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January 10, 2025 121 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from News Talk.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Zed b Hill, Dravt the Wall as they used to
call them. Fourth on the all time Test run scoring
list thirteen two hundred and eighty eight. To be precise,
only such Intendalca, Ricky Ponting and Jaques Kallis have scored
more runs in the history of Test cricket than birthday
boy Rahul Dravid has I'm Jason Pinton, Shoe producer Andy

(00:34):
McDonald back alongside for twenty twenty five. We're here talking
sport until three. There's always around this time of the year,
plenty of cricket to talk about on the field. Blackapsby
Sri Lanka, third and final ODI from two o'clock this
afternoon to Eden. Part Mark Chapman going to join us
ahead of that one. Martin Guppdel meantime, will be honored

(00:55):
at that game in recognition of his immense contribution to
New Zealand cricket. He's with us this afternoon as well,
and plans are afoot to restructure Test cricket into two
tiers led by the power block of India, Australia and
England going to drill down into this idea shortly and

(01:18):
your thoughts on it are well and truly encouraged as
well other matters around today. A huge blow for the
Warriors this week. Club captain Tohou Harris announced on Thursday
he's ending his playing career with immediate effect. Monty Vetham
on that and who is your choice to take over
the leadership of the side both Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC,

(01:39):
and a league men's action later today, the nixt play
Adelaide at home five o'clock Auckland FC all the way
over in Western Australia up against Perth Glory from eleven
forty five tonight New Zealand time. And speaking of Australia,
Adam Peacock and his regular slot around one forty five
Live Sport while we're on the air this afternoon. The
cricket obviously from two at Eden Park. Will keep eyes

(02:00):
on that for you and the ASB Classic. But as
you've heard in our sports news, the Doubles Fine featuring
Kiwi Michael Venus not going ahead. It was set to
start eleven thirty, but American veteran Rajiev Rahm has pulled
out through injury. He told the organizers at ten this morning.
He was paired with fellow American Christian Harrison. Ram suffered

(02:21):
the injury last night in the Semis hasn't recovered from it.
It means that Michael Venus and Croatian nicol and Mecktitch
take their first title as a new combination, and Venus
claims a second Auckland Trophy he won it back in
twenty sixteen with Marte Pavich as well. Unfortunately they're not
going to get to play the final. There's an exhibition
match going on at the moment, just to I guess

(02:43):
give the crowd something to watch ahead of the singles final,
which will still go ahead two o'clock this afternoon. French
veteran gaal mont Fie against Belgian qualifier zizu Bergs two
o'clock this afternoon. We'll get a preview of that before
two on the show as well. I'd love you to
join us though you can do that at any time.
It's easy on the phone eight hundred eighty ten eighty

(03:05):
via text nine two nine two or flick as an
email Jason at newstalksb dot co dot nz. Coming up
eleven past midday.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
The schoons from the track, field and the court on
your home of sport, the GM Sport, where Jason Vine
news talksb One.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
Of the big sporting stories of the week broke on Monday.
The Age in Australia reported that cricket officials from India,
Australia and England were meeting to discuss the possibility of
Test cricket fragmenting to allow for more series between the
sports big players. The potential new structure would see Test

(03:43):
cricket split into two tiers. India, Australia England would be
joined by South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
in the top tier. The second tier would be made
up of the West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe,
with the likes of the Netherlands and Scotland who are
not currently full Test playing nations theoretically move in to

(04:07):
complete two separate pools of seven. This has created a
lot of discussion around the place. Veteran Australian cricket broadcaster
Jim Maxwell joins US on Weekend Sport to discuss Jim,
thanks for your time. What's your overall view of the
proposal for a two tiered Test cricket system.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
I don't think it's a very good idea for the
future of the game, but I mean it all comes
down to these commercial realities that we're being confronted with
in the battle between T twenty franchises and the importance
of bilateral cricket continuing, particularly Test cricket. So I'm afraid

(04:48):
at the end of the day, it's like an avalanche
and it's controlled to a large extent by the power
of money from India. They're controlling the most of what
goes on the gate with the TV rights and the
rest of it. So Maline really, as far as it's concerned,
as simply if it doesn't pay, don't play. And that's

(05:11):
pretty much what a cricket Australia have been doing in
the last few years. Okay, we'll play against New Zealand,
but we're certainly not playing Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan or Island.
And we may have done that in years gone by
when there was this altruism in the world of cricket
wherebhy you wanted to have help and whatever the expansion

(05:32):
of the game. But I think unfortunately in the current
situation of the scheduling of the game. And as I say,
t twenty franchises getting bigger and bigger. Look at your blokes,
they're all going off somewhere to play and you can't
deny them the opportunity to do that because it'll be
a restraint of trade. So I don't think it's got

(05:54):
many leggs really, this idea, and the sad say the
rich will get richer and the poor will.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
Struggle, So okay, so you don't think it will happen,
but there will still be a sense of the likes
of Australia in the England playing one another more often
than the leaser lights of test cricket.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
Well, it seems to be the way a lot of
people wanted to move because you know, they want the
one of the dollars that come from the most attractive
form of the game, and that's really the top three
nations playing with a little bit of Pakistan, New Zealand,
South Africa have thrown in, but as we've seen even
South Africa have been struggling to put their best team

(06:37):
out to play test cricket. You know that from last
year when they visited New Zealand with the second rate side,
and yet here they are playing in the final. So
I think the whole business of WTC is probably in
jeopardy the longer we go, because it's only going to
be the top six nations and no one else will

(06:58):
get a look in. I mean, if you have a
two tiered system, whether or not you have promotion and relegation,
I don't see how those other nations in the West
Indies two could be one of them. One of the
great powers of the game historically. It might even be
England if they have a bad year or two. I
don't see how they're going to get up and fight
again against the top teams if this system comes into play.

(07:22):
So it looks it's a convenience really for those who
controlling the game to do what they want to do,
and they'll doll had a bit of dosh to everyone else,
But it won't be enough to sustain Test cricket in
a meaningful way for the LAC nations.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
Def India, Australia and England played each other more often,
how much would that dilute the special nature of those series?

Speaker 3 (07:48):
I think it did a few years ago when we
played England back to back. We played in thirteen fifteen,
and then nineteen that was over there, and then here
we played two series as well, So I think it
did at the time dilute the value of the contest,
But plenty of people turn up and a lot of

(08:10):
eyeballs out there, so you can justify it on the
basis of a commercial operation, and that's more and more
where we're going with this, unfortunately, so I don't see
any way of stopping it.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
That's the problem.

Speaker 3 (08:26):
As much as we might think that it's important to
have this expansion of the game, it will be limited
to playing at the Olympic Games T twenty competitions perhaps,
but test cricket now it will only be played by
those that can.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
Afford to That's a very sad state of affairs, isn't it, Jim,
Given the storied history of red ball international cricket.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
Well, what we're saying is really test cricket will survive,
and a lot of people would be arguing that this
is the only way for it to survive, for the
countries that can afford to play continue to play it.
But actually we're really taking the game back to where
it was sixty seventy years ago, before any of well, Pakistan,

(09:14):
Sri Lanka, you name it. Any of these other countries
came into play. So I think Test cret is going
to survive, but not in the ideal form of trying
to have more countries playing Test cricket, because, as I say,
they can't afford to what then of.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
The West Indies, Jim this incredible cricket nation that gave
us greenna Chains, Richards, Lloyd Dujon, Marshall Ganner holding that
wonderful team of the eighties. Am I just being a
bit naive and missed the idea to suggest that they
will continue to be a Test cricket participant.

Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well, you could worry about South Africa similarly. I mean,
they've always historically been in power until they had the
apart ideas and they've come back quite strongly. But at
the moment they're a bit of this and that because
they're playing rosters compromised by people like the cock who
just want to play limited overs cricket, and the fact

(10:12):
that a lot of their players can only earn a
living by playing in T twenty franchises, not for their country.
So you've got an issue there as well. But the
West Indies is a very unusual case, because really the
West Indies only exists as a cricket team. It's not
a democratic an economic power. It's a group of islands

(10:35):
in that part of the world, and you know, its
cricket's to be sustained at the next level, the Olympic
Games and the rest of it. Will it be a
West Indies team or would it be Barbatas and Antigua
like the Comwealth Games. So it's under enormous pressure anyway
in terms of playing collectively in a meaningful way in

(10:58):
Test cricket. But well, at least in the short term,
thank goodness, Australia's playing three Tests against them over there
later in the year.

Speaker 2 (11:06):
So if we do look forward, then Jim, what is
the best way for Test cricket to survive and hopefully thrive,
you know, in the face of this perpetual growth of
T twenty cricket around the world, franchise cricket, that sort
of thing. Is this the best way that as you've
outlined the you know, you play if you can pay

(11:27):
or if it pays, and that's where we're looking at
the next little while.

Speaker 3 (11:32):
Unfortunately, yes, I mean, you know, I don't want to
be a sort of pessimistic, cynical about it. But in
fact I'm very optimistic about the growth of cricket. But
Test cricket is only part of that. It's really through
the agency of whiteball teen twenty. Then you're going to
see the growth of cricket men and women. I mean,

(11:53):
we're trying to get women to play more Test matches.
But goodness, gracious, dare I say it? News it It
won't play test cricket, will They've got an issue, got
an issue there. So I think, as I say, I
think there will be a way for Test cricketers all right,
but it won't be in a futuristic way that we

(12:14):
imagined a few years ago when the number of countries
expanded and we were hoping, as I say, that those
peripheral teams like Afghanistan and Ireland in particular, who recently
came in will be part of it. I just don't
think it's going to work.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
Just to finish, if we're talking money and we are,
how influential will India's desire in any decision making around
cricket continue to be?

Speaker 3 (12:45):
Oh, well, it's going to it's going to be the
way ahead. Really, what in India wants India will get
and that transfers across to these ICC events, which basically
give the ICC the finance to continue to have the

(13:05):
Champions Trophy, the World Cups, the WTC.

Speaker 2 (13:09):
For that matter.

Speaker 3 (13:11):
So if India aren't supporting that, then it's going to change,
it's going to fade.

Speaker 2 (13:16):
So we need to have.

Speaker 3 (13:19):
Their superpower, I suppose, their control to sustain the game.
That's the unfortunate situation in some ways, but at the
moment it seems to be working. Okay. You've got to say,
at least India are playing a lot of Test cricket,
a lot more than Australia and South Africa for that matter,

(13:40):
and I worry more about the fact that because of
the dollar, Australia in particular, along with South Africa, will
be playing less Test cricket and more of the one
day stuff. You know, Australia did not play a Test
match between the end of that New Zealand series in
March April last year until November, and they're only playing

(14:02):
ten Test matches this year. So unfortunately, I think the
dye is cast in terms of the shape of the game,
and that's.

Speaker 2 (14:11):
A way, Jim, you're preaching to the converted over here.
We've got no Test cricket in the first three months
of the home summer, or sorry, the three months of
the calendar year. Normally we look forward to red ball
cricket here in January, February, March and to April. None
not a single international red ball game to be seen.
So yeah, it's an interesting time ahead for the game

(14:32):
on both sides of the Tasman and around the world.
Thanks for joining us across New Zealand. Really appreciate your expertise.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
Cheers, Jason, all the best.

Speaker 2 (14:39):
All the best to you too, Jim, Jim Maxwell. There
a voice that is well known. He's seen a lot
of things in the game of cricket. Your thoughts on
this proposal are welcome, invited and encouraged. Let's kick this
around eight hundred and eighty ten eighty is our number.
As always, there's no secret that Test cricket is in
a fight for relevance. The ever growing nature of T

(15:02):
twenty cricket, and particularly specifically T twenty franchise cricket, threatening
the very future of the red ball game. But the
idea of more series being played between just the top sides,
and in particular the top three is not the way
to fix it. International cricket cannot survive on the back

(15:25):
of just three nations. It needs a strong ecosystem to
retain its relevance. The teams in the second tier if
this goes ahead, will just wither and die as red
ball cricket countries just play more often between themselves the
top ones. I mean, now, we might think here in

(15:48):
New Zealand that this is a good thing because we'll
be in the top tier, but we will be in
the second tier of the top tier when the scheduling's
done for this. If India, Australia or England have the
choice of playing against each other or playing against us,
they certainly will not choose us. Jim Maxwell said it.

(16:11):
If it pays, they'll play. They'll do whatever they can
to play as often as they can against one another.
I'm not talking to players, but those who administer the
game will look at the success of the recent Border
Gaviscar Trophy series and the huge crowds and massive TV numbers.

(16:32):
They'll look at the ashes and the big numbers that
always draws, and they'll say to themselves, let's have more
of this. That's what this proposal is all about more
of that, but less. But more is not always more.
More can absolutely be less. And if we're going to

(16:52):
have two tiers, if we are going to have two tiers,
then promotion and relegation has to be a part of it.
And promotion relegation in sport in itself is a good concept.
It rewards the best team in Tier two, earns them
promotion up to the top tier. It makes every test

(17:15):
meaningful in Tier one as you try to, you know,
avoid the trap door. But the moment, the very moment
one of the Big three is even threatened by relegation,
this will go on the bin what it all mean
to say? They will say, yeah, well, yeah, we'll have
promotion relegation, but it'll be relegation for anyone apart from India,

(17:40):
Australia or England. They'll basically be ring fenced because there
is simply no way any of them will entertain it.
There's no way Australia or England will entertain a scenario
where they would drop into the second tier of Test
cricket and not play the ashes. Your thoughts on this

(18:01):
eight hundred eighty ten eighty on text nine two nine
two is off Dallas.

Speaker 4 (18:08):
Yeah, Hi finally and happy new Year.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
And to you.

Speaker 4 (18:13):
Yes, look, I think as long as there's Test cricket,
this is a good thing. Test cricket is drawing and
big crowds here. We had good crowds here against England.
Good crowds always in Australia and England. So as far

(18:34):
as Test crickets, the viriance people want to see Test
cret right, it's first thing.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
Tell us to a degree, yes, to a degree. Whether
there would have been as bigger crowds if it hadn't
been England, I guess is up for discussion. Whether a
Test match between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh would have the same
appeal is up for question. But you're right at the top,
it is right, it is they were still an appeal
to Test cricket.

