D'Arcy Waldegrave: T20 insights from a former ICC Chair

I was fortunate enough to talk with Greg Barclay this week.   

Greg Barclay served as the chair of the ICC for four years (2020-2024), a position he also held at NZ Cricket (2016-2020). He now sits on the board of NZ Rugby. It’s fair to say that Greg is very well schooled in the vagaries of our summer game and sport administration in general. Greg also had a stint as an independent director on the board of International Rugby League.   

Greg, a measured and experienced administrator, made some very astute points around the turgid and weighty situation that NZC has found itself in over the future of its T20 programme.  

The game is in a state of flux. 

There are many self-interested parties pulling the game in different directions, with a CEO who finds himself on the rack, being stretched like a medieval torture victim. An uncomfortable situation for Scott Weenink to find himself in. Uncomfortable enough to take a week off. Whether this was planned leave or a convenient escape is a moot point. He’s not there, that’s all we can be certain of.  

Plainly, a calm and considered process must be followed in order to arrive at a conclusion that is the best for the whole game, not just the gifted few who play cricket at the elite level.  

Greg said this T20 space has been with NZC for over 15 years. NZ is now the only player in world cricket that doesn’t have a competition akin to the major pro leagues.  

He made point that even without that foothold, has NZ Cricket actually suffered?  

NZC is adamant that the Super Smash is about player development, nothing more, nothing less. The results and position the Black Caps hold on the international scene suggest that in this space, the Super Smash has hit all its marks.   

Begs the question really, in grand scheme of things, and while the international calendar is still in flux itself, does anything need to change?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
I was fortunate enough this week to talk with Greg Barclay.
Greg served as the chair of the ICC for four
years twenty twenty to twenty twenty four, position he also
held at New Zealand Cricket for the four years previous
sixteen to twenty. He our sits on the board of
New Zealand Rugby. Looks fair to say that Gregor is
pretty well scored in the vagaries of our summer game

(00:33):
and sport administration in general. Hell Greg also as an
independent director on the board of International Rugby League. Talented
man Greg I measured an experienced administrator. He made some
various stute points around the turgeon and weighty situation that
New Zealand Cricket has found itself and over the future

(00:54):
of his T twenty program. Go to News Talk ZB
dot co, dot and Z, have a search and take
a listen to me in Greg Barclay. The game is
in a state of flux. There are many self and
parties pulling the game in different directions, with a CEO
who finds himself on the rack there being stretched like
a medieval torture victim himself. It's a very uncomfortable situation

(01:17):
for Scott Weiningk to find himself, and so uncomfortable he
took a week off. Whether this was planned leave or
a convenience escape. As a moot point, he's not there,
That's all we can be certain of. Plainly, a calm
and considered process must be followed in order to arrive
at a conclusion that is best for the whole game,

(01:38):
not just the gifted few who play cricket at the
elite level. Greg said that this T twenty space has
been with NZ cricket for over fifteen years. This is
not a new tarsl. He's he on now being the
only player in world cricket that doesn't have a competition
akin to the major pro Legus Carabbean Premier League, the

(02:00):
South African version, the Big Bash that the list goes on.
But he made a very good point that even without
that foothold has New Zealand cricket actually suffered these in
Cricket's adamant that the Super Smash is about player development,
I think more nothing less. The results and the position

(02:22):
that the black Caps hold on the international scene suggest
that in this space, the super smash has hit all
of its marks. I mean, you look at the development
of the bowling stocks we have and what they're filtered
through and what they did in the Test match just
gone completely in experience, but had the experience at that

(02:43):
super smash level. Yeah, like Test VT twenty bit tests
I played like T twenty these days anyway, aren't there.
So it begs the question, really, in the grand scheme
of all things cricket, and while the international calendar is
still in flux itself, does anything really need to change?

Speaker 1 (03:05):
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