December 20, 2024 • 14 mins
Where is New Zealand's home of cricket?
Craig Cumming has played at them all, coached at them all, and been a spectator at them all.
From the Basin Reserve, to the Hagley Oval, to the Bay Oval, Piney and Craig discuss their favourites.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalksb Where is.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
New Zealand's home of cricket? Craig Coming has played at
the Mall, coached at the mall, broadcast at the Mall,
and been a spectator at the All, so I think
he's fairly well qualified to at least kick off the
discussion with us. Craig get Amy, thanks for Johannus. Can
we start with the Basin Reserve, which I think we
all agree is New Zealand Cricket's spiritual home. Now, what
(00:37):
are the pros and the cons of the Basin Reserve?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
First of all, yeah, it's always a bit of debate
and good aft and pony. Yeah, the base In Reserve,
certainly it wasn't a great ground to enjoy playing, and
I say that for a couple of reasons. I call
it the home of New Zealand cricket because I think
we've got.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
The museum there. Most of our major.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Events or crackle events have happened at the Basin Reserve,
and you certainly get that fear when you walk into
the ground. But there's neither are not only suddly, neither
were very nice.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Most of the time.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It's called a massive block, so fielding on it used
to be awful because you'd skin your knees and then
you used to have the dungeon downstairs. From a changing
room point of view, the good news is they've done
a lot of that stuff up. But I think, and
from a commentary point of view, awful because you've got
to climb about one hundred and fifty stairs and you're
at the back of the arrow outstand and you fight
the pigeons. So luckily we've had some good records there.
(01:31):
I'm going to wind up the Wellington listeners, but I
do call it New Zealand's spiritual home. Like you said,
it's the historical part. But it certainly wasn't my favorite
ground to play on. One of the major benefits though
behind it used to be it was a great betting surface,
so used to love batting there, so as a cricketer
you used to look forward to turning up as a batter.
But overall experience it was never the best one other
(01:52):
than they were the best with the toasty pie machine,
always the first to have the toasty pie machine. Tiny
it was the big plated one they used to have
all the fillings in the chiller. So that was the
best part of the Basement Reserve.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Well, that's so like a key part. Are the sounds
of it for pore enjoyment and comfort?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Absolutely? What about what about looking down? I mean, you're right,
the commentary box is right at the top of the
ra vance stand. Once you're there, the view's pretty good,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Oh, it's amazing. One of the things with commentary there's
two parts. You've got to commentate off the screen. But
one of the great things about the Basement Reserve because
of your behind the bowler's arm and you can look
up and you can see where the ball's going. You
can see the field in front of you, so you've
got the ability to call off the screen, but then
look and predict what's going to happen because you can
(02:37):
actually see the whole field. So you did, right, That's
one of the beauties there. It was just getting there
was the challenge getting up those stea especially in for shoes.
But no, that was I mean people probably realize like
some other grounds like Napier beautiful commentary box, but you're
in the corner down by third man and you're at
ground level. So when the ball gets hit you look up,
you actually can't tell if it's going to go to
(02:58):
a fielder or land in the space or go for
six or four. That is the great thing at the
base in Reserve that you've got that ability. So yeah,
from that perspective, yeah, a lot of fun. And also
you can get quite close to radio people, TV people,
so you get to have a lot of interaction during
the day.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
All right, So that's the basin Reserve and it's pros
and cons. Let's go to Hagley Oval. How does that
compare along similar lines? Are similar metrics.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I'm going to say this tongue in cheek, piney, and
I'm saying I'm leaving the country in a month's time.
The number one problem and this used to be me,
so I'm actually throwing stains. The worst thing about going
to Hagley is you've got to go to Kantaps. You've
got Cantap Brown.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So again tug and cheek.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
I mean, I've got family there, I grew up there,
I represented that province.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
But I'm allowed to say that with a tongue in cheek.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
But Hagley a beautiful ground, absolutely beautiful ground done an
amazing job. Again, a wonderful commentary box. But you're down
in the corner again, you're not quite don't quite have
the same view. But one thing about it as big
and as spacious, you know, from a playing point of view,
I got to play on it at the very start.