Speaker 4 (19:00):
Yes, as far as he's been on the lower half
of it's always.

Speaker 5 (19:06):
Been that way.

Speaker 4 (19:07):
It's an Easyland cricket. We always get the you know,
the crumbs. Uh, that's just the way it's always been.

Speaker 2 (19:18):
So what's the so for us then, is it should
we just consider ourself fortunate that we will be you know,
taking along for the ride.

Speaker 4 (19:28):
I think so, Yeah, I think it's great. The Test
cricket is surviving in any form. But it's great that
cricket is surviving in all three forms, you know. I
don't think there needs to be this great worry that
about the other twif. I mean, it's just cricket is
such a wonderful game that it can survive in any form,
you know. I just think it's all good.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
You're right, Dal's hope you're right. I hope you're right.
The no I do. I just wonder how how I
would feel if I was a West Indian cricket fan.

Speaker 4 (20:03):
Well, they've had issues for a while, haven't they. We
these and as Jim Maxwell said, it's such a desperate,
disparate group of Irelands that it's a challenge anyway. So yeah,
that's been weak for quite a lot, haven't they. Anyway?

Speaker 2 (20:19):
They have, which is a shame because yeah, you sound
old enough to remember, as I do, Dellas that incredible
West Indies team of the eighties that was just an
absolute powerhouse. You know. They used to turn up at
places and blast through teams with their fast, bawling attack
and then once you were out, you had to go
and and you had to bowl to the likes of
Greenwich and Haynes and Vi Richards and guys like that.

(20:39):
They were just you know again, I said to Jim,
but Misty ied on this and I know that you know,
things changed, But yeah, the T twenty game seems to
have absolutely wrecked West Indian Test cricket.

Speaker 4 (20:50):
Yeah. My fondest memory is based on Reserve in the
late sixties watching Gary Soavers bad against the Clive Lloyd Greenwich.
So I go way back to the late sixties person
introduction history and wow, that was fantastic actually seeing Gary
sobs in the sweat.

Speaker 2 (21:12):
Wow, I bet, I bet Dallas. Yeah, look, I think
you're right and I love you positivity. The game will survive,
there are you know, there are obviously lots of different
forms of it that will that will ensure its survival.
I guess, like like you, I'm a huge fan of
Test cricket. I would just hate to see it become
the domain of just the top sides playing each other

(21:33):
over and over and over again. And I just fear
for what that would mean for those who are outside
of that elite group, and in particular, if we go
two tiers, what it would mean for those outside the
top tier. Good to chatter too, Dallas, Thanks mate, twelve
twenty nine News Talks. Here'd be eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty back with more your calls on a two

(21:54):
tier system of Test cricket speed line. If you want
to jump on eight hundred eighty ten eighty back in
a moment.

Speaker 6 (22:00):
You be the TMO.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Have your say on eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
Weekend Sport with Jason H and GJ. Guvnerholmes, New Zealand's
most trusted own builder, News Talks, MB.

Speaker 2 (22:11):
Twelve thirty two News Dogs. Heaps of comments coming through
on text. Best way to make your point as on
the phone. Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten eighty I'll
get to your text if I can. But back to
the lines, Rich, Do you have an overall view on
this before we start talking specifics.

Speaker 7 (22:27):
Yeah, my over review, over overall view would be finding
that test cricket has to be protected and you know,
I just it's it's my favorite format. It's it's the bit.
You know, it's this format compared to the other turm,
and you know it it's got it's got to be
protected from it. That that's that's where I stand on that.
That's my overall view.

Speaker 4 (22:49):
I mean when you get to.

Speaker 7 (22:51):
Logistics about it, When you get into the logistics about it,
I mean like you're right, like if we were in
a top tier system, and you know, if there was
a relegation, there's no way in the Australia and England.

Speaker 8 (23:04):
Are going to you know, relegator.

Speaker 7 (23:07):
It's just not going to happen. I mean, people are
not stupid, but you know, I just look at it
and it just seems to be that it's just we're
blinded by greed that you know, we're letting money just
kind of ruin the game. And I mean there's been
talked about in the past.

Speaker 6 (23:22):
I mean I remember a.

Speaker 7 (23:23):
Guy about was talking about it a while ago that
if we want to save Test cricket, maybe it's a
case that we just play T twenty cricket and Test
cricket and we don't play ODI cricket.

Speaker 6 (23:33):
I mean, I love ODII.

Speaker 7 (23:34):
Cricket, but if I want to look after Test cricket,
maybe that is another option, or that there is just
a T twenty window and a Test window where in
that area, in that window you only play Test cricket.
I mean, when you go look at the calendar, I
mean IPL starts what April May, or I mean late

(23:55):
late March into April and into May, and then you've
got Northern hemisphere, you know, Dune, July, August, September, and
then you know October and the end of December, you know,
Febru March. Means maybe that's what we need to do it.

Speaker 9 (24:09):
What do you say?

Speaker 2 (24:10):
Yeah, the T twenty windows one that gets talked about
a lot, and my fear is that one of those
T twenty windows will become January. So we've already we've
already got Came Williamson and Devin Conway playing in South
Africa at the moment, having you know, forsaken Central contracts
in order to do so. The Big Bash is on
at the moment obviously as well. When we see the

(24:31):
likes of you know, Locky Ferguson, Tim Seifert, Finelle and
Colum Munroe over there, I feel like the windows will
become January sort of that April May for the IPL
and then one at the back end of sort of
I guess August September for the hundred or whatever. But then,
but then, what the thing about test cricket is, you know,
rich is it actually you can't just schedule a game

(24:54):
of a game of Test cricket or a Test series
because you kind of need a month, right, you need
a or at least three or four weeks if it's
going to be a meaningful series. The fifty over stuff
really interests me. That's a really interesting cushon for me.
It's relevance, particularly bilateral. Know what is it? How does
it become meaningful? And you're right, if we if we're

(25:16):
to save Test cricket, T twenty's here to stay. If
we're to save Test cricket, what does that mean for
the fifty over game?

Speaker 4 (25:23):
Yeah, it does.

Speaker 7 (25:24):
And also two Piney, I think what really kind of
points said is that when you go look at Test
cricket and you go look at the legends who have
played Test cricket to where we are now, I mean,
once came Williamson and all those guys retire, where's the
next where's the next crop of legends that have come through?
I mean you just look at Test cricket. It's because
T twenty is so saturated, it's says, yeah, what is

(25:47):
the generation going to be like going forward? Where it's
kind of right, who is you know that you know
you go look at Smith, Coley, Williamson and I can't
remember the other one, but you know, it's been near
our current legends of the test format. But what's it
going to be like in twenty years time?

Speaker 6 (26:04):
Pointing It's just.

Speaker 7 (26:05):
I love this wall, Matt, and I just don't want
it to see the overrun by greed where it's ruining
the game.

Speaker 2 (26:12):
You know, Yeah, I agree. Look, yeah, Joe Roach. I
think Joe roaches the other one that you were that
you were searching for in terms of the big four.
Right now here. Here's the thing. Here's the thing, rich
As when I think of came Williamson, when I when
I when he retires and I think back of k
on Came Williamson, I will picture him in white clothing.
Same with Coley, same with Smith, same with Root. But

(26:34):
I fear that the next generation, our kids, when when they,
you know, look back at the big cricketing names from
their experience, they'll be wearing colored clothing and hitting a
white ball.

Speaker 7 (26:47):
But I think you know, when you go look at
that top tier, I mean I know that when you
go look at the border Gavis to Traphy, Yes, there
was a lot of eyeballs but there's going to be
a merit that in some of these other countries, Like
you remember Pine we were the biggest nine ashes crowd
on a Boxing day test in twenty nineteen year we
got you know, we were defeated heavily, but you know

(27:08):
there's a merit that you know, we do tune up.
But the old saying goes. I mean you go look
at this current England series we had, I mean was overseas.
But you know, if we do love to test cricket,
and I think Harsha Bob they talked about on the ABC.
He was like, if you love it, then tune up
and go watch it. I think that is also Mary.
We can't go on about test cricket, but you know

(27:29):
we've got to action speak louder than words.

Speaker 6 (27:31):
Don't they Timing?

Speaker 7 (27:32):
I know five days people are working and stuff like that.
But if we want to say it, I think it's
a case of turning up and watching it and you know,
getting eyeballs on it. It's the same case of where
we are and you know we've got t v Z
and it's free to wear. I mean, you know, then
when the next deal comes up, I think a very good,
honest discussion says, hey, if we want to protect it,

(27:54):
I know it costs a bit of money, but when
I look at T twenty, I mean T twenty looks
after itself. But Test cricket needs to be on free
to wear. It needs to be. It needs more eyeballs
so people are watching the.

Speaker 6 (28:05):
Game that moment.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
Absolutely totally agree with that. Rich, Absolutely totally agree that
should be the new broadcast deal. Test matches are free
to wear. T twenty, as you take it's here, looks
after itself. People will pay to watch it although, you know,
and broadcasters like it because it's snackable. You know, it's
it's often played at night. They like it. But yeah,

(28:29):
Test cricket must be free to wear in the next
broadcast deal. You're right. Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty grant.

Speaker 10 (28:37):
Hello, Happy new Year to your pony.

Speaker 2 (28:40):
Happy new year, Grant. I'm not sure when we stop
saying this, but you know, the eleventh of January, I'll
let it pass.

Speaker 10 (28:47):
Well first on you in the new year.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
So fair enough, fair enough to fair enough.

Speaker 10 (28:53):
Yeah, Now, I actually support the two tier system because
this old thinking that about the lower teams will benefit
by playing the top teams and that they will improve.
I think they will improve more the lower teams by
playing each other, having very close games and improving that way.

(29:17):
By getting threshed by you know, England, Australia and India
for example, Does that help them improve as much as
tight games against lower teams. I don't know, but definitely
I think there should be promotion relegation. Otherwise, what's the
point they're going to think, well, well, you know, we're
stuck in the lower tea forever.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
Yeah. I guess the counterpoint is that they're not getting thrashed.
They're not that they are competitive. The Western these beat
Australia in Australia last summer, so then you know, in
a Test match, so they're not getting thrashed. It's not
like rugby grant where you know, if New Zealand played Georgia,
we know that it's going to be a heavy win

(29:59):
for the All blacks. I think Test cricket's got enough
about it that that there are opportunities for the sides,
the so called second tier, to you know, to upset
the sides further up the tree. However, I do take
your point. I do. I do agree that in a
second tier for example, if it was the West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Ireland,

(30:23):
throwing a couple of others, the Netherlands, Scotland, perhaps I think,
I think you're right. I think they would all improve
by playing one another and not always being a minnow
or an underdog.

Speaker 10 (30:37):
And to my mind, the West Indies have improved the
last few years so that they could be sort of
in the lower ranks of the top tier. You know,
you never know, but and you know, I certainly I
don't know any other sport where certain teams are exempt
from promotion relegation. But I have to say, if either England,

(31:01):
India or Australia end up at the bottom of the
top tier any one year, I think we've got the
reader things to worry about. I think that's highly, highly unlikely.

Speaker 2 (31:12):
Yeah, yes, but sport is sport, grant. All I'm saying
is that as soon as as soon as the scenario
comes to pass, and you and I have been following
sport for long enough to know that funny things happen
in sport, the moment there is even the sniff of
a threat of one of the top three dropping out

(31:33):
and being relegated, the whole thing will go in the bin.
It'll basically be there'll be. It might even be an
unwritten rule, or it might be a written rule. They
might say, hey, well, because Australia, England and India brings
so much to the table in terms of the money
that they swirl around the game. They are ring fenced
and Tier one. Tier one's always going to have India,

(31:56):
Australia and England in it. The other four of you, Yeah,
we'll play against you, no worries at all. But you know, India, England,
Australia could finish fifth, sixth, and seventh. What he's going down.
Nobody's getting relegated. Thanks grunt, appreciate it. Eighteen away from one,
we'll take a break, comeback with more of your course.
We'll talk this until one o'clock. We'll probably shift focus

(32:18):
after that. If you've been trying to get through and
haven't been able, I eight hundred eighty ten eighty spere
line there for you right now.

Speaker 6 (32:23):
It's more than just a game.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
Weekends for it.

Speaker 1 (32:27):
With Jason Vine and GJ. Garnohomes, New Zealand's most trusted
home builder, News talks b.

Speaker 2 (32:33):
It's our fourteen to one speed line. If you want
to jump aboard talk two tier Test cricket and what
that might look like for the future. I eight hundred
eighty ten eighty lots of views here on text before
I get to those. If you're wondering about the doubles
final at the ASP Tennis Classic, unfortunately it has not
gone ahead. This was featuring Keewe Michael Venus, of course,

(32:55):
and his partner Croatian Nicola Mectic. Their opponents unfortunately had
to pull out. American veteran Rajiev Rahm picked up an
injury in large night's semi final, has been able to
overcome it. So they told the organizers this morning that
unfortunately they would not be able to participate in the
doubles final. So it's Venus and mekticch who take the title.

(33:20):
And they still call it a walkover, don't they. It's
their first title as a new combination. I'm sure they
would have preferred to have played the game and won
it that way, but they're having a exhibition match at
the moment out there on center court at Stanley Street,
waiting for the singles final a bit later on two
o'clock that starts Gallmorfice and Belgian ziezu Berghs. But unfortunately

(33:47):
for the crowd and for the American doubles combination of
Ram and Harrison, they are not going to be able
to participate. So congratulations, I guess are in are in
in order for Michael Venus, you've got to get to
the final, so well doun to him on starting twenty
twenty five in the winner circle. A couple of tech

(34:08):
through on the two tier cricket system party simple solution
on two fronts. First, promotion and relegation must happen. Secondly,
when I started playing MPC rugby in the eighties for
Otago we had to play four away games a year
against Division two and three teams. We played Mid Canterbury,
South Canterbury, North Otago, Marlborough and West Coast at their ground,

(34:32):
they got big crowds, etc. So my solution the top
tier must play three away tests per year against Tier
two teams. Simple. I love the idea. Only my only
counterpoint would be when would be when? Unlike rugby where

(34:54):
you can drop in for the day and play against
Mid Canterbury, South Canbury, North Otago as an Otago team
can Australia just drop into Zimbabwe and play a Test match.
You probably need four or five days either side, or
certainly leading in travel on the other side, in an
already congested calendar where Test cricket is fighting for space.

