Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Fast Bowl of Ben Sears will make his international return
after being named the Black Cap squad for Crickets Champions
Trophy coming up in Pakistan and the UA next month.
He's been on the sidelines with a knee injury for
eight months, but has come back for Wellington in the
Super Smash this week has been enough to convince the
selectors that Ben Sears is ready to go. His inclusion
(00:36):
leaves Jacob Duffy as the unlucky man to miss out.
Will O'Rourke and Nathan Smith are the other two players
to play at their first World tournament. It's a squad
dominated by pace bowlers, Matt Henry Lockey Ferguson also being
picked despite his lack of a national central contract. Mitchell
(00:57):
Santon is the only specialist spinner. Battis Kane Williamson and
Devon Conway have also been named without central contracts, although
they both have casual playing agreements with New Zealand Cricket.
So here's the team. Mitchell Santon is the captain, Michael Bracewell,
Mark Chapman, Devin Conway Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham,
(01:17):
who will be the only wicket keeper, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke,
Glenn Phillips, Rich and Ravendra ben c Is, Nathan smith,
Kin Williamson and Will Young. The black Caps have a
try series against Pakistan and South Africa starting on the
eighth of February. Their Champions Trophy opener is against the
hosts in Karachi on the nineteenth of February. Captain Mitchell
(01:39):
Santner is with us on Weekend Sport. Thanks for joining us, Mitchell.
How happy are you with the mix of the squad
that you've pulled together for the Champions Trophy? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Very I think, like you said, there's obviously a mix
of you know, a lot of experienced guys with a
few I guess younger faces coming through. You know. The
balance we've got, you know is I think we're in
a good spot, you know, in those and those conditions
like we're probably going to get in Pukistan and do that.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
What are the main things that coming to your thinking
when you're putting a team like this together, Because there
are more than fifteen guys in contention obviously, so what
rationale do you use when you're finalizing the list.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, it's obviously hard and I think, you know, where
we're out of the known as we have a lot
of guys you know, knocking on the door. And I
guess that's a good thing for the New Zealand Creer
going forward. You there's always going to be a couple
of guys who are disappointed. And I think, yeah, there
was that kind of that mix of of you know
a little bit of an experience with with a lot
of experience and you know, guys who have been there,
(02:39):
performed on the big stage and ICC events before and
I think, you know, we've got a good mix there.
And you know, we've got some guys we've got we've
actually picked a lot of I guess fast bowlers who
can you know, can she got quick on those wickets
where it might you know, not offer a lot of
swing and nip. So yeah, I think we've got a
(03:00):
good mix of obviously spin and pace.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yeah, so just just drilled down and that for us
because your eyes are drawn to Lockie Ferguson ben c
Is guys with you know, with real pace, is that
is that at the bedrock of your thinking that pace
is going to be very important on these wickets.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, I think we were. You know, we've been to
Puckstan in the past and Du Bay, where I think
you know, the pitches are pretty pretty docile, pretty slow,
so I think, you know a little bit of airspeed.
There's always handing. We've seen teams who have done well
over there. You know, Pakistan have always gone on with four,
you know quick. So I think we've got you know,
we've got good past fine stocks at the moment. We've
got willow Rowk who's different again about Matt Henry can
(03:38):
can nip it on pafter he's he's gone, you know
how good he is. And then you know we've got
four I guess spin options as well. With the board,
there is you know a little of assistant to you know,
I think in Pakistan, you know, the pictures can change
depend on where we are and we play you know,
in two different two different spots in Pakistan. So yeah,
I think we've got kind of all all basis covered.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Really. Was it a tough conversation to have with Jacob Duffy.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah it was. You know, he's obviously put his hand
up this summer and bold extremely well. But yeah, I
think you know, he's he's a guy who's who stepped
up and he's taken the opportunities. Obviously a guy you
know going forward. So yeah, there's always going to be,
you know, some tough conversations to have. And he was
the guy that was really knocking on the door and
did and did nothing wrong, especially the time Summery's bold, outstanding,
(04:25):
and I guess it's just one of those things where
you know he's very close and if someone goes down,
he could be there.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Obviously, in terms of the spin options, you'll bowl the
ten overs, you know for the most part, all things
being equal, But how many overs do you expect out
of the likes of Michael Braceball, Glen Phillip's right and
Ravendra Would any of them, for example, be in line
to bowl ten overs in any match?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Yeah? I think again it depends, you know, what we're
going to face. We obviously have the scene bowl and
cover all around cover of Nathan Smith if we like
we've done in a couple of games here in New Zealand,
if we wanted to go that way, but traditionally it
is a little bit slower than can spin a touch,
so we've got you know, Michael Braceleo does a great
job for us. But then also having Glenn and Rush
(05:08):
and to spend both ways, so there is options and
both of bold you know well when they've needed in
white ball cricket. So I feel like we've got you know,
all four canvolved a majority of others just depending on
I guess the surface.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Tom Latham is going to keep wicket for you. Was
there ever a thought of taking Mitch Hay, for example,
as a backup wicket keeper or are you confident you've
got that covered with somebody like Devin Conway.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, it was definitely a discussion, but I think you know,
Conway showed that he is very capable of the gloves
and he's you know there if needed. You know, I
guess if there's always an injury, you can always sub someone.