I used to play there a lot at Canterbury when
it was just the old grounds. Absolutely wonderful I know
(04:07):
from a spectator's point of view because I've got family
to go. They're really tough there when it's hot because
you can't get away from the sun because there's not
a lot of shade on those banks. I know the
players love it. The pictures fantastic, The changing rooms are
very good and the viewing rooms are excellent. So yep,
you know, if you're going to do a ground and
do it right, Hagley, you have picked all those boxes.
So yet, while I wind up the Cantasa saying that
(04:29):
it's a great place to go whether you're playing, you're
commentating and you're coaching, but I'm not calling it my
favorite ground or best ground in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
All right, we're going to come to that because just
on Hagley, the other part of it is its location,
and I saw the England team took scooters to the ground.
I mean, whereas the basement reserves basically a big round
about Hackley Oval. You're walking through Hagley Park and all
of a sudden, no, here's an international cricket ground. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
The thing I think about is the practicality. Piney and
Wellington is bad because car parks. So we used to
have to back in Wellington College. That's a long walk
in dress shoes down down around the roundabout. Trying to
get over that roundabout dangerous. And then if you think
a car park warden is around the country are tough,
well you try and get a park at Hagley.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
If you haven't got the right permit, you will not
get past that first gate.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And where you park the Hagley if you don't get
in that first gat, there is nowhere to park. You
end up behind the hospital. Sometimes you're going to pretend
you've got a limp and a broken finger to park.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
An A and e.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So that's actually one of the downsides of Hay even
though from a walking point of it, you are.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Better to take a scooter.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
But I was dressed in a suit and if I
fell off I've written a suit the difference in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
If you try and take a.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Scooter you've got to go into the breeze, you actually
go nowhere. So you know those two things aren't great
for both of those grounds.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
All right, So we've had the basin in Hagley. You
alluded to it mysteriously. What is your favorite ground?
Speaker 4 (05:51):
Well, interestingly, it's not University of Tago Oval.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
My favorite ground to play on was actually Queenstown because
of heaps of different reasons. But actually my favorite ground
as a commentator and as a spectator, believe it or not,
was Bayoval Covers One. Again very much like Hagglee. They
have set it up beautifully, car parking right beside the ground,
so we always got that there was a whole lot
(06:15):
of food trucks behind the commentary box. But I always
thought from a perspective that when you turn up there
Piney in the middle of summer, it's always warm. So
I think from a fan experience, you turn up, you
enjoy the conditions so much like Hagley, and like the
Base Reserve, you don't have a bad advantage spot because
you basically sit all around it. I love the fact
(06:36):
that from a commentary. We were behind the bowler's arm,
but it was a new commentary box. It wasn't big,
but we felt a little bit closer than those other two.
So you know, bo, maybe it's because of the weather,
the atmosphere. You know, you're close to the beach, you've
got nice swimming pools, good accommodation. To me, that was
just and I played there a couple of times, just
had a really lovely feel. It was one of those
(06:57):
places that could pour down and the outfield has made
of sand. You're literally back on it. So I don't
know what there was, just a reason why I love it,
and I think it might be to do with the
weather from Dunedin where it's colder. You know what it's
like in Wannington, even christ in a day night can
get quite cold. So I think that's probably the only
reason why from a fan experience and from a personal experience,
why I put that as my number one all right.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
The other part about the mount though, is there's not
a heck of a lot of shade on that band either.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
No, there's not. No, you did right.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
There seems to be a nice breeze, but it's always
a warm breeze Pony even if you know whichever a way,
Unlike you know Wellington Dunedin, we get the easterly or
the southerly. G was you're reaching for your rugs so
but not much to separate them, to be honest. But
I think actually, I mean we've left out Probably the
most important one is Timory Boys High School victory.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I mean that is at the Home and Champions.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I was thinking about it just before Pony, that produced
Brendan Laney as a rugby player, that produced Hate and
Padden in a rally car. I mean you have not
a great from around the rictory.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Tom Walsh was doing the shot.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Putting on that and you know the great Jack Glove
Loots used to run around it and prepared to go
to running races. To be fair, the most important and
most influential ground in New Zealand has to be Timory
Boys High School Victory.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Look, I think it probably is. It's off to one
side as far as this conversation is concerned, probably, but
the history of it is magnificent. Just can I ask
you about the University of Otago Oval a ground you know, well,
I haven't had a Test match there for seven or
eight years. White ball matches have played there. How do
the players like the University of Otago Oval.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Yeah, it's a lovely ground, a beautiful ground. I mean,