(35:18):
I just wonder how it would happen. I love the concept.
I love the concept because under the two tear proposal,
the second tier will just really suffer for me. And
you know, maybe it is a case of needing the
Big three to continually pull the big TV audiences that

(35:42):
get the TV money that keeps the sport alive globally.
Maybe that's what we need. I just really fear for
what it means for the future red ball aspirations and
landscape of the second teer nations and the West Indies
is the one you land on because of their storied

(36:05):
history and read B Cricket, some of those names I
mentioned before that you know, the Westerndies teams of the
eighties and Dallas rang earlier talked about seeing Gary Sobers.
I know we get misty eyed in nostalgic, but I
think that's okay. I think that's okay. And like I
said to Rich on the phone before, when I think
back of the heroes and the players that I've enjoyed

(36:29):
watching the most play cricket, I picture them in white clothing.
Those days are rapidly I fear coming to an end.
When young cricket fans today, when they look back and
remember rich and Ravendra in thirty years from now, they're
just as likely to picture him wearing colored clothing. And

(36:53):
it might not even be New Zealand's clothing. It might
be ipl clothing. Again. Misty eyed, nostalgic perhaps, but history
is worth preserving and is worth building upon. Text tes
say goodbye to one day cricket if that means T
twenty and Test cricket gets them playing more cricket fans

(37:16):
generally love Test cricket. Yeah, and I hope that continues
the way Test cricket has played these days. Surely it's
a marketable product, says this one. Yesaid, yeah, I agree.
I greet the way England are playing the game. Look
at this Australian Indian Test series that has just finished.
And I know that is a series between two of
the top three. I get that, but it was compelling viewing.

(37:37):
It was a great watch. Shawn says twenty twenty should
be domestic only except for a handful of warm up
games before a World Cup. I'm in favor. Furthermore, says
Sean of the two tier system, but the minnows should
get tours of Australia and England's domestic teams to build

(37:58):
their skills. Interesting, Tony, any view on this?

Speaker 9 (38:03):
Yes, I think it's a good idea. And my plan
would be to have a top tier of the so
called top three and the fourth team. There would have
to be a fourth team so that obviously two of
the three would play each other and the other one
would have nothing to do all the time, So a
fourth team in there and that fourth place would come
from a sort of I don't know how they quite

(38:25):
would keeping a league table of the second tier. And
you know, I started watching cricket as a small boy.
I remember watching Clive Mooyd while he was playing in
the Lancashire League. So a town called has win game
against Mike Town Cliffero. They didn't get paid if he
scored fifty, for that's when it could if he scored
fifteen and anybody else that went now for a bit

(38:47):
of a bonness. I think he had a second job somewhere,
maybe the post office or a hospital something like that.

Speaker 2 (38:54):
Are you suggesting, yeah, Tony, are you suggesting that there's
so that England, Australia, in India, if permanent residents in
the top tier, they're joined by one other team who
earns the right across playing in the second tier for
the right to join them at the top.

Speaker 9 (39:10):
For us, there's probably a two year cycle, probably so
that they've got enough time the second tier, have got
enough time to play each other, and then then they've
got something to play for and they encouraged people. I
started watching cricket over sixty years ago watching Clive Lloyd
in the town team's little play areas. Then he played

(39:31):
for Lancashire, and of course he played for the West Indies.
I remember in batting with Harry Pillings, a guy who
wasn't He would be struggling to reach five feet that
he ought in the batting and you see the pair
of them running and boards with pilling was running three
strides to one of lawyers, which I.

Speaker 2 (39:50):
Love these stories, but I have to move god a
air break to play interesting conscious. So the top tier
there's only four teams. Nothing should be off the table
seven to one, four to one final. A couple of
takes both on the same subject. Actually, part of the
only cricketing changes I'd make would be top Test matches
down to four days and get rid of one days.
Thanks Tony and Stephen says, yeah, let's shorten the playing
time of Test cricket two three to four days, three days,

(40:11):
kriky and produce wickets to get results. I don't even
think you need the wickets at the moment. Step and
the attitude the Test cricketers are bringing to the game
of Test crickets enough to get the results across four days.
Maybe that's a discussion for another day. Thanks for your
calls and contributions. More cricket after one. Mark Chapman going
to join us ahead of the third and final one
day between the black Caps and Sri Lanka this afternoon on.

(40:31):
For the last two or three days, I've been watching
on TV. They've had qualifying and they've had a couple
of these celebrity matches And as soon as I see
it come up on the you know when you flick
a channel and it comes up with a description along
the bottom it says celebrity match. I just keep I
just keep scrolling. I just don't stop for that sort
of thing. Unfortunately, I get I get it. I understand

(40:51):
how they want to kind of you know, expand to
bring in new audiences and stuff like that. But I'm
here for the real So you just tell us you
weren't invited. Look, I did receive an invitation to take
part in the celebrity match. You need to stop this
lying business, Jason. It doesn't wear well on you. Mate.
It's a bit early in twenty twenty five to be fibbing,

(41:14):
isn't it just a bit Now? I'm here for the
real stuff, which, as I say, gets underway tomorrow. Old
Freedom it. I'm not the biggest tennis fan, but I
do love the majors and I think of the Australian
Open is my favorite major. I know for some people
they love the prestige and the history of Wimbledon, you know,
the clay courts of Roland Garross and the season ending major,

(41:37):
the US Open. But for me, it's the Aussie Open,
and yeah, I'm looking forward to it getting under way.
I'm going to talk more about this with Adam Peacock,
who was involved in coverage of the Aussie Open as
well as being part of our show. He's along at
around one forty or so, shall we say, Nick Carryos.
I wonder how far he'll go. No doubt whenever he
plays he'll have massive crowds. But what sort of shape

(42:00):
is he in? Is Novak Djokovic the favorite? A lot
of Australian open to talk with Adam Peacock in terms
of the ASB Classic. This hour will also get a
preview of the singles final of the ASB Classic. This
is I don't think could anyone have predicted this final
at the front end of the week. Could anybody have said,
you know what the final is going to be between

(42:21):
a Belgian qualifier and the oldest man in the field.
Well that's what we've got. Zie zu Bergs and gam
On Feess set to go at it from two o'clock
this afternoon. Lee Radovanovitch going to join us to preview
that one. Also this hour we've got a bit of
football for you and other bits and pieces too, but
we're going to start with cricket because the third and

(42:43):
final One day International black Caps be Sri Lanka Eden
Park starts at two o'clock this afternoon. Black Caps batsman
Mark Chapman has had a very good series twenty nine
not out in the first game at the basin seventy
nine off sixty three balls. In game two in Hamilton.

Speaker 11 (42:59):
Picked up and all the way for Sex they both
bring up fifty's with six as these two are in
control out there, and that's also the one hundred partnership
between these two.

Speaker 2 (43:13):
Mark Chapman with us on Weekend Sport. Thanks for taking
the time. Mark. You've already won the series two Nils,
so this is effectively a dead rubber. So how do
you keep your standards high ahead of game three this afternoon?

Speaker 12 (43:25):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (43:25):
Good ed, Jason. Yeah, I mean it's been a great
white ball series both at Tea twenty and the one days. Obviously,
we've played some really good crickets so far and you know,
I guess for us it's about maintaining our standards and
basically the boys are pretty fired up for another game
today and hopefully we can put it up another good persformance.

Speaker 2 (43:45):
You've featured prominently in the first two games with the
bad good partnerships with both open. There's actually eighty seven
unbeaten with Will Young at the base in one hundred
and twelve with Rich and Ravendra in Hamilton. Interested to
know how similar or different those two are as batting partners.

Speaker 8 (44:01):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's been awesome to be at
the top and be amongst some runs with YANGI and Rutch,
and obviously both of them are planting beautifully. But yeah,
I mean, I guess, I guess both have their different styles.
Obviously one's left handed, ones right handed, but I mean
it's a pleasure to bet with both. Both are very

(44:21):
relaxed at the crease, and you know, it's just about
going out there and just enjoying ourselves.

Speaker 2 (44:25):
Really, do you find personally that the T twenty and
fifty over games complement each other in terms of the
way that you go about building an innings?

Speaker 8 (44:36):
Yeah, I mean, I guess I've always been probably more
more attacking and attacking style of players are probably lean
more towards the white Bull formats, but you know, I
still enjoy playing my Red Bull too, So yeah, it's
been nice to have been included in some Red Bull
squads recently.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
And in terms of the white ball when you had
to move so quickly and do have to domestically as well.
Between twenty over cricket tea twenty cricket and fifty over games,
is it other two quite complementary. Do you find yourself
doing things differently in the the over game, for example,
as opposed to T twenty.

Speaker 8 (45:09):
Yeah, I think, you know, sort of, as as time's
gone on, there's actually it's there's formats actually become quite
different in the sense that you know, fifty overs is
two and a half times as long as a T twenty,
so you've actually got a lot more time than you think.
So I mean that takes a little bit of adjusting
to and you know, you probably just don't need to

(45:30):
take as many risks as early as you think, just
because there is so much time.

Speaker 2 (45:34):
Do you still feel though you need to be striking
at one hundred plus even in the fifty over stuff?
I mean, obviously you do in T twenty, but I
mean your numbers are up over one hundred striking and
fifty over cricket as well. Is that kind of do
you feel that it's important that you're going to run
a ball at least? Yeah?

Speaker 8 (45:49):
I think I think these days, I think being around
one hundred strike rate is probably becoming more more of
the norm if anything. And I think you know, there's
slight differences in terms of one day cricket. You've got
an extra fielder in the circle, so you always feel
like you've got a boundary option as well, so you
know when when it comes time to push the accelerator pedal,

(46:09):
you've always got options to find boundaries too, which is
pretty helpful.

Speaker 2 (46:12):
And betting it three you've betted there in both the
t twenty one days against Sri Lanka. Is that your
absolute preference is that we you feel most at home.

Speaker 8 (46:21):
I mean, to be honest, I've probably betted more in
the middle Fine's own and domestic, but to be fair,
domestically and internationally, I've betted up and down the order
for both Auckland and He's inn So I mean, I
see myself as someone who's reasonably versatile and able to
adapt to different positions, and I guess sometimes internationally it's
just about where the gap opens up and trying to

(46:42):
take a chance in certain positions.

Speaker 2 (46:44):
And I know we're here to talk about the white
ball series, but can I ask you about your innings
and the planket shield for Aukland against Canterbury two seven
six What an innings man? How do you reflect on that?

Speaker 8 (46:56):
Yeah? Yeah, I guess it was Yeah, yeah, I hadn't
played red ball in a while, and you know, obviously
took some confidence of being included in the test squad.
To be honest, I just sort of just came back
and without much expectation and just try to play quite
sort of freely, and thankfully we're on a pretty good
in park surface, which always helps them. But yeah, about

(47:17):
that period of time as yes, something I haven't done
that much, but you know, it's sort of one of
those things that sort of was buy In the moment
you're reflecting, you go, wow, that was you know, it's
pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (47:27):
Did you add any stage? You know, I don't know
what this is like, but when you get to forty
two fifty, do you stop thinking about three hundred?

Speaker 8 (47:35):
Yeah, a few people ask me that. To be honest,
in the moment, when you're sort of you've been out
there for that long, you're sort of feeling a little
bit worse aware, so you're sort of to be honest
by it. By the end of it, they're almost got
everyone on the boundary, so it's just trying to hit
every It was almost at the end it was trying
to play a T twenty. It's trying to hit every
ball for six and you're thinking about declaration all that
sort of stuff. So yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean

(47:58):
three hundred would have been amazing, But to be honest,
I'm not complaining with two seventy six.

Speaker 2 (48:01):
No, I wouldn't imagine so, and just just on the
red bull stuff, as you say, included in ten squads
you know recently, do you have strong red ball ambitions
for New Zealand?

Speaker 6 (48:12):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (48:12):
Absolutely. I mean I've played first class cricket my whole career.
You know, I feel like of you know, put some
decent performances up over the years, and I guess it's
sort of just been one of those things where I
hadn't played as much red bull cricket as some other guys,
potentially just because I've been away with the white ball
teams quite often. So yeah, certainly it's certainly something I'm

(48:33):
still pushing for at this stage.

Speaker 2 (48:35):
Absolutely, And just back to the one days, I mean
you've had to be a bit patient there as well,
you know, t twenties. You know you're up in near
eighty odd games now for New Zealand, but you know
one day is your debud. What twenty fifteen got one
hundred on debut, But the opportunities haven't always been as
frequent as they have been in T twenties. Has it
been challenging at all to be patient in the fifty
over stuff?

Speaker 8 (48:54):
Yeah, I mean it's just been one of those things where,
you know, similar to the Test squad, the team has
been so settled for such a long period of time
and you know, had a lot of success as well.
So I mean I'm not the only one that's had
to wait a while, you know, wait in the wings.
You know, you look at Matt Henry, someone who spent
a lot of time on the bench, and also Will
Young and I guess you're seeing those guys are starting

(49:16):
to show their skills on the international stage. So yeah,
I mean, you know, I guess you have to be patient,
but everyone has to be patient at some stage in
their careas So yeah, just grateful that I'm out there
at the moment.

Speaker 2 (49:26):
And do you feel like, especially in the in the
white ball stuff and probably more so in the T twenty,
that there is a bit of a enough changing of
the guards the right word, but a bit of a
transitional stage. You know, the squad that plays for Lanka,
Tim Robinson is in there, Mitch Hayes, Zach Folks and others.
You know, Jacob Duffy getting a decent run now, does
it feel look a bit of a changing of the guard.

