm interested in the development of the younger players. You
satisfied in your role that the experience that they're getting
or the opportunities you're giving them is it's going to
pay off long term. Who do you like their, Craig.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
We've got a number of youngsters within the group, and
obviously Georgia Plummer really came of age. I thought that
the T twenty World Cup last year. Watch and she's
been in the side for a couple of years. And
it's not easy, Darcy, when as a youngster you're trying
to loan or learn your trade, ply your trade at
the highest level. And a number of these girls are
doing that and sometimes you have to give them time
(08:06):
to actually get to the point. And I think we're
seeing that with the likes of Georgia Plummer. We're seeing
that with Izzy Gaze and Need and Carson. There's a
number of young girls who have shown already on the
international stage that they have the skill set and the
ability and the talent to be really successful for New
Zealand for a number of years. And that's really exciting
when you blend it in with some of those experience
(08:28):
players that we have, like as Susie Bates or a
Maddi Green or a Sophie Devine or a litt To
who there's a real good mix for me within this
white fan setup. So they're starting to perform and put
performances on the board and really is in New Zealand side.
We need everyone to be doing their job and chipping
in for.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
More from sports talk. Listen live to news Talks. They'd
be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave
from News Talk zed.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be talk about the White Fans now. They really haven't
got their shizzled together so far. First two matches the
winning ODI World Cup and they've beaten by the Australians
in South Africa and the South Africa one was galling
because they fell apart toward the end. Third game coming
up tomorrow night's against Bangladesh. Gotta win to make it
(00:35):
to the knockout stages. They could probably lose and squeeze through.
Bit of sense, they're gonna keep winning. They've got to
keep winning. Cove McMillan, he assistant coach of the White Ferns.
He's with us now to reflect on the on the
opening two matches of the World Cup and look ahead
to what Bugladesh offer tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Hey Craig, Hello dar mate.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
It's been a long time and now you find yourself
fully ensconced in a full time role with the White Ferns.
What a couple of months you've been involved in that
now and in the middle of a of a cricket
World Cup. How's that working out for you?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Loving it? It's I love World Cups Darcy. They are
always a highlight on any players or coaches career. They
are exciting opportunity. So yeah, we're in the heat of
battle in India. We've got a couple of big matches
coming up and we've got banglaish tomorrow, so that's a
huge match for this team.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Is it too much to say they're all big matches now?
Because Australia, you're granted that you're probably going to lose
to the I hate to say that, but that is
That's what history says. But second game, dropping the ball
against South Africa, it's starting to get very pressure based now,
quite stressful, I'd suggest.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I think that's a fair comment. I think five matches
left in the tournament. Probably have to win a minimum
of four, if not five, to qualify for the semi finals.
So yeah, we realize that with two losses to start,
not the ideal start, but we're confident. We know that
we've got to tidy up a few years in our game.
(02:05):
Something's going well, just a little bit of tiding up
of a couple of areas and confident that we can
get the win that we need to tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So you started it, I'll finish it what areas need
to be tidied predominantly.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
With the bat. We were probably thirty run short. The
other day. We had a great partnership between Brookla Day
and Sophie Devine, who's played beautifully this World Cup. The
skipper is really leading from the front, but we needed
that partnership to go another four or five overs, and
then we didn't quite get the waggle from the lower
order that we needed, so we were probably thirty run
short of a good total, a challenging total for South Africa.
(02:39):
And then I think the bull Darcy. It's pretty simple.
It's ball stump to stump, nice and straight. The pictures
here tend to be on the low slow side with
a bit of turn. We've just offered up a little
bit too much width at times, which if you get
with over here as a batter, you're going after it.
So if we just tidy up those two areas then
that will help us immensely.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Hungeredst didn't come down on the last show. They've played
a couple that've had one victory. There not to be
looked at as easy. I suppose at this level Shire
of Australia it's quite tight, isn't it in the middle
of the pack.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
It is. I mean Australia were nearly upset by Pakistan
last night. Australia was seventy for seven and their batting
as before, they had a bit of a rescue out
which got them out of trouble. So you can't underestimate
any of the teams in this tournament, Darcy. There is
on any given day anyone I think can beat anyone,
and certainly the conditions lend themselves to teams like Pakistan
(03:36):
and Bangladesh where spin is a major factor. So we
realize that coming up against Bangladesh tomorrow will probably have
forty overs of spin to face from a batting point
of view. So we've got to get our heads around that.