the problem you get it's the old stereotype.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Tim Souley, Trent Bolt used to turn up here and
talk about how cold.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
It always was.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It could be thirty degrees and they always were a
sweater and I would act like it's always cold and
no sort of things. But no, no, it's an awesome
ground to play on. Again, from a fans point of view,
you are so close because it's not as big as
those other grounds. The change rooms are good, the viewing
area is good, so yeah it is. And it's got
a wonderful pitch. Now it's probably you know, it's more
of a batting pitch than a bowling pitch, especially in
(08:57):
one day cricket.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
The only challenge we've got with the UNI.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Oval now it's just the size, because the especially in
the male game, the guys at the ball so far
that you know, you can sort of clonk a sex.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
From a female point of view.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Wonderful ground, wonderful size, and you get rewards. So yeah,
now it definitely would be all the also University Oval
Piney have got the best training facilities, best quality pictures
in the country bar Nune and I say that not
just because I'm biased, from all the reports probably for
the last three or four years. The training pictures are
as good as anywhere in the country. So that's a
(09:31):
huge plus, especially when you're here as an international team.
You're training for three or four days, and the beauty
with Dunedin is as you know, it's not far. You're
in your hotel, you're a couple of minutes walk down
to the main streets, so everything's nice and close.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
So it's a good.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Place to come from a touring point of view, but
also from a home point of view.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Do you like book a cutter park?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
No? Hate it? How's that?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Well, it's a short answer. Can you elaborate?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Well, I started with there in a one day game
against Central Districts and I was at cover and the
ball roll bounced up, happening in the mouth and knocked
out four teeth.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
So no, I hate it.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
And so yeah, I literally asked four teeth, I've got
four implants and that was they were all lying on
the pitch.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Wow. So that's why I hate it.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
And the other reason I hate it was. We used
to turn up there and the young Ross Taylor used
to get one hundred against us every time we played there.
He literally just stood there and hit every ball on
the bank. So never had a positive experience of Pooka
Cure of Park, Piney, So.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I did that.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
It was Actually I don't like it so much for
one day because it's too small. But I did play
a few four day games there and the boundary size
isn't as important. And the beauty thing about Pooka Cure
Park is I think Martin cur said there are two
things guaranteed in life. One hundred at Prokacure Park in Texas,
but I think I didn't get a hundred. I nicked
out early, actually, but you've got the gardens behind you
could go for a lovely thirty minute run, flush the flush,
(10:49):
the mental torment of getting out for a duck, and
then you come back and always enjoy a good lunch.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
So that was a good part.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
But from a ground point of view, I've had no
positive experiences. And every time I brush my teeth in
the morning, I get a reminder of what it was
like to field there.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Which I'm glad I brought that up. Can we just
finish with Aden Park, which again has steeped in history.
You think about the historical Test matches New Zealand has
played there, but these days you know cavnous and look,
I don't know with the Test cricket will ever return
to Eden Park. But as a as a ground for
a player, what are your memories of Eaton Park?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Yeah, well I I played.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
I don't think I played with the new dimensions. I
played when it used to go to the corner to
a corner. And I actually played my first ever one
day game at Eden Park in New Zealand Fortney Jelland
I've been to Pakistan, came back and played and to
remember it well, two things are three things. I remember
one on this field of one on the best outfield,
and will and my stuffed to run up out The
next time I went out there in the batting of
(11:44):
Stephen Fleming and he ran me out and he called yes,
I could have called Doe Piney. Who ever says no
says no to Stephen Fleming and runs out the skipper.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
So I just sacrificed myself and.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
He did come up after he got out, put a
hand on my shoulder and said you know they're us,
And I said, yeah, I do thing.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Scott Star has got one hundred that day.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
But I do remember being about twenty twenty three, twenty
four thousand, and it was a wonderful atmosphere.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
It was so so good.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
The other the dimensions were and remember the World Cup
nine he won the short third man to the left
hander and the same the other way.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
But the pitch.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
What the problem with I think Eden Park is the
pitch is too fast and bouncy, bouncy for the size
of the ground. It's such a good pitch there and
so much pay and bounce. That's why, you know, the
boundaries get made to look smaller than they even are.