Speaker 8 (49:45):
Yeah, i'd say so. I think you know, you look
at the team now and you know there's there's no
Willings and there's no sound that there's no Bolt and
you know, those guys feel pretty iconic when you think
of New Zealand cricket and you know, now it's the
revender As, the Santas, the Nathan Smiths of the world
that are now coming to the fore. And I think,

(50:05):
you know, what's the encouraging is that, you know, there's
been some amazing performances as well from from a lot
of those guys that are stepping into those roles. So
I mean there's always going to be some some periods
where you go through a bit of change and you're
finding finding the combinations that work. But on the whole,
I think it's been awesome to see the way that
the different faces have stepped into the team and done well.

Speaker 2 (50:26):
Did you bet Nathan Smith to take that catch the
other night? Did you always feel confident he'd pouch it?

Speaker 8 (50:32):
Yeah, he's a good mover, He's a he's a good mover.

Speaker 9 (50:34):
In the field.

Speaker 8 (50:35):
He's pretty agile, he's got a good arm, so yeah,
we backed him.

Speaker 2 (50:38):
All the good stuff, all right. And after this obviously
Champions Trophy squad named on Sunday keen to be involved
obviously and what should be a very exciting tournament.

Speaker 8 (50:47):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, yeah, yeah selected, yeah, between the best
forward and you know, I think we'll have a pretty
strong team.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
Absolutely, Rles going well for you at the moment, Mark,
thanks indeed for chatting to us. All the best and
od I three this afternoon brilliant, Thanks Jason, I thank
you Mark, Mark Chapman. Then ahead of od I three
two o'clock this afternoon in Eden Park. By the sounds
of it, the weather's good for both that and for
the tennis both underway at two o'clock the final of
the ASP Classic Men's Singles and ODI three at Eden Park.

(51:15):
I'm just going to see what sort of crowd they
get turning up there this afternoon for that one. And
as mentioned to Mark Chapman at the end of that chat,
tomorrow morning at eleven, the black Caps squad for the
upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE will
be named. Now, I don't have this absolutely clarified, but
I believe it to be a fifteen man squad. So

(51:38):
I kind of feel like the squad's pretty easy to
pick because there are thirteen currently in the Black Caps
ODI squad to play Sri Lanka, and barring some sort
of catastrophe, you'd have to think that those thirteen are
on the plane for the Champions Trophy and just got
to add two, and the two to add seem pretty obvious.

(52:02):
Devin Conway and Came Williamson. That's the team. That's the fifteen.
It's quite batter heavy. Maybe you might want to think
about another seam bowler, I'm not sure who drops out,
or another spinner perhaps all that, there's plenty of spin options.
Here's the thirteen that are there at the moment. Mitchell
Saton is the captain, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy,

(52:25):
Mitch Hay, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Darrell Mitchell, Willow Rourke,
Glenn Phillips, Ruch and Ravendra, Nathan Smith and Will Young.
Add Devin Conway and King Williamson too. That and that's
your fifteen man squad, isn't it? The only person I
can think that might force their way in. Is Kyle Jamison.
It's great to see him bowling in the Super Smash.

(52:46):
Whether he's up to the riggers of International One Day
Cricket i e. Bowling ten o it's rather than just
the four I guess is something that only he and
the medical staff and Gary Stead and Mitchell Santa know.
But it just feels as though the squad has pretty
much picked itself. Having a One day series so close
to the Champions Trophy, you wouldn't think there be anybody

(53:08):
there who gets told at the end of the day today,
hey it's been fun, thanks very much, but you're not
coming to the Champions Trophy with us. I think that'd
be a bit harsh and rarely there's nobody who you
could say would drop out. Feels like a pretty good
eleven there. Mitch Hay is probably going to be back
up wicket keeper. Tom Latham I think will probably play

(53:30):
and keep wicket at the Champions Trophy, but you need
to have a backup there, and it's good to have
a proper backup rather than relying on the likes of
Devon Conway, for example, to grab the gloves if needed.
A look at that team, and then I start thinking
about the Champions Trophy. I think, actually that's a good team.

(53:50):
That's a team that could do all right at the
Champions Trophy. We play Pakistan in Karachi on Sunday the
nineteenth of February, then Bangladesh and Rawul Pindi on Friday
the twenty fourth of February, and India in Dubai on
Sunday the second of March. Those are the pall matches.

(54:11):
Then we go into knockout games. But that team could
do all right. So eleven o'clock tomorrow morning it's named.
So after midday tomorrow we'll be able to confirm that
squad for you. Probably have a chat to one or
two members of it. But that feels like it is
what it's going to be. And just finally on the
cricket before we move on from it. I have really

(54:31):
enjoyed over this white ball series, the introduction in particular
in the T twenty series of some new blood. I've
really enjoyed seeing some new guys out there playing cricket
for New Zealand. And I think of the T twenty
series and Tim Robinson and Zach Folks, for example, guys

(54:53):
who played the t twenties. Only Bevan Jacobs was called
into the team but didn't get the opportunity to play
a game. But I would like to see more of him.
And then you look at the bowlers and they've I've
been terrific servants for us. Of course, they have Tim Soudy,
Trent Bolt, near Wagner, but we've moved on from that

(55:14):
now we are now in the post Wagner Bolt sau
The era in all formats. It would appear to me,
even though Tim Soudy hasn't officially, I don't think has
he retired from white ball cricket, international white ball cricket.
Was it just Test cricket he retired from? He might
have retired from all international cricket anyway. I can't see
a way back into our white bull side for Tim

(55:36):
Soudy anyway. And then you start to think about what
our Test side might look like when Jamison is fit,
when Ben Sears is firing fully again, with Will O'Rourke
and with Matt Henry, and with Jacob Duffy, who was
just enjoying a real renaissance if you can call it that.

(55:56):
He's thirty, Jacob Duffy, he's not a young guy. Been
around for a while. We had him on the show
last week. He did Booted for Otago in twenty twelve.
He's been around for a while. But think about the
freshness of that in red ball cricket later on this
year against Zimbabwe, back end of the year against the
West Indies we play. Yeah, it feels like a bit

(56:17):
of a new guard under the captaincy of Mitchell Santner
Mitch Hay As I say into the team, I like
it has Fanellan do don't enough? Says Sean. I'm not
sure that Fanellen has done enough at with in fifty
over cricket. He's obviously playing Big Bash for the Perth
Scorches and he's doing it with some success. I just

(56:37):
don't know whether he's done enough. Lockie Ferguson would he
be a potential inclusion with his extra pace, I don't know.
There's another one, Tim Seiffert, I guess might have a
case as the backup wicket keeper with his ability to
go hard at the top of the order. Another one
playing in the Big Bash at the moment. Those would
be the guys on the fringes. But yeah, I just

(56:58):
feel it feels like it's the current thirteen and Conway
and Williams and we'll find out tomorrow at eleven o'clock.
One twenty four will take a break when we come back.
It's a preview of this afternoon's other big sporting fixture
in Auckland. It's the final of the ASB Classic, the
men's tournament coming to an end this afternoon and a
final probably nobody predicted, even tennis analyst Lee Ranovanovitch ziezu

(57:20):
Berg's up against Gaumlfis. Will preview that for you when
we come back.

Speaker 1 (57:24):
The tough questions off the turf weekends for it with
Jason Pine and GJ. Gardnerholmes, New Zealand's most trusted home
builder News.

Speaker 2 (57:34):
One twenty eight ten is shortly just on the Champions
Trophy in terms of the format for it. It's it's
nothing like the World Cup where there's a lot of
teams and a lot of games. Only eight teams. Only
eight teams in the Champions Trophy two palls of four
as mentioned before, wherein with Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The
other group has Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa, so
no West Indies in there and it's a straight round robin.

(57:57):
You played the other three in your group. Top two,
go into semi finals with a crossover situation one v two,
two v one, and then into a final. It's all
done and did pretty quickly when you look at the games.
As I mentioned before, the first game for New Zealanders,
well for US on the night of Wednesday, February nineteen,
and the final is scheduled for Sunday, the ninth of March.

(58:19):
Until pretty quick smart. So yeah, looking forward to the
champions trophy some fifty over cricket with I mean, who
knows we could win it. We could or we might
not get out of the group. But looking forward to
seeing the team tomorrow. Let's go to tennis. Belgium qualifier
Ziezu Bergs will meet French veteran gauml Fists in today's

(58:40):
men's singles final at the ASP Tennis Classic. Bergs advanced
to what is his first ATP Tour level final with
a thriller a three set win over Portugal's new No
Borgoues yesterday. Gaalmonfie got through in straight sets earlier in
the day, although he did have a few nervous moments

(59:00):
earlier in the week. The final set down for two
o'clock this afternoon. Former tennis pro and now tennis commentator
and analyst the Sky Sports coverage of the tournament, Lee
Ranovanovitch joins us, Lee, can anybody, hand on heart truly
say that this is the final they predicted?

Speaker 13 (59:19):
No, absolutely not. You wouldn't have picked it when we
saw the drawer, you know, the cutoff of safty eight
in the world, so the players and other top Yeah,
we had four big seeds that a lot of people
thought would come through on paper anyway, So no, no
one would have picked this final. However, I'm excited for it.
I've seen both of these guys play every match this

(59:39):
week and they are both on form. They're both on fire,
and it's.

Speaker 9 (59:43):
Going to be a great match.

Speaker 4 (59:44):
It could be an epic.

Speaker 2 (59:45):
All right, let's analyze them one by one.

Speaker 6 (59:47):
Then.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
What has allowed thirty eight year old galmn Fees to
make it all the way through to the final.

Speaker 9 (59:53):
He just wants to play.

Speaker 14 (59:55):
He doesn't play for the money.

Speaker 9 (59:56):
He's got money, he doesn't play for anything else. He
just wants to play and win. And he is in
For a thirty eight.

Speaker 13 (01:00:03):
Year old, he is an amazing So the cool condition.
The way that he moves around the quart is what
really impresses me. He's still got all the shots and
his eyes haven't slowed down. By the way that he
can move and turn the fence into its tack through
his movement around the quarters, It's pretty outrageous for a
thirty eight year old, and that's how he can still

(01:00:23):
fit it with the guys, just through his movement and
that experience too. He knows how to play the right
shot at the right time and try to conserve his
energy a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:00:33):
We almost lost him, didn't we, in the round of
thirty two behind a set. I think he lost the
first set sixty one to Spain's Pedro Martinez. He was
down to break in the second How did he get
out of that hole?

Speaker 13 (01:00:44):
He was down at six one, five seven. It looked
like he was going out in the first round. He
was playing pretty awful to be honest with you, but
he's a streaky player. Mercurial is maybe another way to
describe him. He can be pretty ordinary and his body language.

Speaker 9 (01:00:57):
Can be negative, but he has the ability.

Speaker 13 (01:00:59):
To find something that flicks the switch to get him
to all of a sudden go to go from zero
to ten in space of one game. So he's got
the ability just to turn it on, and in a
couple of key points in that first set he did
turn it on. Music is forehand mainly, and he's built
match by match as it's one of that's gone on.
Yesterday in a semi final, he was impressive. I felt

(01:01:21):
like he played within himself a lot, but that was
probably just a tactical thing. He wasn't too aggressive, didn't
make too many unforced theres, just kind of kept.

Speaker 15 (01:01:30):
It cool and calm.

Speaker 9 (01:01:32):
So he's not better and better and better. He'll be
formidable today in the final.

Speaker 2 (01:01:35):
All Right, well we know a bit about gam on face,
we know less about the man he's facing, Belgian qualifier
ziezubergs It give us the broad brush strokes of him
as a tennis player. First of all, ready.

Speaker 9 (01:01:48):
He's a rollercoaster to the odds, so he technically really sound.
He's big, he's strong, he's fast, he's got a big serve,
and he hits a heavy ball, so those balls like
coming through pretty quickly on the cord and that rushes
a lot of his opponents. He takes away their time
and space by purely by the headiness of the shot,
but mentally he's a bit up and down.

Speaker 14 (01:02:09):
He can play a.

Speaker 13 (01:02:10):
Great set and he'll follow that up with not a
great set, and we saw that in the quarterfinal. He
was down six two to two Mars. He was throwing
his racket, he was getting angry with the umpires, frustrated
with the noise in the crowd, and he managed the
flat which get a break there in the quarterfinal, come
back and win.

Speaker 9 (01:02:29):
They added three.

Speaker 13 (01:02:30):
Sets and played it was like a totally different player
for the back into the second set of the third set,
and then the semi final. Yesterday was the total opposite.
Came out of the blocks. He was on fire, he
was aggressive, hitting winners everywhere. At six two two love,
he had three break points to go, three loves, the
second for a double break. So we're doing commentary thinking, okay,

(01:02:50):
this is about to be over, and then he just
fell apart. He allowed boards to get back into the match,
ended up being down a break in the third starting
to get frustrated. Then he broke back, and then he
broke back again four brakes in the third set, and
eventually got back into the third set and as but
he made it hard for himself in terms of he
was in winning positions and then he dropped his bundle,

(01:03:11):
and then he got fought back to get into winning positions,
and he dropped his bundle again. So mentally he's a
little bit up and down, but he can play. He's
a real player to.

Speaker 2 (01:03:19):
You're right, this just feels like an epic in coming
this afternoon. If it goes to three sets, Lee, it
feels as though the younger man Bergs will have the advantage.
Does it feel as though the first set this afternoon's
pretty important?

Speaker 9 (01:03:33):
I think it always is in a final, just to
get that just to get that lead in that scoreboard.
Pressure for berg it will be a case of can
he handle the occasion. He's come through qualifying. It was
his first semi final win yesterday, so this is his
first final on an ATP tour and this will do wonders.

Speaker 15 (01:03:50):
For his rankings.

Speaker 9 (01:03:51):
It'll push him inside the top fifty. So can he
handle the pressure?

Speaker 15 (01:03:55):
Can he get in and compete?

Speaker 9 (01:03:56):
Can he just play his best.

Speaker 13 (01:03:58):
And forget about the fact that it's the final. That's
one thing I think with mon Thesis, just another day
at the office for him. He's been to semi fives
of the French Open, the US Open. He's won at
least one atp to a tournament every single year for
the last nineteen years, so he'll be ready to go.
But believe it or night, I'm leaning towards the qualifier

(01:04:18):
for a border line up set in this one.

Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
All right, Okay, let's wait and see what happens. Right,
great to get your analysis. Leiot Radovanovitch there as a
former pro real student of the game, have thoroughly enjoyed
his part in the coverage of the ASP Classic, which
wraps up this afternoon in about twenty five minutes. They'll
be on court as Gael Montfish, the thirty eight year

(01:04:41):
old takes on the young Belgian zizu Bergs. Apparently he
was named after Zenodene Zidan, who of course is known
as zizu He's not French, he's Belgian, but his parents
are big football fans. Apparently, So zizu burgs up against
Gaumorfi's two o'clock this afternoon, twenty five to two. They've
had the toss at Eden Park in the third and

(01:05:03):
final one day international. Sri Lanka have won the toss
and decide how they will bat first on what looks
a belter. Eden Park, of course, is always conducive to
big scores in white ball cricket with its unusual shape.
Let's see how Sri Lanka go. They will head out
to bat first against New Zealand and the third and
final one day in around twenty five minutes from now.
We of course will keep you right up to date

(01:05:24):
when we come back though. Across the Tasman will go
Adam Peacock, a Australian correspondent with a particular focus on
the upcoming Australian Tennis Open.

Speaker 1 (01:05:33):
The biggest seams in sports are on Weekend Sports with
Jason Vain and GJ. Junnerhomes, New Zealand's most trusted home
builder News Dogs they'd.

Speaker 2 (01:05:42):
Be twenty one away from two. Just some team news
from Eden Park where New Zealand have made one change.
Michael Bracewall was coming for Jacob Duffy, But tough on
Jacob Duffy, I have to say, after taking two for
thirty nine and two for thirty so far, I think
we can safely assume that he's just being rested and
he'll no doubt be in that champion's trophy squad for

(01:06:03):
tomorrow Sri Lanka are unchanged. Brace will for Duffy for
New Zealand. Let's get you across the Tasman around this
time every Saturday, with the pleasure of the company of
our Australian correspondent Adam Peacock. You're heavily involved in coverage
of the Australian Open, which is underway properly tomorrow after
qualifying over the last few days, Adam, what are the
big storylines ahead of the Shar's Tournament?

Speaker 14 (01:06:27):
Morning, Pony, Hello, ponyday. I don't know what day is,
don't know what time it is? Mate, This morning when
you wake up in Melbourne, there's only one going on
in front of the page, front of the pavement and curios.
So yeah, he's probably the biggest story, but there's plenty
of other storylines. I've rend A Sabalinka going for three
in a row, Novak Djokovic going for another one? Can

(01:06:48):
he rekindle past glories? Annick Sinner, how the specter of
a drug band that hangs over his head? How's that
going to affect him? And plenty of other story Wi
hunts as well. So yeah, it's a really interesting few
days here in Melbourne with the tournament finally getting under
way after a big lead up and all those storylines

(01:07:09):
starting to be written.

Speaker 2 (01:07:10):
What what do you predict for Nick carry off over
the next I was going to say over the next
two weeks, over the next week.

Speaker 14 (01:07:16):
I'd be surprised if we're talking about him still being
in the tournament next weekend. I'm just not sure his
body's going to hold out. And he's probably good enough.
He's got an okay draw, Jackie Furnley, a brick rank
just inside the top one hundred, good player. But Nick,
on his day, if he's up to it, beats him.
So but the problem is with Nick his body, So

(01:07:38):
I can't We're guessing, and I shouldn't say definitively can't,
But I can't really see him winning three full matches
in a row of best of five when he just
does not have the base and to carrying through. He's
already had a couple of niggles that he's carrying. So
but fingers crossed, he does light it up a bit
because the tournament does become far more interesting than Nick's going.

Speaker 2 (01:08:01):
Well, there's no Jokovic the favorite, and the mens, no
Yahnix center.

Speaker 14 (01:08:05):
I reckon sinner has to be. Djokovic in Brisbane was
beaten by Riley ol Pelk, a big serving American look,
and that can happen against the guy who's nearly seven
foot and just serving so well. It's like their fine margins.
The match comes down to one or two points, and
Joku didn't quite get those one or two points. But
the bigger picture is with Djokovic is that that half

(01:08:27):
step has he like he's doing everything he can to
make sure he hangs on to what he had, and
that's the thing. It's not about improvement, it's about just
rekindling what he had in previous years. I'm not sure
he's right at that level. And if it was a
year where you've got a couple of guys who are
just still finding their way at the top top at

(01:08:49):
the end of a Grandstone tournament, I'd say, yeah, he's
very much in commission. But what we're talking about here
is in the drawer. Carlos Alcaraz and Yanksiner they split
the Grand Vans last year to a piece, so these
guys know how to win these things now. There's no
fear in that regard, and Jocovic has got a horrible
little section to try and get to make final. So
I would say he's actually third behind it. Two I

(01:09:09):
mentioned there in cinner And now for us.

Speaker 2 (01:09:10):
Interesting stuff and just a word on the women's I
see arena Sablinka's on rod Labor Arena in the first
night session tomorrow night to us a bit difficult or
more difficult, I think to pick a favorite in the
women's So I suppose you go by seedings, would sabal
Linka be favorite?

Speaker 14 (01:09:25):
Yeah? Yeah, Sabellac is a game's pretty good at the moment.
Judging what she did in Brisbane, there's a couple of
issues normally on a fourhand shot that's not quite in
sync for her at the moment. But I would say
that she's the heavy favorite, the clear favorite, absolutely three
in a row. She's got such an amazing record the
last two years here in Australia. I think it's like

(01:09:47):
twenty six or twenty seven and one, and this was
going back and you go back three years and she
couldn't serve. She sorted out issue out with her serve
and ever since she's come back here she's just being rolled.
Everyone basically had no Ash Barty in the field these
days as well, and shrewd tech looks like yeah, plays
her thing absolutely very good on a hard court. The
Polish I have a Sabalanka when she's in a rhythm

(01:10:09):
on these courts, very hard to beat. But she plays
a form me US Open champion in Sloan Stevens. First up,
she's unseated, so it's a really tough first round maps
and that's what I've got her on the night session.

Speaker 2 (01:10:19):
Night one, all right. Two other matters cricket, The Australian
Test team to tour Sri Lanka has been named Steve's
must going to kept in the side. Any blowback on this.

Speaker 14 (01:10:30):
Nah, we've forgotten about it over here. I'm sure you
haven't over there, but we don't really bring it up anymore.
He's the only option when you look at it. I mean,
I haven't really put together a succession plan. Arthur pat commons.
It's like, oh, well, Steve Smith the next best at
the moment, so we'll give.

Speaker 6 (01:10:46):
It to him.

Speaker 14 (01:10:47):
Travis Head look like he might have been developing into
that kind of role. One name I will say is
Nathan mcswaeny. Once he gets back into the Test line up,
and I reckon he will one day. He's the guy
that could one day end up cappening in Australia Arthur
pat Commons. But that's in the future. In the near
future is this Sri Lanka tour where it looks like
they're blooding a lot of younger players. They've chosen Cook Connolly,

(01:11:07):
Sam Constas is going to go as well, and it's
a chance for these guys to integrate into the national
team set up because as George Bailey, the champan of
the selectors said earlier this week that there's a lot
of tours coming to that region on turning slow low decks,
so need to prepare for it and give these guys
a chance to integrate into the squad. Maybe not play
a game, but integrate.

Speaker 2 (01:11:27):
Yeah, certainly a look ahead, doesn't it, Because I think
you know, Glenn Maxwell's name was bandied around as a
guy who might possibly return to the tear sites hardly
played RedBull cricket as he for Australia, but no, real surprise,
his name wasn't on the list.

Speaker 14 (01:11:41):
No, there was two that were being chucked around as
like you, yeah, let's give him a go because he's
so good, especially with the white ball game. But Glen
Maxwell and Adam Zamper, but they just haven't committed to
Shield cricket, so you don't know exactly what they're like
with with Red Bull cricket. I don't no doubt Glen
Maxwell would have been in success over there. But is

(01:12:02):
he going to be a success? This is to the
point of George Bailey alanui to twenty four months time?
Is he going to still be playing talk to twenty
four month time? Is he still going to want to
have that appetite?

Speaker 8 (01:12:12):
We're going to tour.

Speaker 14 (01:12:13):
It's a long way in the distance, but a massive
tour given what just happened to India at the start
of twenty twenty seven, which is going to come around
really quickly. So they've I think they've seen the issue
with the possibility of older guys retiring all of a
sudden and there's like big kind of vacuum there with
nothing going into it unfortunately. So yeah, they've probably done

(01:12:35):
the right thing.

Speaker 2 (01:12:36):
I reckon all right, And just a quick word. We
had your Maxwell, your your countryman on earlier in the
show talking about this two tier teast cricket proposal which
seems to have legs. How has this gone down over there?

Speaker 14 (01:12:49):
Yeah, we like it because it's the possibility of playing
England and India in big series more often. I don't
know how I'd feel about it if I saw like
an ASHES every eight tour to eighteen months and an
India series. It feels like in the past five years
we've played India a lot, and yeah, it's built and

(01:13:09):
it's great, and you know, you get a stack of
money coming in the coffers for Indian TV rights when
they come and play on their shores. But just don't
go too heavy on it, because sometimes more is too much,
And I don't know if they want to do this,
they've got to really space it out, think about it
and really put value on Test cricket. But that you

(01:13:31):
don't put value on Test cricket by playing it heaps more.
You put value on it by having a proper structure,
I reckon. And the only way that this is workable
in my eyes, I'm not against it, I'm not ford it,
but I just want to see how it might evolve
is promotion relegation. It has to happen, Like you can't
just have a locked off six and that's it and
then a six below on. You have to have maybe

(01:13:52):
even one go up, one go down automatically and then
a playoff between second bottom and second top in the
two tiers. That's potentially a way of doing it, but
not how you guys feel about it over there, because
you got the New Zealand might be on the borderline
of of top six if you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (01:14:09):
Absolutely, And we've already chatted about this this afternoon on
the show. The problem is I think that as soon
as someone like Australia, England or India is threatened by relegation,
the whole thing probably goes in the bin. Are England
or Astralian really gonna want to be relegated and then
not play the Ashes?

Speaker 14 (01:14:22):
Oh it's a bit like the A League, isn't it. Like, Yeah,
that's great, we'll have pro rail everything like that. What
happens with Melbourn victory, it's going to get relegated. They're
really going to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:14:30):
I would have thought so. I wouldn't have thought so either.
Great to Jed has always enjoy your week in Melbourne
and and let's jet again next Saturday.

Speaker 14 (01:14:36):
Jeez, finey sounds good.

Speaker 2 (01:14:38):
Sounds good to me too, Mat Thanks and Dan Adam Peacock,
they're our regular Australian correspondent, heavily involved, as I say,
in coverage over there of the Australian Tennis Open, so
it gives us some real good insight there. So Yeah,
Novak Djokovic not favorite, absolutely not the favorite. Alcarez and
Center are the two Nick Krios will take part, but
for how long I guess The promoters of the tournament,

(01:14:59):
not that they need to really promote it as such,
but they'll be hoping for Nick Kerios staying in as
long as possibly gam to boost interest, ticket sales, all
that sort of thing. Get the feeling whenever that Curios plays,
it'll be on rod Laver and it'll be in front
of packed houses. Maybe only one match, we'll wait and see.
The tournament proper starts tomorrow twelve to two. A couple

(01:15:22):
of other things are about to start. The ASB Men's
singles final at the ASB Tennis Classic, that is, and
the third and final one day between New Zealand and
Sri Lanka at Eden Park. We'll keep eyes on both
of those for you after two o'clock. But a football
though coming up for you right after this.

Speaker 1 (01:15:38):
Analyzing every view from every angle in the sporting World
Weekends for It with Jason vive N call Oh eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty US talk z.

Speaker 2 (01:15:46):
MB eight away from two after two Martin gupdllers with
us and also Monty Beatham on the retirement of Tohu
Harris this week and who you reckon should be the
new Warrior Skipper. We'll open the lines on that five
o'clock this afternoon. The Wellington Phoenix trying to get out
of a rut. They've lost four of their last five games.
They welcome Adelaide United to Sky Stadium five o'clock kick
off this afternoon. Earlier this week, I spoke to Phoenix

(01:16:08):
defender Isaac Hughes and asked how the team had approached
the week off the back of a pairly mediocre run
of results.

Speaker 16 (01:16:14):
I think we've got to recognize that this is a
home game, you know. I think we need to win
more games at home. We haven't won one at home
this season. We've won one at home this season. I
think last season a lot of our success was built
on getting results away from home, grinding and then at
home winning games. I think, you know, we've got to
stress the importance that this.

Speaker 2 (01:16:33):
Is a home game. We've got to go and win
the game. What about in terms of the run of results,
which hasn't been going the way that the team would
have hoped. Is there a need to kind of lift
each other up. Is it what you're sensing within the group.

Speaker 16 (01:16:47):
I think there's yeah, I think there's a need for that.
I think there's a need for a bit more belief.
I think if we you know, I think we're go
into the games positively and we try and take the
game to the opposition, and we show our qualities on
the ball. I think we can beat most teams in
the league.

Speaker 2 (01:17:02):
So there's no sort of complete drop of confidence in
the team. Still a confidence that you can can turn
things around.

Speaker 16 (01:17:09):
Oh, definitely. I think, you know, we're early on in
the season. I think there's lots especially in a finals format,
there's no need to panic at this stage of the season.

Speaker 2 (01:17:19):
I think we're going to grow into the season.

Speaker 16 (01:17:21):
I think it's now time to, you know, take a
bit of humble pie because we have lost a few games,
but you know, get back to the training pitch and
work on what we need to work on and then
come good for the end of the season.

Speaker 2 (01:17:33):
And you went through a pretty challenging time for a
while there there was some incidents that you're involved and
that lead to goals. What sort of strategies did you
use to make sure that you didn't get to two
down on yourself during those times.

