November 27, 2024 • 10 mins
Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell admits the allure of another World Test Championship final is lingering in the thoughts of the Black Caps ahead of their opening test against England starting tomorrow in Christchurch.
A 3-nil whitewash of the visitors - backing up their series sweep in India - would give New Zealand the best possible chance of making the final, if other results go their way.
Blundell says it's in the back of their minds.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be black Caps.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
That's the flavor right here right now. Tom Blundele joins us.
God a Tom, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
How are you? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Not so bad? Looking forward to Thursday? On the beautiful ground? Wow,
my favorite anyway, Hagley Oval, maybe not yours. You probably
prefer the base and reserve. What a great place to
start a series though.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
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 3 (00:45):
How do you ground yourself after what was and still
is an extraordinary result on the sub continent? Is it
necessary to pull yourself back and try and like flatten
it out or do you celebrate and carry on yahooing?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
I guess it's very hard because, you know, to win
a series in the neel like we did, it's it's
pretty hard to sort of come down from that.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
But you know, this the series is a new one, you.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Know, in different conditions all together against a very good
England side. So we're trying to take as much momentum
from that series and confidence into the series coming up.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
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 (01:32):
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, basball 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
which is which is a nice mind frame to be in.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Do you consider this baseball concept much? It's quite a
good term to throw around. But how much as that
plan to what you guys do in your approach?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, I guess it changes our plans a little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
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
come come the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Well, throwing a bit of a spanner in the work,
seven't they with the introduction of the brand you fella
coming in at first drop? That's quite the shock, and
I suppose more so the nextually announced their team so early.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Tom, Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
You know, 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 batting 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 3 (02:56):
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? Much time have you spend looking at that
transfer of skills on different surfaces?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Yeah, I guess we're we're pretty familiar with these conditions.
We obviously play day and day out in these conditions,
but you know, I in India, 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
of wickets and you know, like like I said before,
we're pretty familiar and we're confident in our home conditions.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
And you talk much about what you can possibly achieve
red World Test Championship or is that pushing the boat
out a weep it too far?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Yeah, I guess that's in our in the back of
our minds, and you know, that'd be a great, great.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Thing to achieve.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
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 be amazing.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
The way you face up to that, it's like, yeah,
you know, we have thought about it, but we've got
to focus on the here and now. But it sits
in the back of your mind, and that's is that
uplifting for you guys looking at that but not taking
it too much into account.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah it is. I think you know, you want to
be in the mixer.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I guess, like as a team, you want to be
in the mixer to make the final. And we've got
that opportunity to do so. But you know, we're we're
we're as a group, we're pretty confident we can you know,
achieve you know, a three three nil whitewash, I guess.
But you know England are a very good side and
what they bring is different. But you know, we're as
a side, like I said, we're pretty confident.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
How surprised you at the way India turned around and
flogged Australia and that first test? That was something else,
wasn't it. Did you watch much of that? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I did. I watched quite a bit of it.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
You know, I really enjoy watching watching Australian cricket and
you know, it's a fantastic series and it was. It
was pretty amazing to see India go about it, go
about their business, you know, especially coming off what we
did to them. But you know it's gonna that's here
is going to be a great one to watch and
you know Ossie hopefully come back and make them make
the series interesting.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
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's
moved to six or something to the whole at three.
(05:33):
How disruptive is having such a change in order and
manpower in the lead up to a test? You think?
Speaker 2 (05:41):
I think these days it's pretty easy.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
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
he could. He could adjust pretty quickly and he probably
gets that confidence from from Bas he can do a
great job and then fill the role.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
It's all about playing for a team. You all know
that we love about cracket 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 likeness?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Not really.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
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.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Whatever that may look like. It might be.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
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 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
not be this game and might be the next game.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
But it's all about contributions.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I reckon and you talked about reapplication on a very
different surface. Is there anything you can actually take out
of that Indian series that you can apply or improve
in this series? Being so different, I.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Think it's just completely different. You know, we face a
lot of spin over there. The first test, we face
a bit of Boomer. You know, obviously he's he's one
of the best going around, but you know, we face
a lot of spin. But it's all about just adjusting
to probably the balance more so here and probably Wellington
as well.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
But that's I think it's very hard to take out
what we did in India.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
You know, we again we face a lot of spin
on spinning wickets, but he's going to be completely different.