But I don't know, I don't know if we ever
get I think, you know, if we want to have
a proper ground, you know, it's also a fan experienced
sitting in the grandstands. You know, we talk about Basin,
(12:41):
Hagley Bay Oval. The beautiful part of that is sitting
on grass banks, being able to walk round, whereas you know,
you get the old Calcreek jungle. I mean my favorite ground, pointy,
if we want to go back, my one was was
Lancaster Park. I grew up watching a Test cricket there.
I went to my first Test match there. I saw
John Wright get one hundred against Australia. I went to
my first rugby Test which was the British Lions and
(13:03):
eighty three Cowboys. Shaw scored the only try that was
we all dreams were made about playing for Canterbury back
then and also playing for New Zealand, and lucky enough
I got to make my first class debut there for
Canterbury and I got to make my Test dayboot there
from Zealand at Lancaster Park and you.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Know that was a ground that was the dates of
the old embankment that was you know, like Carrisbrook.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I still remember those days and they were my favorite grounds.
They were the favorite grounds to watch and the other
favorite grounds to play on and we missed them.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
But you know, the game has moved on. So I
just don't know about him Pack.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I think Auckland do need to find a specific ground
that works for cricket, for international cricket, and then they
would get this cricket back.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Indeed, you've given Alis there's plenty of food for thought.
The lines will be lighting up very shortly.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Craig and I apologize.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
I just said I got some great memories of playing
for Canterbury and obviously Lancaster Park. So hopefully, Piety, I've
pulled my back, my past, you know stuff back after
that early statement.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah, I'm not sure you have, but well we're about
to find out. Hey, Craig, and you've got an exciting
twenty twenty five ahead. You're heading off shore to take
up a new coaching challenge. I wish you all the best,
but that thanks for your contributions across the year. Merry
Christmas to you and your family. Might more catch up
next year.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Likewise, Plani, thank you very much, No.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Thank you, Craig. Craig coming there with great analysis of
the grounds of New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalksb Where is.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
New Zealand's home of cricket? Craig Coming has played at
the Mall, coached at the mall, broadcast at the Mall,
and been a spectator at the All, so I think
he's fairly well qualified to at least kick off the
discussion with us. Craig get Amy, thanks for Johannus. Can
we start with the Basin Reserve, which I think we
all agree is New Zealand Cricket's spiritual home. Now, what
(00:37):
are the pros and the cons of the Basin Reserve?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
First of all, yeah, it's always a bit of debate
and good aft and pony. Yeah, the base In Reserve,
certainly it wasn't a great ground to enjoy playing, and
I say that for a couple of reasons. I call
it the home of New Zealand cricket because I think
we've got.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
The museum there. Most of our major.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Events or crackle events have happened at the Basin Reserve,
and you certainly get that fear when you walk into
the ground. But there's neither are not only suddly, neither
were very nice.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Most of the time.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It's called a massive block, so fielding on it used
to be awful because you'd skin your knees and then
you used to have the dungeon downstairs. From a changing
room point of view, the good news is they've done
a lot of that stuff up. But I think, and
from a commentary point of view, awful because you've got
to climb about one hundred and fifty stairs and you're
at the back of the arrow outstand and you fight
the pigeons. So luckily we've had some good records there.
(01:31):
I'm going to wind up the Wellington listeners, but I
do call it New Zealand's spiritual home. Like you said,
it's the historical part. But it certainly wasn't my favorite
ground to play on. One of the major benefits though
behind it used to be it was a great betting surface,
so used to love batting there, so as a cricketer
you used to look forward to turning up as a batter.