Speaker 16 (01:17:44):
I think it's something I've worked on with Taylor, our
sports psychologist. I think, you know, a mistake can happen
in a game, but what you're going to do for
the rest of the game. You're going to sit and
think about it for the rest of the game, or
you're going to get on with the game. Like you know,
if you want it to be just one mistake in
the whole game, then that's what it can be if

(01:18:06):
you can respond to it well. I think there's also times,
like with my slip, where you've just got to let
yourself off, like there's nothing I'm wearing soft ground boots
and playing on what's meant to be a good pitch.
If I slip and they score, there's nothing I can
do about that. I just got to move on and
play the rest of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:18:25):
It seemed I mean what you just said there, it
seemed that's what you did. You know you're still wanted
the ball. It is still you know didn't hide away
and get your head down. Is it something that has
always come naturally to you. I don't think so.

Speaker 16 (01:18:41):
I don't think it necessarily comes naturally to anyone. Obviously
people are not going to naturally have a bit more
character than others. But I think it's something Greening used
to say to me. Actually, the reserves coach used to say, like,
if you make a mistake in the game, I still
want you to be just as loud and just the
same leader. And I think for me that's something that
helps me in if I make a mistake in the game,

(01:19:02):
still speaking, still organizing, just gets me back into the game.
And you know, it's hard to accept in football because
you want to be perfect all the time, but the
best players in the world aren't perfect all the time,
and mistakes are going to happen. So it's about just
responding to that as quickly as possible.

Speaker 2 (01:19:18):
And you're a defender too, like if a striker makes mister,
there's a slip, doesn't necessarily mean anything your you know,
slips whatever can be magnified, can they. But it's the
it's the trade you've chosen being a defender. Tell me
about it. Piney it's and T training.

Speaker 16 (01:19:33):
That's a swear there, but it's a frustrating one. I
see people slip all the time and no one scores,
but yeah, one slip and then the Air League's Instagram
page is posting it and what can you do?

Speaker 2 (01:19:45):
Well, I guess what you can do is exactly what
you've seid. You carry on Adelaide this weekend. You know
they're traveling pretty well. What sort of three do you
assist that they will post you on the weekend.

Speaker 16 (01:19:56):
I think they've got a lot of attacking talent. I
think even we saw with last year with Dadelaide, you
know they were fast, they played a lot of football,
but they also conceded a lot of goals. I think,
and you know they good in the transition. I think
we're going to have to be switched on and focus
for the whole ninety minutes. It's going to require a
nighty minute performance. But you know, I think there's definitely

(01:20:17):
opportunities for us to hurt them.

Speaker 2 (01:20:19):
And as Isaac Hughes Wellington Phoenix defender, they take on
Adelaide United from five o'clock this afternoon, sky Stadium in Wellington.
Auckland FC meantime are part of have really seen a
quadruple header. There are four games back to back to
back to back of a league football from five this afternoon,
the fourth of which is Auckland f C Up against
Perth Glory eleven forty five tonight kickoff for the hardy

(01:20:41):
Auckland f C fans staying up to watch that one
after two. Martin gapdel In Monty Betham on the retirement
of Tallhu Harris.

Speaker 1 (01:20:49):
The only plays for the big names, the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations. It's all on
Weekend Sport with Jason him on your home of Sport
News talks.

Speaker 17 (01:21:04):
It be.

Speaker 2 (01:21:06):
Hi there, Welcome into Weekend Sport, Welcome back to Weekend Sport.
As the case lav eight past two. I'm Jason Pine.
Another hour before we hand it over. A busy hour though,
keen for your input on a couple of things. The
first is who will who should lead the Warriors in
twenty twenty five. Up until a few days ago we thought,
well it's Toho Harris, but unfortunately on Thursday the news

(01:21:29):
broke that Taho Harris will be retiring with immediate effect.
He simply hasn't recovered sufficiently from off season surgery on
his wrist and has made the I'm sure very difficult
decision to pull the pin. Monty beat them on this
Shortly we'll get the thoughts of Cam George, the club's

(01:21:50):
chief executive, and Andrew Webster, head coach as well, but
it's your views. I'm really keen on league fans. Who
would you like to take the captain's armband? And memories
of Taho Harris as well and the legacy that he
will leave is one of the clubs all time greats.
Martin Guptel, speaking of all time greats, is on the
show this hour as well. We're being a bit fluid

(01:22:11):
with Martin Guptel. He's got other commitments. They're honoring him
today at Eden Park as part of the third and
final One day International between the black Caps and Sri Lanka.
So he has other commitments, but he knows that we're
keen to chat, so at some stage between now and
three we certainly hope that that will happen. We'll get
you up to date with the cricket Sri Lanka nine

(01:22:33):
without lost after two. I was batting first, and also
on the tennis, which is about to get under way
with zizu Bergs and Gaumol Feasts set to do battle
for the ASB Classic Men's Singles crown. So quite a
bit to juggle between now and three. But I feel
confidence that Andy will be able to do it, and
I'll just follow his instructions. And what he's telling me

(01:22:54):
right now is with the time at nine past two
at his time for you to catch up with some
of the things that you may have missed over the
last twenty four hours or so. Our regular in case
you missed it feature is back for twenty twenty five,
and we start in the A League a thriller in Melbourne.
Last night. Western United were three two behind going into

(01:23:16):
added time against Melbourne Victory. So one of them touched
onto the crossbar, but they've got it down.

Speaker 18 (01:23:25):
No Gootics has equalized for the second time in this
contest for Western United.

Speaker 2 (01:23:33):
So three to three. But Western United were not done.
A couple of minutes later they completed a whirlwind comeback.

Speaker 18 (01:23:40):
Dansaki controls against Boss Thean Sakisuke and they've gone four
again to and stop. It's time again. You just can't
keep this Western United side down.

Speaker 2 (01:23:57):
I certainly can't four three to Western United into the
top four. They go staying in Australia. In Crickets Big Bash,
Hobart keeping their winning streak alive with a match winning
knock from Tim David.

Speaker 19 (01:24:10):
Tim David, the classy atchieves victory with six and he
has played some hand again Tim David sixty eight or
thirty eight, a record equaling five consecutive wins for the
Hobart Hurricanes.

Speaker 2 (01:24:26):
Yeah, a six wicked win for the Hurricanes with a
ball to spare over the Sydney thunder close to the
home and our super smash. The Magician's much too strong
for the Hearts. And the women's game in christ Church.
Now know Dan trying to get it through. She does
chases on. I don't think they'll real listen.

Speaker 17 (01:24:45):
And that goes to the boundary for four through cover.

Speaker 2 (01:24:48):
Maddy Penner hits the winning run, a nine wicked win
for Canterbury's women and the men made it a Canterby
sweep at Hagley, winning by forty one runs over Auckland,
spurred on by a strong knock from Chad Bows whacked away.
That is a good Sex sload it down, pushed it
slightly wide. This time he's gone on the other side.

(01:25:10):
What a shot that is.

Speaker 17 (01:25:14):
Fifty up for Bows just twenty seven deliveries.

Speaker 1 (01:25:19):
Breaking down the hail Mary's and the epic fails. Weekend
Sport with Jason Pin News Talk z Envy.

Speaker 2 (01:25:27):
Twelve minutes past two. Massive blow for the Warriors this week,
Captain Tahou Harris announcing on Thursday he is ending his
playing career with immediate effect.

Speaker 7 (01:25:38):
One hot test match for Timer on this ground seven
days ago.

Speaker 2 (01:25:41):
As we see Harris, who has the captain?

Speaker 19 (01:25:47):
Just caught good tackle Clark last play.

Speaker 2 (01:25:50):
A good to Harris to plug over for his first
time over year. Yeah, man, I'm marked outside him.

Speaker 3 (01:25:59):
Look Metcalf, whyries your kid to compose your heir?

Speaker 2 (01:26:03):
It's Harris Harras Harras Thursday etalizer here. Taho Harris set
for his thirteenth NRL campaign this year, but says ongoing
problems following off season surgery on a wrist injury have
forced him to step aside prematurely. Tollho Harris ends his

(01:26:23):
career with one hundred and seventeen appearances since he joined
the Warriors in twenty eighteen, exactly the same number of
games he played in his five seasons with Melbourne between
twenty thirteen and twenty seventeen, two hundred and thirty four
NRL games. All up, Let's bring in another Warriors legend,
Monty Betham. Monty, when you heard this news, was it

(01:26:45):
a surprise?

Speaker 15 (01:26:47):
I was probably a surprised for me. I didn't realize
how he was tracking after his operation. I knew who's
going in and knew it was a big problem for
Hi and he was paid through a lot of pain
last year, the risk being the main cause of the
few problems that he had. But to hear that Mickie
bronnounced from the email, came out in house first before public,
and it just broke the internet, and that he was

(01:27:09):
just everywhere as he should be, because he's a man
that's been reviewed and unfortunately it's the sad way, the
infohime man for the game.

Speaker 2 (01:27:16):
Indeed, what will Tohoo Harris's Warriors legacy be?

Speaker 15 (01:27:21):
One of great I think he's changed the way he's
changed the narrative of how I loose forwards played. Over
the years, we've had some absolutely great ones and you know,
Kevin Camping comes to mind, Simon Mannory, Michael Luck and
all these guys. The guys that are war horses, guys
that are sort of I wouldn't say one dimensional. I
want to give them more the respect that they deserve.
But in terms of having the all round ball playing ability,

(01:27:42):
the engine, the finise that Torby Harris has and the
way he goes to the line, him and a walker
of late and the way they've been playing really has
been a key point of attack for the suire side.
So Toory Harris for me is one of the great
put on the jumper. He's played one hundred and seventeen
odd games for the clubs to shame that he finishes prematurely,
but like I know, he's loved the suit within the

(01:28:04):
organization as well.

Speaker 2 (01:28:05):
So it's huge from it goes without saying Monty, this
is a big blow to the Warriors, but how big
I think it's huge.

Speaker 15 (01:28:14):
You think about the experience because you lose Adam for
will Break, you lose Shawn Johnson, you lose Jack Devon,
and then you also lose someone I saw who which
is something you didn't count for. So that's close to
eight hundred, nine hundred games. I've experienced a guy that's
loved in the club. His wife Naden Harlan comes in
their family, you know, and just the way he plays.
He's a big body, he's like six foot five. He

(01:28:34):
plays him at the park. He's got the biggest engine
you can play with the ball. He defends very well
and just the way he needs his side. I think
it's means by accents, but he also has the great
words that you need every now and again. It doesn't
say much, but when he does holds of rumors, well.

Speaker 2 (01:28:52):
Let's talk about the leadership void that will be left
with his departure. Already. You know a lot of comments
around about who will will lead the Warriors in twenty
twenty five. Is James Fasha Harris, even though he's just
coming in the best candidate for you.

Speaker 15 (01:29:08):
I think he is. I think he's come over here
on's good back to the game. This is where has
come from. He's a fine leader. I've read Ivan Clary's
book and he speaks about charmes for shap Harris hugely
throughout miss been in the last five Grand finals, winning
four of them and leads away out on the field.
And I've seen the way commands the respect and attention

(01:29:28):
as a leader in the QWI camp, and I think
he'll get the same for us here already in the
in the short week that I've seen him in camp
and doing what he doesn't have these little chats. I
believe he's a wonderful leader. But in the saying that,
you've still got miss Barnett, You've still got Roger tv
Vashis chick. You've got a number of leaders in there
around around him, and whoever gets that seat, and I'm
thinking Dans for Sha Harris is the right candidate. I

(01:29:51):
think he'll be well a supporter. In terms of lieutenants.

Speaker 2 (01:29:55):
Yeah, I just want to talk about that. And you
often hear about leadership groups Monty Dougie within any sporting team,
how important are those lieutenants to the guy who actually,
you know, where's the armband?

Speaker 15 (01:30:04):
I think he is going to have a number of
people put it in the right direction. And although you
have your main leader, you've got to have other leaders
in and around them that echo the fancy toments the
same things and thoughts in their own ways and what
they do, and it's you know, it's just not one man.
It's a number of people around just supporting you and
be going the thoughts of the coach, and that as well,

(01:30:25):
So there's some still some good leaders left, although we've
lost a few until we've been the most recent, which
is a shock and it would be very much from it.
But you know, James Fisher Harris is a wonderful letter
some booking forards coming through, and then the are the
young guys coming through as well, just showing their words
and understanding there is a year on their journey and
how they can grow under the leadership of themselves and
Mitch Barnett and others.

Speaker 2 (01:30:47):
How important is the off field role of the captain.
I'm not just talking around the playing group but around
the club in general.

Speaker 6 (01:30:53):
Oh.

Speaker 15 (01:30:53):
I think it's huge, more so for me for the
playing group because it's about Dementric by Manga. It's about
Lettahale and that coming through and learning the right way
to do things, how to apply SOUF to the sport
and and you know, and be in a situation where
you need the way and if you see things not
happen the way they should, you put a stop to

(01:31:14):
a straight away. And you know, he's the leader of
men Fish and other men like Mitch Barnett and having
those guys around and these young guys coming through which
are the new cropper really really exciting and I think
they are nucleus of a good side that can really
do some good things in this jumper. They need their
leadership in front of them, and I think there's a
good crew differently.

Speaker 2 (01:31:34):
Aside from the captaincy. Obviously the Warriors now need to
replace Tail who Harris in the lock position, don't they?
Is Dylan walk of the obvious choice there.

Speaker 15 (01:31:42):
It's a wonderful job last year in terms of when
he came in the game he's pen and other games
as well. You know when we've had the B team
so to speak out there and really pull some numbers
over the position and get some results. But you know
there's also Aaron Clark who's loving being home, who's played
for the Keys for the first time and he's been
training very very well. Demitic Bymonga. You've got a lot

(01:32:02):
of boys, But it comes down to the engine. The
interchange is what you want to do with your Ford Pact.
So there are some choices there for webe. But you
think that Bill and Walker, who's just a wonderful part
and has the same sort of attributes as who did lastly,
like going to the line, that he should be a
work that evasion and just have that run threat as

(01:32:23):
well as past threat. But I think which just makes
a difference.

Speaker 2 (01:32:27):
And res back to toll who Harris to finish? Monty, you
know we only see him, you know, on television playing matches,
you know, in media situations. He looks humble, committed, team man,
family man. Is that the Taho Harris that you know?

