Andrew Alderson: NZME Cricket Commentator on the third test between the Black Caps and England

A green carpet has been rolled out at Hamilton's Seddon Park for Tim Southee's 107th and final cricket test, in the third dead rubber against England starting at 11 this morning. 

One end of the ground has been named after Southee, which suggests he'll feature – unless some form of cruel joke is at play. 

The Alternative Commentary Collective has also organised the attendance of a life-sized camel, in reference to one of his nicknames. 

Black Caps captain Tom Latham has acknowledged Southee's value as a bowler and leader across more than 16 years but says his chat and catching in the cordon has added value too. 

NZME cricket commentator Andrew Alderson joins D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the third test.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from newstalk s'b.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning Andrew Ordison.

Speaker 3 (00:15):
Yeah, greeting stars, lovely day here and Hamilton just looking
out a completely asure a sky and I think it's
expected for much of the day as well. So yeah,
this final dead rubber test with his in and down
soon ill, but it'll be the opportunity. This morning I
guessed to say farewell to Tim Souley and he may

(00:35):
even depending on who bowls or bants first, he may
be bowling from a Tim south the end at Sidon
Park this morning.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
So who definitely be picked? I mean you can't name
an end the Tim Southy End and then make him
run drinks, can you.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
I wouldn't have thought, sir, that would be a fairly
cruel joke. I would have thought on one hundred and
six test career. And I know there's this plenty of
argument to suggest that, you know, he could go as
to whether he should be picked in the team at
this particular juncture, but I think we also have to
reflect on a magnificent career that Tim Soudy has brought

(01:11):
to the Black Camps across a golden era. So yeah,
there's a Tim soud the end his uh faces and
blazing across the big screen with the farewell Tim and
these sorts of things.

Speaker 4 (01:24):
There's also a.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Camel that's standing by I think courtesy of the Alternative
Commentary Collective, next to the groundsman shed a life sized
camel that will that will be in situe for the
entire game by lots of things.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Is it a single humper or a double hump camel?

Speaker 4 (01:43):
It's a single humper And is that a dromedary or
is that a the other one?

Speaker 2 (01:52):
The other one was google quickly all seriousness around this?
Has there been way too much focus on Tim Soudy
for this serious because everything else is kind of paled
into insignificant. It's he's been touring his retirement now for
the last couple of weeks. Has gone over the.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Top could have done I think, I mean, it's the
valedictory tour, isn't it, And there has been a certain
focus on that rather than actually the wider context of
the series of course of England dominating.

Speaker 4 (02:21):
But I mean we do need to reflect on one
of our greates.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
But equally, I mean Nathan Smith is coming to the
regular whether Smith will play or not, I'm thinking, judging
by US State's training, Mitchell Santner in the pads, Smith
doing some bowling, a session of blue whereas the others
will rested. I'm thinking that maybe they're going to go
with Mitchell Santner here with the potential for the extra
turn that at Seddon Park later on in the game

(02:46):
if we get that farthest time.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
So yeah, you've probably got a good point there. That does.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
As far as England in their attitude towards this, They've
won the series, it's coming up Christmas, it's beautiful. Whether
have they checked out.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, I'd hesitant to say that, just by the way
they've played such clinical fashion across the first two games
where they have been stuck disappointing out Yesterday they switched off.
This will be their seventeenth test this year, but playing
a couple of games of golf and torpo on the
way through from Wellington and just being able to switch off,

(03:22):
which they're most grateful to be able to do under
their their golf loving coach Brendan McCallum.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
I have checked out. Do you think I've been playing
golf and they have been practicing.

Speaker 3 (03:32):
I would be his suggest that they're checked out given
the way they play. I think there it's just the
I think part of their culture now. It seems that
that's what I mean, And who can argue if upturn
all in a three Test series with one to play
but one change to their side. We'll see Matthew Potts,
who's been a bit of a nemesis for New Zealand,
at least from.

Speaker 4 (03:53):
That twenty twenty two series.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
It took fourteen wickets at twenty three point two eight
against his Inland.

Speaker 4 (03:58):
I was watching him practice yesterday. Matthew Potts, he is.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
Quite a force to be reckoned with at the bowl increase.
He's going to replace Chris Wokes. But other than that,
England unchanged the rest of their line up.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
Seventeen Test matches and twenty two points taken from their
World Test Championship tally bizarre.

Speaker 4 (04:19):
Realy, Oh, I know it is. It is with overrats, etc.
And it just seemed to me that they're philly blase
these Stokes.

Speaker 3 (04:29):
Has been about the World Test Championship, not as focused
on it as perhaps other teams would be. I mean,
maybe that's because they're down the table relatively early, but
there's certainly a team that you want to go and
watch and that's probably the the ultimate respect, isn't that
England would be one of those sides in the world
at the moment that are highly watchable in making.

Speaker 4 (04:51):
The Test game exciting in front.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Odd way to end an international home season because it's
ending before Christmas, it is a dead rubber. We've been thrashed,
we're out of World Test Championship recognition. There is no
Test match cricket for us for the next five months
or so, so we're not leaning really into anything. This
Test is almost in the twilight zone. It's about saving

(05:16):
face and not getting thrashed three zip and saying goodbye
to the sexy Camel. Is that understating it, Andrew or not?

Speaker 3 (05:25):
No, there's some fair points there and you think it
just it leaves a vacuum for me. I know they've
had an almost an extreme diet of Test cricket that
you think they missed that game again Stefana stand through
weather than you had Sri Lanka, India of course, the
historic Test Series victory and now England, so that's been
a full on diet. But now it's Zimbabwe in July

(05:47):
and in the West Indies and November, you just into
the void.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, I don't know about to set up because of
course we don't know if Steed's going to be around
because his contract expirees in June. Yeah, yeah, and so
nothing to prove them from there to there. No player's
been better than because we don't know. We haven't demonstrated
the ability to bring other people into the fold because
Stead hasn't. It just seems, as I said, it's a

(06:14):
twilight zone of a Test. But I'll still watch it
and so are you because we love the cricket right
well exactly.

Speaker 4 (06:20):
But I mean other players have been brought in. I
think over time.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
If you think that Nathan Smith's in there now and
will be for the Sevil future, you've got Willow Rourke
has been a few players, developed a white ball level, etc.
I mean a lot of the players have established themselves
on that side too and deserved their places and deserve
to stay on. So I think it's relatively settled in

(06:44):
that regard. But it's just the fact that you haven't
got anything to really gate against. I mean Zimbabwe, they're
not even part of the World Test Championship, so it's
a it's a tricky scenario, real, yeah, vacuum and that
and void if you like, before next summer and beyond
into the next round of that World Test Championship.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
But I know you can fill the void with your
delightful vocabulary. Mister Aldison, Thank you very much for your time,
for your love, and I'm sure we'll catch up before Christmas.
If you don't have a cracker, mate, watch out for
the reindeer poo on your roof.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
Always gonna be a kept for that, don't you.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:24):
Make sure for more from the Your Sport Breakfast with
Darcy Watergrave, listen live to News Talk set be on
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