But overall experience it was never the best one other
(01:52):
than they were the best with the toasty pie machine,
always the first to have the toasty pie machine. Tiny
it was the big plated one they used to have
all the fillings in the chiller. So that was the
best part of the Basement Reserve.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Well, that's so like a key part. Are the sounds
of it for pore enjoyment and comfort?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Absolutely? What about what about looking down? I mean, you're right,
the commentary box is right at the top of the
ra vance stand. Once you're there, the view's pretty good,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Oh, it's amazing. One of the things with commentary there's
two parts. You've got to commentate off the screen. But
one of the great things about the Basement Reserve because
of your behind the bowler's arm and you can look
up and you can see where the ball's going. You
can see the field in front of you, so you've
got the ability to call off the screen, but then
look and predict what's going to happen because you can
(02:37):
actually see the whole field. So you did, right, That's
one of the beauties there. It was just getting there
was the challenge getting up those stea especially in for shoes.
But no, that was I mean people probably realize like
some other grounds like Napier beautiful commentary box, but you're
in the corner down by third man and you're at
ground level. So when the ball gets hit you look up,
you actually can't tell if it's going to go to
(02:58):
a fielder or land in the space or go for
six or four. That is the great thing at the
base in Reserve that you've got that ability. So yeah,
from that perspective, yeah, a lot of fun. And also
you can get quite close to radio people, TV people,
so you get to have a lot of interaction during
the day.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
All right, So that's the basin Reserve and it's pros
and cons. Let's go to Hagley Oval. How does that
compare along similar lines? Are similar metrics.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I'm going to say this tongue in cheek, piney, and
I'm saying I'm leaving the country in a month's time.
The number one problem and this used to be me,
so I'm actually throwing stains. The worst thing about going
to Hagley is you've got to go to Kantaps. You've
got Cantap Brown.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So again tug and cheek.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
I mean, I've got family there, I grew up there,
I represented that province.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
But I'm allowed to say that with a tongue in cheek.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
But Hagley a beautiful ground, absolutely beautiful ground done an
amazing job. Again, a wonderful commentary box. But you're down
in the corner again, you're not quite don't quite have
the same view. But one thing about it as big
and as spacious, you know, from a playing point of view,
I got to play on it at the very start.
I used to play there a lot at Canterbury when
it was just the old grounds. Absolutely wonderful I know
(04:07):
from a spectator's point of view because I've got family
to go. They're really tough there when it's hot because
you can't get away from the sun because there's not
a lot of shade on those banks. I know the
players love it. The pictures fantastic, The changing rooms are
very good and the viewing rooms are excellent. So yep,
you know, if you're going to do a ground and
do it right, Hagley, you have picked all those boxes.
So yet, while I wind up the Cantasa saying that
(04:29):
it's a great place to go whether you're playing, you're
commentating and you're coaching, but I'm not calling it my
favorite ground or best ground in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
All right, we're going to come to that because just
on Hagley, the other part of it is its location,
and I saw the England team took scooters to the ground.
I mean, whereas the basement reserves basically a big round
about Hackley Oval. You're walking through Hagley Park and all
of a sudden, no, here's an international cricket ground. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
The thing I think about is the practicality. Piney and
Wellington is bad because car parks. So we used to
have to back in Wellington College. That's a long walk
in dress shoes down down around the roundabout. Trying to
get over that roundabout dangerous. And then if you think
a car park warden is around the country are tough,
well you try and get a park at Hagley.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
If you haven't got the right permit, you will not
get past that first gate.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And where you park the Hagley if you don't get
in that first gat, there is nowhere to park. You
end up behind the hospital. Sometimes you're going to pretend
you've got a limp and a broken finger to park.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
An A and e.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So that's actually one of the downsides of Hay even
though from a walking point of it, you are.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Better to take a scooter.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
But I was dressed in a suit and if I
fell off I've written a suit the difference in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
If you try and take a.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Scooter you've got to go into the breeze, you actually
go nowhere. So you know those two things aren't great
for both of those grounds.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
All right, So we've had the basin in Hagley. You
alluded to it mysteriously. What is your favorite ground?
Speaker 4 (05:51):
Well, interestingly, it's not University of Tago Oval.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
My favorite ground to play on was actually Queenstown because
of heaps of different reasons. But actually my favorite ground
as a commentator and as a spectator, believe it or not,
was Bayoval Covers One. Again very much like Hagglee. They
have set it up beautifully, car parking right beside the ground,
so we always got that there was a whole lot
(06:15):
of food trucks behind the commentary box. But I always
thought from a perspective that when you turn up there
Piney in the middle of summer, it's always warm. So
I think from a fan experience, you turn up, you
enjoy the conditions so much like Hagley, and like the
Base Reserve, you don't have a bad advantage spot because
you basically sit all around it. I love the fact
(06:36):
that from a commentary. We were behind the bowler's arm,
but it was a new commentary box. It wasn't big,
but we felt a little bit closer than those other two.