Speaker 15 (01:32:41):
That is the authentic Toy Harris without a doubt. He
is the most humble, most polite guy to be around,
who really cares for people. He is selfless. He just
wants to work hard. He is this big human and
I think when you see him on the field, you
don't get a real goage to how big he is
in person. But he's always there to do things for people.
And you know, people don't know, but both himself and

(01:33:04):
his wife they do a lot for the local in
the local school down here. But they are a really
wonderful human beings. So I hope he sticks around because
he's a good man, a good human and who'd be
much needed around the place.

Speaker 2 (01:33:17):
Fantastic great to chat has always Monty. Thanks for taking
the time, Thanks fining, Thanks Monty, Monty Beatham There Warriors
legend still part of the club and obviously part of
Sky Sports coverage of the NRL as well, and you
can watch the twenty twenty five NRL season live on
Sky Sport and stream it on Sky Sport. Now from
the second of March. That's going to roll around pretty quickly.

(01:33:39):
There's nothing. The Warriors start in Vegas, don't they? The
Warriors start off and in Vegas? Isn't that the first
place they go? I think it might be regardless who
will lead them Warriors fans, just give us a gauge
on this. James Fisher Harris is the most obvious for me,
you know, already a leader coming in with huge manna

(01:34:02):
and standing within the sport. Everybody would look up to
Sames Fisher Harris. I know he's only just arrived, but
he seems like the most obvious one. He has a
lot on his plate though, doesn't he a marquee arrival,
probably among the biggest signings in the club history, you know,

(01:34:25):
and he's losing the support of Tohoo Harris. We know
Adam Vanova Blake has also gone, Jazz Stavanger has also gone.
So already James Fisher Harris has a lot to live
up to and he's able to, there's no question. But
do you also want to give him the extra responsibility

(01:34:45):
of being captain or would you prefer to say, you
know what, Fish as they call him, James Fisher Harris.
You know what, James, you just concentrate on being the
best rugby league player you can be and we'll take
that captaincy away from your plate. You may well captain
the side at stages the season or going forward, but

(01:35:06):
it would be asking a lot of you to come
in and do it straight away. So if it's not
to be James Fisher Harris, then you get the feeling
there's only one other guy. Only one of the guy
I can think of. That's Mitch Barnett. Terrific last season,
probably the standout player at the club. Last season. He
got a State of Origin selection in the Kangaroo's selection.
He's been a stand in captain when Tahoo Harris was available.

(01:35:30):
Everybody respects him, he's good with the media, he appeals.
Mitch Barnett is another possible candidate to have the full
time captaincy. So those are the two really that I've
seen talked about the most. Mitch Barnett and James Fisher,
Harris others who I guess could be in the conversation.

(01:35:51):
Roger to I Vasascheck has been talked about. He was
a long serving captain, wasn't he at the Warriors? And
he was very young twenty three. I think when he
first took over as captain. I get the feeling he's
probably just enjoyed being contributing without having the captaincy alongside
his name. But you know, would he want to do

(01:36:12):
it again? You know he might. I guess if he
was asked, he would do it. I'm not sure that
there's anybody in the team who if asked by Andrew
Webster and Cameron George if they would like the captain
the side would say no. So there's Roger Wade, Egan,
perhaps Kurt Capewell, a couple of wild cards, maybe Chance,

(01:36:34):
Nicol klukstar Jellen, why Tennis, a Lesniak. He's pretty inspiring.
He led the keywis didn't he? So he's got captaincy experience.
He keen to know from you who you think a
eight hundred eighty ten eighty who should be the next
Warriors skipper. And they're gonna have to make the decision
pretty quickly, aren't they? And Tahu Harris, For those who

(01:36:54):
have watched him over his long career twelve season six
of those with the Warriors, the last six one hundred
and seventeen games, where does he sit for you? What
will his legacy be? Any particular performances or moments in
the career of Tahoo Harris that stand out would love
to hear from you. Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten eighty.
I know it's a bit unseasonal and January to be

(01:37:16):
talking rugby league, but this is a big story, a
really big story, with Taho Harris deciding that he cannot
go on for a thirteenth NRL season. Updating you on
some live sport. The ASB Classic Singles Final Men Singles
Final is ongoing and galmon Feasts is already out to
a three love lead. He's got a break of serve
already early in the game against ziezu Bergh's, so he

(01:37:39):
leads three love in the first set, Berg serving to
bring it back to three to one. I think galm
on feast and would want to win this in two sets.
I think if it goes to three, his slightly more
experienced body might not thank him for that. And at
the cricket at Eton Parks, just Acrosstown from the tennis
Srilanka badding first twenty eight without loss after six overs

(01:38:03):
in the third and final one day against New Zealand.
Weekend Sport on News Talks B it is two twenty five.
We're back after this.

Speaker 1 (01:38:10):
Don't get caught off sidey ten eighty weekends for us
with Jason Paine and GJ. Gardnerhoves new Zealand's most trusted
home builder, News TALKSB.

Speaker 2 (01:38:21):
Twenty seven on News Talks B Martin Guptel before three
o'clock but talking Toho Harris and his retirement, the legacy
he leaves and the void he leaves as far as
the captaincy is concerned. Nathan Limb from our sports team
and the host of the Big League podcast, spoke to
Andrew Webster in the last twenty four hours to get
his reaction to this news. Started off first of all

(01:38:42):
by by asking Andrew Webster what the communication had been
like between Toho Harris and himself and his reaction to
the decision that Toho Harris had made.

Speaker 17 (01:38:52):
Yeah, like a lot of our communications going to stay personal,
but it's been as always teen Toy and myself, it's
always been really good.

Speaker 6 (01:39:00):
I'm very grateful for that relationship.

Speaker 17 (01:39:04):
Yeah Who midway through last year was you know, like
most great leaders, of the most great players, was playing
through a risk injury and he was he was trying
to do what he needed to do from the team,
and I think we all acknowledge at the time that
he needed to take a break. He had a rest,
he came back and it didn't get any better, it
got worse. So he had the operation and and we're

(01:39:30):
all excited that a really good preseason, just so excited
to get tour Who paying free and back playing, and
it hasn't happened that way.

Speaker 6 (01:39:38):
So we're just communicated along the way. And I am
I said this for myself. It's a bit I will
share is I was.

Speaker 17 (01:39:48):
I'm really upset to hear it, like it was quite emotional,
but I'm not surprised because I actually know what he's
going through.

Speaker 6 (01:39:55):
I was, He's communicated to me what he's going through
on a regular basis.

Speaker 2 (01:39:59):
So what had Tahu Harris been going through physically?

Speaker 6 (01:40:03):
Look, Toy who can only tell you it could tell
you that way better than myself. But Yeah, he's just
had pain through his wrists, like struggling with group, picking
his kids up, his son up, you know, just you know,
day to day chores when we're even hard for him.

Speaker 17 (01:40:20):
So it's yeah, it's pain basically, and movement and function
how how how his risk function like gripping on something,
And yeah, it's just it's not not not what anyone
would want in the world, but let alone someone who's
trying to play eighty minutes of rugby league at the
highest level.

Speaker 2 (01:40:36):
So what is the process now for deciding the next
skipper of the Warriors?

Speaker 6 (01:40:41):
Yeah, I think it's it's important that we do have
a clear process. I mean one first of all, like
whoever he's going to be the captain is one? Do
they want to be the captain? First of all?

Speaker 17 (01:40:54):
I mean not everyone wants to be that to do
they have the respect of the players? Are they going
to be a great leader? And where the players are
in scenarios every day we see resilience, You see what.

Speaker 6 (01:41:11):
Their peers think of them, you see the way they
lead on a daily basis.

Speaker 15 (01:41:15):
So we're just as usual.

Speaker 17 (01:41:17):
Going to have our antennas up and be watching and
observing and seeing what we think it's going to be
the best fit for this group.

Speaker 6 (01:41:25):
It's just not going to be made. Like I highly
rely on our staff. They're excellent, they're very experienced. They've
been head coaches.

Speaker 17 (01:41:34):
Themselves, and they've seen a million different captains that's on
stage in their careers, either playing or coaching, and we're
just going to observe and take that and go through
a really strong process.

Speaker 2 (01:41:45):
So apart from the captain, see, there is also the
matter of replacing Tohu Harris as a player. So how
does Andrew Webster plan to do that?

Speaker 6 (01:41:54):
That's going to be very hard for us.

Speaker 17 (01:41:56):
Like you say, so, I think, what, we don't have
to fill out our thirtieth spot until June thirty. By
round one, you've got to have twenty players out of
your third squad committed. That's the rules of the NRL.
So we're just gonna because this is like we've just

(01:42:17):
been told about this, So we're just going to take stock,
make sure we don't rush into anything, be really calm,
see what's out there, and make a decision like are
we like, like you said, are we like really happy
with our forwards that are already in our top thirty
that they can step up and given give them that opportunity,
and then maybe we recruit somewhere else in another position.

Speaker 6 (01:42:38):
But right now we're going to be.

Speaker 17 (01:42:39):
Very calm, see what's out there and just take hold
of our you know, our situation and see where we are.

Speaker 2 (01:42:46):
A bit more from Andrew Webster. James Fisher Harris has arrived. Now,
So what's he been like since his arrival at the Warriors.

Speaker 17 (01:42:53):
It just brings presents Fish, you know, like he's not
the allowdest talk or when he talks, people listen, it's
absolute gold. Like one word he says his goal for
the team and you can see the effect that that
has on people.

Speaker 6 (01:43:08):
His leadership is very clear that he's been himself and
he leads from his standards. Like the way he trains
is really intense.

Speaker 17 (01:43:18):
He brings a high level and we want training to
be harder than the competition, and a train like that
cat makes should be a very joyful time for the boys,
you know, and Fishers just brings it naturally.

Speaker 6 (01:43:33):
He brings up by his actions every day.

Speaker 2 (01:43:34):
And so therefore as James for Sha Harris and the
running for the captaincy.

Speaker 17 (01:43:40):
The Captains of New Zealand, so I think he has
to be. I haven't spoken to him about it, but
I think he's in the conversation. But yeah, we've got
We've got a lot of really good candidates. But yeah,
he has just arrived.

Speaker 6 (01:43:53):
And I'm not putting that on Fish's plate like today.
You know, he's he wants to get better at his game.
He wants to connect with.

Speaker 17 (01:44:03):
The players, he wants to learn our calls, the way
we do things, and then he wants to add his
you know how, he thinks we can improve too. So
he's got a lot going on Fish, And to be
bringing Insteadered, I don't need to be bringing that up
with him right now.

Speaker 2 (01:44:19):
That is Andrew Webster and his thoughts on the retirement
of Tahoo Harris and who might succeed him as captain.
More to come obviously over the next little while. On
this text here, Fish has the cultural aspects cover put
him in the ex Panthers have that X factor and humility,
it puts them in front. Look at the Bulldogs they
flew last season. Or make James Fisher Harris co captain
with Mitch up the Wars up the Wars Indeed, twenty

(01:44:42):
six away from three, we'll take a break when we
come back off to Eden Park and a chat to
the now internationally retired Martin Gupdel.

Speaker 1 (01:44:51):
The voice of Sport on your Home of Sport Weekend
Sport with Jason Van and GJ. Gunn Homes New Zealand's
most trusted own builder News Dogs Evy.

Speaker 2 (01:45:01):
Two thirty seven, Martin Gupdel has officially confirmed his retirement
from Internation cricket one nine to eighth. Here is the delivery.

Speaker 20 (01:45:10):
Martin Guptil drives down the crowd. Four more Stand up
New Zealand, Stand up the worlds two one hundred and three,
not out Martin Guptel, jous glorias at the start of
the fifteenth.

Speaker 2 (01:45:24):
That's gonna be on the roof. It's enormous and that's
up the room for any.

Speaker 12 (01:45:30):
About the fourth or fifth time here at Wellington Stadium,
Martin Guptel has sent a ball out of the arena
on the top of the cake turn the second highest
score of one day international cricket.

Speaker 2 (01:45:42):
History, people, indeed history, it's quite out. We come to
Martin Guppler at two thirty seven, given that was a
score that day, not out. Across a fourteen year international career,
three hundred and sixty seven games for New Zealand across
the formats, twenty three international centuries, and numerous white ball
batting records. Here is New Zealand's highest T twenty international

(01:46:04):
run scorer and third on our list of ODI run scores,
behind only Ross Taylor and Stephen Fleming. Martin Guptel being
officially acknowledged at Eden Park today during the third ODI
between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. But he's taking the
time to join us for a chat. Martin, Thank you
for doing so. Congratulations on an incredible career. How do
you reflect on it in its totality? First of all, first.

Speaker 5 (01:46:28):
All, thank you very much. Yeah, so I sort of
still pinching myself that it's actually all happened. You know,
been out of the game a couple of years now,
and you know it's just yeh, as I said, I
just sort of pinched myself. It's still pretty surreal that
it's all sort of transpired the way it has. And yeah,
but it's all also look back it with a miss

(01:46:48):
pride that had actually happened and I was able to
do it for so long for New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (01:46:53):
You're at Eden Park at the moment that was the
scene of your ODI debut, of course, the first New
Zealand to to score a century on ODI day BELI
one hundred and twenty two not out against the Windy's there.
Could you remember being nervous before that innings a little bit?

Speaker 5 (01:47:08):
I actually remember being more nervous before my test they
boo than my actual debut from New Zealand. So but yeah,
setting up here now and being able to look down
and just remember how the ground was back then, obviously
on the angle and a very different dimension to what
it is now, it brings back some really good memories.

Speaker 2 (01:47:25):
You've been playing for Auckland for three summers before that.
Did you feel ready for international cricket?

Speaker 5 (01:47:32):
I don't think you ever feel ready. I can just
remember the call coming out of the blue. You know,
I'd had a couple of good things for Auckland letting
into that, and yeah, just a total shock you actually
get the call and yeah, and then obviously what happened
after that was nothing short of pretty awesome for me.

Speaker 2 (01:47:51):
The two three seven not out at Wellington. We just
heard some highlights from it during the twenty fifteen World Cup.
Where is that innings right among all of the innings
you've played.