And if we can do that and develop some good
partnerships and someone go big like Sophie's Devine's done the
last couple of matches, then we could put a good total,
(03:58):
good score on the board.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
How do you load the team considering the amount of
tweaking you're going to have to face. Does that really
changed the nature of selection.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
It's certainly something that is talked about and challenged within
the coaching group in terms of the balance of the side,
and we think we've got the balance pretty well sorted.
We've got obviously Merely Kerr who's world class leg spinner,
is a danger every time she's got the ball in hand.
Eden Carson, who's done an excellent job for the White
fans over the last twelve to eighteen months. We've also
(04:29):
got a cupable of i'd say part time spinners, but
more than useful in the likes of Susie Bates and
Maddie Green, who I think we will probably look to
use a little bit more than what they have been
in the previous games, because I think as this tournament
goes on, Darcy, as you know in India, that spin
will become more and more prevalent.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So how about fighting or battling the spin if you've
got the batters to do that, do you.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Think without a doubt we have. We've worked long and
hard on a number of game plans to facing spin.
The ability and quite often when you talk about facing spin,
quite often people will talk about boundaries, but for me,
it's about the ability to rotate the strike and in
many ways to find a single to get off strike
(05:14):
to get down the other end. So we've done a
lot of practice, a lot of training around that. Like
I said, it worked pretty well the other day against
South Africa up until the last ten overs, so we
didn't really know those last ten overs, that death phase,
and that's something that we want to get right tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
So when the players look at themselves after that, what
are you going to call it collapse? Because that's what
it was. What was their summation of what happened, because
they're in the best place to self critique and to
adjust right.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, absolutely, And that's where you have reviews after every
game and you want that accountability, that honesty from the players,
and we had that the other day where you know
that partnership between Sophie and Brook Holliday as I mentioned,
needed to go for another four or five overs, which
would have made things easier for everyone else that was
coming in. So it's just about taking that accountability and
(06:04):
trying to make those partnerships a little bit longer, but
really just giving ourselves a chance to have a death
face because we haven't really had that yet, and we
know that we've got some good power in that lower
order if we give them the opportunity in the last four,
five six overs to come in and play with some freedom.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Sophie Devine's having won a hala Hella time nearly a
couple of hundred runs already, and then Susie Bates with
a similarly lengthy career. They started roughly around the same time,
having a merit. She doesn't score ducks and she's managed
to get too in a row. I don't know where
her head is at right now, but i'd suggest you'd
be fealthy, and it's only a matter of time before
(06:42):
it actually comes to pass that she scored some runs.
But you can't load too much on that, can you.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
No, But I think you're right to ussy. She saved
them up for tomorrow. She hasn't scored in those two games,
and if I was bung the dish, I'd be very
wary of Susie Bates, who played her three hundred and
fiftieth international match the other day, which is quite a
remarkable achievement. Sophie Devine played her three hundred, so over
six hundred matches between the two In terms of experience,
(07:08):
it's quite remarkable the longevity and the quality of those
two girls over a long period of time. So I guess,
when your backs are against the wall, a little bit, Dars,
who do you look for. You look for your experienced
players to come out and to lead the way, and
you get the other young younger players who will follow suits.
So I'm expecting the big match again from those two
(07:29):
to really lead the way tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
I'm interested in the development of the younger players. You
satisfied in your role that the experience that they're getting
or the opportunities you're giving them is it's going to
pay off long term. Who do you like their, Craig.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
We've got a number of youngsters within the group, and
obviously Georgia Plummer really came of age. I thought that
the T twenty World Cup last year. Watch and she's
been in the side for a couple of years. And
it's not easy, Darcy, when as a youngster you're trying
to loan or learn your trade, ply your trade at
the highest level. And a number of these girls are
doing that and sometimes you have to give them time
(08:06):
to actually get to the point. And I think we're
seeing that with the likes of Georgia Plummer. We're seeing
that with Izzy Gaze and Need and Carson. There's a
number of young girls who have shown already on the
international stage that they have the skill set and the
ability and the talent to be really successful for New
Zealand for a number of years. And that's really exciting
when you blend it in with some of those experience
(08:28):
players that we have, like as Susie Bates or a
Maddi Green or a Sophie Devine or a litt To
who there's a real good mix for me within this
white fan setup. So they're starting to perform and put
performances on the board and really is in New Zealand side.
We need everyone to be doing their job and chipping
in for.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
More from sports talk. Listen live to news Talks. They'd
be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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