So you know, bo, maybe it's because of the weather,
the atmosphere. You know, you're close to the beach, you've
got nice swimming pools, good accommodation. To me, that was
just and I played there a couple of times, just
had a really lovely feel. It was one of those
(06:57):
places that could pour down and the outfield has made
of sand. You're literally back on it. So I don't
know what there was, just a reason why I love it,
and I think it might be to do with the
weather from Dunedin where it's colder. You know what it's
like in Wannington, even christ in a day night can
get quite cold. So I think that's probably the only
reason why from a fan experience and from a personal experience,
why I put that as my number one all right.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
The other part about the mount though, is there's not
a heck of a lot of shade on that band either.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
No, there's not. No, you did right.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
There seems to be a nice breeze, but it's always
a warm breeze Pony even if you know whichever a way,
Unlike you know Wellington Dunedin, we get the easterly or
the southerly. G was you're reaching for your rugs so
but not much to separate them, to be honest. But
I think actually, I mean we've left out Probably the
most important one is Timory Boys High School victory.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I mean that is at the Home and Champions.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I was thinking about it just before Pony, that produced
Brendan Laney as a rugby player, that produced Hate and
Padden in a rally car. I mean you have not
a great from around the rictory.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Tom Walsh was doing the shot.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Putting on that and you know the great Jack Glove
Loots used to run around it and prepared to go
to running races. To be fair, the most important and
most influential ground in New Zealand has to be Timory
Boys High School Victory.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Look, I think it probably is. It's off to one
side as far as this conversation is concerned, probably, but
the history of it is magnificent. Just can I ask
you about the University of Otago Oval a ground you know, well,
I haven't had a Test match there for seven or
eight years. White ball matches have played there. How do
the players like the University of Otago Oval.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Yeah, it's a lovely ground, a beautiful ground. I mean,
the problem you get it's the old stereotype.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Tim Souley, Trent Bolt used to turn up here and
talk about how cold.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
It always was.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It could be thirty degrees and they always were a
sweater and I would act like it's always cold and
no sort of things. But no, no, it's an awesome
ground to play on. Again, from a fans point of view,
you are so close because it's not as big as
those other grounds. The change rooms are good, the viewing
area is good, so yeah it is. And it's got
a wonderful pitch. Now it's probably you know, it's more
of a batting pitch than a bowling pitch, especially in
(08:57):
one day cricket.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
The only challenge we've got with the UNI.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Oval now it's just the size, because the especially in
the male game, the guys at the ball so far
that you know, you can sort of clonk a sex.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
From a female point of view.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Wonderful ground, wonderful size, and you get rewards. So yeah,
now it definitely would be all the also University Oval
Piney have got the best training facilities, best quality pictures
in the country bar Nune and I say that not
just because I'm biased, from all the reports probably for
the last three or four years. The training pictures are
as good as anywhere in the country. So that's a
(09:31):
huge plus, especially when you're here as an international team.
You're training for three or four days, and the beauty
with Dunedin is as you know, it's not far. You're
in your hotel, you're a couple of minutes walk down
to the main streets, so everything's nice and close.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
So it's a good.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Place to come from a touring point of view, but
also from a home point of view.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Do you like book a cutter park?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
No? Hate it? How's that?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Well, it's a short answer. Can you elaborate?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Well, I started with there in a one day game
against Central Districts and I was at cover and the
ball roll bounced up, happening in the mouth and knocked
out four teeth.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
So no, I hate it.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
And so yeah, I literally asked four teeth, I've got
four implants and that was they were all lying on
the pitch.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Wow. So that's why I hate it.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
And the other reason I hate it was. We used
to turn up there and the young Ross Taylor used
to get one hundred against us every time we played there.