The wicket looks a little bit green and we're probably
gonna expect that throughout the series.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
It's an old trick, isn't it. Green scene room Wellington
too and the opposition freak out and realize it's going
to be flat as a bandcake. I like what they
do in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Yeah, it's normally you turn up and it's green. It's
it's it's that grass. But I think if you get
through the hour there, you know it can be a
really good batting wicket. More so probably that goes with
all around the country as well. Looks really green. You
want to bowl first, but if you bet well in
a play yourself for the first session it can be
a pretty nice wiket wickets.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
A bet on second Test and the series looking forward
to that one. How Tim Soudy'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
(08:24):
slowly slipped the way. How does that work with the
attitude of the team. What do you take on board
with that?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yeah, I guess it's a tough one when you lose
so much experience out of a group.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Timmy has been around for.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
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 do, Matt Henry there, even Ben
Sears when fat You know, I think we've got we've
covered that. But Timmy's going to be a big miss
what he brings to the group in the chaining room.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
You know, he's been you.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
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 to an end unfortunately,
And one last.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Thing and thanks are as always for joining us. Tom
Blundell have you ever heard of Bevan John Jacobs before?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I have.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
I experienced him in a Ford Hour gift for Wellington
a couple of weeks ago, and you better really well,
you know he's when he when he hit the ball,
it stays at He's a big boy, quite a tall boy,
but you know the way he hits the ball, it's
pretty clean. But you know, to to hear him going
in the ipower was a bit of a surprise, but
(09:42):
you know it's it's awesome for him and I guess
for Kiwis in general, to you know, get that exposure
and one of the biggest leagues in the world.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
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 2 (09:57):
Thanks for having me mate.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
there'd be from seven pm weekdays well follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be black Caps.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
That's the flavor right here right now. Tom Blundele joins us.
God a Tom, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
How are you? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Not so bad? Looking forward to Thursday? On the beautiful ground? Wow,
my favorite anyway, Hagley Oval, maybe not yours. You probably
prefer the base and reserve. What a great place to
start a series though.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
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 3 (00:45):
How do you ground yourself after what was and still
is an extraordinary result on the sub continent? Is it
necessary to pull yourself back and try and like flatten
it out or do you celebrate and carry on yahooing?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
I guess it's very hard because, you know, to win
a series in the neel like we did, it's it's
pretty hard to sort of come down from that.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
But you know, this the series is a new one, you.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Know, in different conditions all together against a very good
England side. So we're trying to take as much momentum
from that series and confidence into the series coming up.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
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 (01:32):
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, basball 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
which is which is a nice mind frame to be in.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Do you consider this baseball concept much? It's quite a
good term to throw around. But how much as that
plan to what you guys do in your approach?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, I guess it changes our plans a little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
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
come come the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Well, throwing a bit of a spanner in the work,
seven't they with the introduction of the brand you fella
coming in at first drop? That's quite the shock, and
I suppose more so the nextually announced their team so early.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Tom, Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
You know, 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 batting 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 3 (02:56):
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? Much time have you spend looking at that
transfer of skills on different surfaces?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Yeah, I guess we're we're pretty familiar with these conditions.