Speaker 5 (01:48:01):
It's in my top three. I wouldn't say it's my
number one, but it's definitely up there. I mean it's
pretty It was pretty special day.

Speaker 6 (01:48:08):
You know.

Speaker 5 (01:48:08):
There was a great worker down there in Wellington and
a hell of a day, you know, no clouds in
the sky, and yeah, everything just sort of went my
way and I was able to do what I did.

Speaker 2 (01:48:19):
Everybody is asking if that's not number one, what is.

Speaker 21 (01:48:24):
So?

Speaker 5 (01:48:24):
Excuse me? I rate my one hundred and eighty not
out against South Africa and Hamilton, that's my number one, noock.
It was on a tougher wicket against probably what was
a better bowling attack, and yeah, to be able to
see it through and be out of the end, to
have that score was definitely my number one innings.

Speaker 2 (01:48:42):
And it's not one leg as well, to be fair.

Speaker 5 (01:48:44):
Yeah, I saw my hands ring in the field, so
on one leg as well can see it through. It
was pretty special.

Speaker 2 (01:48:50):
Oh we can double it, then we can double the score.
It's worth tights as much on one league. The heads
onto the heads on to the roof though at sky
Stadium or Westpac Stadium, Wellington Stadium as it was then,
was that your biggest hit or was there one or
more bigger than that?

Speaker 5 (01:49:06):
Like honesty, couldn't tell you there's I've had. I've had
a few decent ones in my time, but yeah, it
might be the biggest one I've had on the roof
there that Okay, I've had three out there just for
the records, so just throw that out there. But no,
I actually couldn't tell you which was my biggest one.
It's but it definitely would be up there somewhere.

Speaker 2 (01:49:25):
When do you reckon Martin? Was your absolute sweet spot?
When do you think you were batting at your absolute best?

Speaker 5 (01:49:33):
Probably twenty sixteen seventeen for that through that, Yeah, well
it makes me pre probably from after the World twenty
Steen willcarp As everything sort of was about two years
where I was probably at the top of my game,
and that's where I felt like I was really really
on top of my game. So that sort of yeah,
sixteen to seventeen years definitely when I was at my peak.

Speaker 2 (01:49:55):
Was there anybody in particular who enjoyed batting.

Speaker 5 (01:49:57):
With I'm enjoy batting with everyone, you know. I had
some some fantastic meetings with Brenda mccarlan. We had great
partnerships Caine, Williams and we we had some good ones.
Roscoe as well. Couldn't put a number on anyone, but
also Colin and Rowe and the T twenty stuff. We're
put on some great partnerships, whether it's for Auckland or

(01:50:18):
or for New Zealand, and even in some French my
stuff as well, we've better together. So I can't say
thing about any one person. You just you just find
a bit of a flow with whoever you're bating with
and have a bit of fun with it.

Speaker 2 (01:50:29):
And let's not forget your your feats in the field
as well. The run out of ms DONI and the
twenty nineteen World Cup semi final. How fond of your
memories of that?

Speaker 5 (01:50:39):
Yeah, pretty pretty good. Sort of all happened a bit
of slow motion to start with. I can remember vividly that,
you know, the win.

Speaker 2 (01:50:45):
The ball went off.

Speaker 5 (01:50:45):
I thought it was just landing up and going to
try for a catch, and then I realized it was
sort of coming more towards me and I had to
get off Gelfa mark pretty quick. So yeah, I got
in there and up through and all that. That part
happened very quickly. That was a bit of a split
split second how it all transpire there, But luckily for
New Zealand, I know I threw one straight.

Speaker 2 (01:51:07):
And the game that followed. How often do you think
back to the twenty nineteen Cricket World Cup Final?

Speaker 5 (01:51:15):
Not too often earlier on? It was, it was, It
was pretty Yeah, still still pretty wrong in the memories,
but not so much these days now.

Speaker 2 (01:51:23):
All right, and now madam you're bowling. You twice took
three for, You took three for twice, and test matches
you twice took two for. And odieis are you actually
an underused all rounder.

Speaker 5 (01:51:35):
A very reluctant underusiual round, yeah, brilliant leaves the bowling
up to the professionals.

Speaker 2 (01:51:43):
Right, well, I know you've got other commitments, but I
just would like to ask you a couple more One is,
how much longer do you think you'll go on? You've
got franchise cricket obviously opportunities. How much longer do you
reckon You've.

Speaker 5 (01:51:52):
Got I've hopefully got another couple of years lifted me
yet the Religious League starting up and got overtire get
them back into the game. That sort of things. Those
are always hopefully going.

Speaker 2 (01:52:03):
To be there for me for a while.

Speaker 5 (01:52:05):
But to do it time, I hopefully got to have
a couple of us listed me before I can especially
hang the Vicus.

Speaker 2 (01:52:11):
And just finally, how would you like to be remembered
by New Zealand cricket fans?

Speaker 5 (01:52:16):
Oh gosh, that's something I've never really thought of. You know,
when over I played for New Zealand, I always gave.

Speaker 6 (01:52:22):
It my all.

Speaker 5 (01:52:23):
Didn't always come off that's yeah, I definitely gave it
my all. It's just every time I went out there,
and you know, I had a lot of fun doing it.
So I'm not sure how well we remembered, but hopefully
it's only good things.

Speaker 2 (01:52:34):
Well I think it will be good things if all
of the reading I've done in the last little while
as anything to go by. Martin, congratulations again on a
terrific career. Thank you for everything you gave to cricket
fans up and down this country and around the world.
And again, thank you for taking the time for a
chat this afternoon.

Speaker 5 (01:52:48):
No, thank you very much for having me. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:52:50):
I appreciate it very much. Indeed, Martin, thanks for you
taking the time. Martin Guptel there from Eden Park where
he is the center of attention today being acknowledged for
what has been what was a terrific career for New Zealand.
You know, the numbers are just astonishingly good, incredibly good
across the formats. Two and a half thousand runs in

(01:53:11):
Test matches nearly seven and a half thousand in one
day is over three and a half thousand in T
twenty internationals. Nobody has scored more in T twenty Internationals
than Martin Guptel in so many moments, the two three
seven I think is still my favorite cricketing moment at
Sky Stadium, at Wellington Stadium, I've watched a lot of

(01:53:34):
cricket in my life. I haven't watched an awfully large
amount at the stadium because it's been mainly whiteball stuff
since the stadium came to be in two thousand. But
that day with what Martin Guptel did two hundred and
thirty seven not out in a World Cup quarterfinal to

(01:53:54):
basically take the game away from the West Indies. Just
a remarkable display that day, Just an incredible display of
batsmanship from Martin Gupdel that day.

Speaker 22 (01:54:05):
Hello Peter, Well, thank you for that interview. I was
looking forward to it. Yesterday you mentioned that you were
going to do it, and you did it. I haven't
really seen an interview or heard an interview really before,
because it's you know, I don't normally have the time
to do everything. But you know, that was a very
good interview. I didn't get the beginning of it, so

(01:54:26):
I have to go back and listen to the beginning.
And I thought, well rounded and well grounded, and people
like that make sensible decisions.

Speaker 2 (01:54:34):
No, I totally agree. He's always struck me Martin Guppdel
as very considered bloke. You know, he's navigated the ups
and downs of a long career with dignity and with grace,
and look, he's often been, for some reason, Peter a
bit of a lightning rod for keewe cricket fans. I
think when New Zealand lost often it was Martin Gupdel's fault.

(01:54:56):
He only had to fail once or twice and all
of a sudden he's in the gun. But no, I agree,
he strikes me as a terrific human being and I've
loved loved watching him play cricket for New Zealand.

Speaker 22 (01:55:08):
Well, thank you for making that interview happened that was
much appreciated.

Speaker 2 (01:55:13):
Thank you for calling in with your appreciation, Peter. I
do appreciate that it's not often we get a praise
like that, so thank you and thank you to Martin
gup to Land New Zealand Cricket for making that possible
for us. Speaking of eden Park, Martin Gupta watching on
as his team New Zealand try to get the first wicket.
Sri Lanka have gone through to sixty seven without loss

(01:55:35):
in the eleventh over, having won the toss and batted first,
so over six and a half and over at the
moment Avishka and Kusl mendus at the crease together as
yet no breakthrough for New Zealand. As we know, Eden
Park can be a bit of a well. It can
be a place where runs can flow if you get
on a bit of a roll. Fine day there, rock

(01:55:57):
hard track looks like a bit of a road out there.
So yeah, some thinking to do for Mitchell Santna and
in fact what he's done is taking the ball himself
in the eleventh over to try and find the breakthrough
or at least to slow shorl Anchor down twelve to three.
Just a quick circle back to football, Before we finished
the show, I mentioned the Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC,

(01:56:18):
both in action today and the A League men's competition.
The Phoenix play Adelaide United in just over two hours
five o'clock kick off down at Sky Stadium as they
look to turn things around. I spoke to Poldo Retray,
their veteran midfielder who brought up two hundred games recently
during the week, to get his sense of what is
needed ahead of this one.

Speaker 6 (01:56:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 21 (01:56:39):
Look, I think obviously the results haven't been good, but yeah,
I think we're just trying to stick together and yeah,
obviously trying to grow as the season goes.

Speaker 2 (01:56:48):
There's the long way to go.

Speaker 21 (01:56:49):
So I feel like, you know, it's easy to obviously
be down, but you have to try and obviously pick
yourself up and just yeah, I guess worry about ourselves
in game by game, trying to pick up points and
improve on performances.

Speaker 2 (01:57:02):
I guess you've been around the game for a while.
What is it about some sides allows them to do that,
to go through tough, you know, phases and then turn
it around on the other side and go back up
with again.

Speaker 21 (01:57:14):
Yeah, I guess the main thing is obviously. Yeah, just
trying to focus on ourselves and trying to obviously build
on a performance each week. And I think eventually, obviously
you obviously get out of it. So yeah, it's just
obviously trying to ride the wave at the moment, and yeah,
and just trying to be positive, I guess, And yeah,
I think things will torow.

Speaker 2 (01:57:34):
Have you personally looked even though you're new to this
team too, you know, as an experienced player, look to
edd your voice to some of the younger players who
perhaps might be be doubting themselves.

Speaker 21 (01:57:45):
Yeah, look, I guess, I guess for my personal way
of doing it, I guess is trying to lead example
on the pitch, maybe I can do better myself. So yeah,
that in that aspect, I'm just going to try and
do that. I'm not really the most vocal person, so yeah,
I'll try and give my guidance as go as I
go through it. But yeah, for me, it's just more

(01:58:06):
about trying to control my performance on the pitch and
hopefully that helps the team.

Speaker 2 (01:58:10):
Yet, how happy are you with the way you go? Yeah?

Speaker 21 (01:58:14):
Look, I think even for myself personally it's a bit
up and down. But yeah, no, I'm happy to obviously
try and give my input to the team and hopefully
I can, yeah, improve on that game by game.

Speaker 2 (01:58:26):
The goal against Newcastle, we got the chance to chat
to cost for about his goald and get the chance
to chat to you about your goal. Give us a
give us your recollection of it.

Speaker 21 (01:58:35):
Yeah, it was a good strike. Yeah, obviously the most
important thing was getting the win on the day. So yeah,
hopefully if fucking keepscroing a bit more, hopefully helps the team.
So yeah, that's what I'm looking to do.

Speaker 2 (01:58:46):
Is there something that you're looking dead to your CV?
A few more goals? Yeah, it'd be great.

Speaker 21 (01:58:52):
Haven't really scored too many of my career, so yeah,
that would be good and.

Speaker 2 (01:58:56):
A milestone for you as well. Two hundred a league
means games. Are these the kind of milestones that mean
something to you?

Speaker 21 (01:59:03):
Ah, yeah, definitely. I mean, to be completely honest, I
didn't think i'd probably get to two hundred, but yeah,
it's just one of those things. I guess over time,
play a bit more games and now it's come along.
So no, it's been It's been great And yeah, obviously
the result wasn't good on the weekend, but it was
good to get Yeah, that must then, I guess, and.

Speaker 2 (01:59:20):
Just back to this team. Finally, you've been on teams
that have been successful. Does this feel like a team
that's got the traits that, you know, the raw materials
of being a successful team. Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 21 (01:59:32):
I think obviously, you know, I don't want to keep
talking about last season, but I mean it's been obviously
successful in Luck just in the near past, so yeah,
so I think it definitely does. We just have to
try and stick together as a team and then hopefully, obviously,
like I said, build on performance each week and then yeah,
obviously by the end of season, you don't know how

(01:59:52):
it's going to be, but yeah, I think that's the
main thing at the moment.

Speaker 2 (01:59:56):
That is paul A Retre talking about this afternoon's class
between his Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United. While we were
listening to that, this happened at Edon Park, Smith and
to a Visco whips this one off the hip. It's
gone a long way back, but he's picked.

Speaker 18 (02:00:10):
Out the fielder and that'll be the first work at
for New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (02:00:13):
Smith gets his man. There you go. The acc commentary
of the first wicket of the innings of Vishka Fernando
caught by Mark Chapman off the bowling of Nathan Smith
for seventeen through eleven point one overs Sri Lanka, sixty
nine for one, sixty nine for one batting first, Nathan
Smith getting the breakthrough for New Zealand coming up seven
to three News Talks, heb when.

Speaker 6 (02:00:34):
It's down to the line.

Speaker 1 (02:00:36):
You made a call on eight hundred eighty ten eighty
Weekend Sports with Jason Pine News Talks.

Speaker 2 (02:00:42):
MB four to three. That is us for Weekends Sport.
We're back tomorrow between midday and three, including the announcement
of the Champion's trophy. Side to head over there and
try and win some silver aware for the black Caps.
Thanks for listening. Thanks Andy McDonnell for producing debut show
in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 23 (02:00:56):
What's our exit song? Well, yes, Bine, it's a bit
of a grim anniversary. Actually yesterday was the nine years
since the death of David Bowie, so we've got a
bit of China Girl to lead us out from the
great man himself.

Speaker 10 (02:01:07):
Excellent.

Speaker 2 (02:01:08):
Enjoy your afternoon, You enjoy yours too. We'll see him
a right midday.

Speaker 1 (02:01:37):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to news talks it be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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