He literally just stood there and hit every ball on
the bank. So never had a positive experience of Pooka
Cure of Park, Piney, So.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I did that.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
It was Actually I don't like it so much for
one day because it's too small. But I did play
a few four day games there and the boundary size
isn't as important. And the beauty thing about Pooka Cure
Park is I think Martin cur said there are two
things guaranteed in life. One hundred at Prokacure Park in Texas,
but I think I didn't get a hundred. I nicked
out early, actually, but you've got the gardens behind you
could go for a lovely thirty minute run, flush the flush,
(10:49):
the mental torment of getting out for a duck, and
then you come back and always enjoy a good lunch.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
So that was a good part.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
But from a ground point of view, I've had no
positive experiences. And every time I brush my teeth in
the morning, I get a reminder of what it was
like to field there.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Which I'm glad I brought that up. Can we just
finish with Aden Park, which again has steeped in history.
You think about the historical Test matches New Zealand has
played there, but these days you know cavnous and look,
I don't know with the Test cricket will ever return
to Eden Park. But as a as a ground for
a player, what are your memories of Eaton Park?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Yeah, well I I played.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
I don't think I played with the new dimensions. I
played when it used to go to the corner to
a corner. And I actually played my first ever one
day game at Eden Park in New Zealand Fortney Jelland
I've been to Pakistan, came back and played and to
remember it well, two things are three things. I remember
one on this field of one on the best outfield,
and will and my stuffed to run up out The
next time I went out there in the batting of
(11:44):
Stephen Fleming and he ran me out and he called yes,
I could have called Doe Piney. Who ever says no
says no to Stephen Fleming and runs out the skipper.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
So I just sacrificed myself and.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
He did come up after he got out, put a
hand on my shoulder and said you know they're us,
And I said, yeah, I do thing.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Scott Star has got one hundred that day.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
But I do remember being about twenty twenty three, twenty
four thousand, and it was a wonderful atmosphere.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
It was so so good.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
The other the dimensions were and remember the World Cup
nine he won the short third man to the left
hander and the same the other way.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
But the pitch.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
What the problem with I think Eden Park is the
pitch is too fast and bouncy, bouncy for the size
of the ground. It's such a good pitch there and
so much pay and bounce. That's why, you know, the
boundaries get made to look smaller than they even are.
But I don't know, I don't know if we ever
get I think, you know, if we want to have
a proper ground, you know, it's also a fan experienced
sitting in the grandstands. You know, we talk about Basin,
(12:41):
Hagley Bay Oval. The beautiful part of that is sitting
on grass banks, being able to walk round, whereas you know,
you get the old Calcreek jungle. I mean my favorite ground, pointy,
if we want to go back, my one was was
Lancaster Park. I grew up watching a Test cricket there.
I went to my first Test match there. I saw
John Wright get one hundred against Australia. I went to
my first rugby Test which was the British Lions and
(13:03):
eighty three Cowboys. Shaw scored the only try that was
we all dreams were made about playing for Canterbury back
then and also playing for New Zealand, and lucky enough
I got to make my first class debut there for
Canterbury and I got to make my Test dayboot there
from Zealand at Lancaster Park and you.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
Know that was a ground that was the dates of
the old embankment that was you know, like Carrisbrook.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I still remember those days and they were my favorite grounds.
They were the favorite grounds to watch and the other
favorite grounds to play on and we missed them.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
But you know, the game has moved on. So I
just don't know about him Pack.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I think Auckland do need to find a specific ground
that works for cricket, for international cricket, and then they
would get this cricket back.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Indeed, you've given Alis there's plenty of food for thought.
The lines will be lighting up very shortly.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Craig and I apologize.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
I just said I got some great memories of playing
for Canterbury and obviously Lancaster Park. So hopefully, Piety, I've
pulled my back, my past, you know stuff back after
that early statement.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah, I'm not sure you have, but well we're about
to find out. Hey, Craig, and you've got an exciting
twenty twenty five ahead. You're heading off shore to take
up a new coaching challenge. I wish you all the best,
but that thanks for your contributions across the year. Merry
Christmas to you and your family. Might more catch up
next year.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Likewise, Plani, thank you very much, No.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Thank you, Craig. Craig coming there with great analysis of
the grounds of New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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