We obviously play day and day out in these conditions,
but you know, I in India, 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
of wickets and you know, like like I said before,
we're pretty familiar and we're confident in our home conditions.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
And you talk much about what you can possibly achieve
red World Test Championship or is that pushing the boat
out a weep it too far?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Yeah, I guess that's in our in the back of
our minds, and you know, that'd be a great, great.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Thing to achieve.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
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 be amazing.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
The way you face up to that, it's like, yeah,
you know, we have thought about it, but we've got
to focus on the here and now. But it sits
in the back of your mind, and that's is that
uplifting for you guys looking at that but not taking
it too much into account.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah it is. I think you know, you want to
be in the mixer.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I guess, like as a team, you want to be
in the mixer to make the final. And we've got
that opportunity to do so. But you know, we're we're
we're as a group, we're pretty confident we can you know,
achieve you know, a three three nil whitewash, I guess.
But you know England are a very good side and
what they bring is different. But you know, we're as
a side, like I said, we're pretty confident.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
How surprised you at the way India turned around and
flogged Australia and that first test? That was something else,
wasn't it. Did you watch much of that? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I did. I watched quite a bit of it.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
You know, I really enjoy watching watching Australian cricket and
you know, it's a fantastic series and it was. It
was pretty amazing to see India go about it, go
about their business, you know, especially coming off what we
did to them. But you know it's gonna that's here
is going to be a great one to watch and
you know Ossie hopefully come back and make them make
the series interesting.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
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's
moved to six or something to the whole at three.
(05:33):
How disruptive is having such a change in order and
manpower in the lead up to a test? You think?
Speaker 2 (05:41):
I think these days it's pretty easy.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
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
he could. He could adjust pretty quickly and he probably
gets that confidence from from Bas he can do a
great job and then fill the role.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
It's all about playing for a team. You all know
that we love about cracket 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 likeness?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Not really.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
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.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Whatever that may look like. It might be.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
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 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
not be this game and might be the next game.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
But it's all about contributions.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I reckon and you talked about reapplication on a very
different surface. Is there anything you can actually take out
of that Indian series that you can apply or improve
in this series? Being so different, I.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Think it's just completely different. You know, we face a
lot of spin over there. The first test, we face
a bit of Boomer. You know, obviously he's he's one
of the best going around, but you know, we face
a lot of spin. But it's all about just adjusting
to probably the balance more so here and probably Wellington
as well.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
But that's I think it's very hard to take out
what we did in India.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
You know, we again we face a lot of spin
on spinning wickets, but he's going to be completely different.
The wicket looks a little bit green and we're probably
gonna expect that throughout the series.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
It's an old trick, isn't it. Green scene room Wellington
too and the opposition freak out and realize it's going
to be flat as a bandcake. I like what they
do in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Yeah, it's normally you turn up and it's green. It's
it's it's that grass. But I think if you get
through the hour there, you know it can be a
really good batting wicket. More so probably that goes with
all around the country as well. Looks really green. You
want to bowl first, but if you bet well in
a play yourself for the first session it can be
a pretty nice wiket wickets.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
A bet on second Test and the series looking forward
to that one. How Tim Soudy'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
(08:24):
slowly slipped the way. How does that work with the
attitude of the team. What do you take on board
with that?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yeah, I guess it's a tough one when you lose
so much experience out of a group.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Timmy has been around for.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
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 do, Matt Henry there, even Ben
Sears when fat You know, I think we've got we've
covered that. But Timmy's going to be a big miss
what he brings to the group in the chaining room.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
You know, he's been you.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
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 to an end unfortunately,
And one last.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Thing and thanks are as always for joining us. Tom
Blundell have you ever heard of Bevan John Jacobs before?
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I have.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
I experienced him in a Ford Hour gift for Wellington
a couple of weeks ago, and you better really well,
you know he's when he when he hit the ball,
it stays at He's a big boy, quite a tall boy,
but you know the way he hits the ball, it's
pretty clean. But you know, to to hear him going
in the ipower was a bit of a surprise, but
(09:42):
you know it's it's awesome for him and I guess
for Kiwis in general, to you know, get that exposure
and one of the biggest leagues in the world.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
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 2 (09:57):
Thanks for having me mate.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
there'd be from seven pm weekdays well follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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