If I think you know the makeup that you know,
we've got Chappie as well, who's who show you know
how how good he is with the bad as well.
So I think that kind of inclusion of another batter,
(05:57):
you know, we just thought dev can do a very
good job as with the gloves if needed.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
So you got the fifteen to get it down to
eleven for match days. I look at a guy like
Mark Chapman who's at a two erfix series against ra
lank ETI old yesterday, off the back of some good
knocks in the first two. He's in good form. But
then you look down the list and you seekin Williamson there.
So you know, what do you say to Mark Chapin
at the moment?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Yeah, I know it's that's it's you know, I guess
that's the nature of I guess these guys being away
at the moment. But you know it's you know, Marks again,
he's like Jacob Duffy's done nothing wrong. He's put his
hand up when he's needed, and you know he can
kind of slip anywhere in that order. And you know
we've shown that he's better middle order as well when
he when he's taker's opportunity. But yeah, I think I
(06:42):
guess going forward, Yeah, he's kind of that three four
rolder and he's and he showed us, you know, in
his last series that he can do that very well.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
How have you assessed Nathan Smith's elevation to international cricket.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, I think he's I think he is a good player.
He's Yeah, I think he hasn't probably shown with about
how good he is I've seen and the mystic how
good is with the bat. But I think with the boys,
he's definitely shown he can perform at this level. We
saw it, you know in the test matches. A little
bit unlucky in those tests, but probably should have got
a few more polls. But even in these last couple
(07:19):
of series, you know, I think all seamers of the
series has done a great job for us and kind
of led you know up front with Maddy Henry and
you know, Duff Will O'Rourke and Making Smith have definitely
shown they're very capable.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Have you, Mitchell, developed a blueprint for how you would
like New Zealand to play fifty over cricket under your
captaincy I.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Guess you have kind of a you know, we talk
about how we want to operate. You know it's going
to change probably slightly in New Zealand and well over there.
I think we used to be very we wanted to
be at certain stages at the game. But I think
in a matchups are still quite important. If it's guys
you know, see a matchup and think that's a good,
(08:02):
good chance for us to get ahead of the game.
That's still a great option for us. And I think, yeah,
we do. We talk about you know, adapting and the
conditions as quickly as we can, and we like to
we we very we want comms throughout the innings of
you know, the guys can relay messages back to the
group what they think are good scores and then you know,
(08:23):
kind of go from there. But I think again with
Karachi can be different to rather than be which is
going to be different to do buy And so I
think on any given day you want to assess as
quickly as you can and just you know, you just
got to outplay your your opponent on that game and
then and then move on pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Are you enjoying being captain?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Yeah, it's it's obviously a different challenge, but I've I've
enjoyed it and it's made easier with you know, the
group we've got at the moment. And yeah, I guess
you know, when when guys are fowing, it makes my
job a little bit easier.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
But what and is there stuff that you didn't I'm
sure you knew what you were getting into, and you
know you've got to do more interviews yet, take this
phone call for status. But are there other things that
come with the captain say that that you that you
hadn't expected.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yeah, just more of this stuff. I'd say that's part
of the job in it, I guess, being more involved
with you know, selection stuff. But it's more I guess,
you know, the way I want this team, I guess
under my kind of leadship to play going forward. And
you have a real opportunity now to you know, I
guess kind of build and where you want the team
(09:33):
to go and the next kind of well, however long
I played for I guess.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And just to finish, you've had a try series leading
into the champions Trophy in February. What are we today
the twelfth of January. Well, guys go back to super
Smash for a little bit, some of them, all of them.
What's the situation there?
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Yeah, I think everyone will play to some extent. You know,
a few guys who have played less strict want to
play more than others. I think we've kind of treated
as individual cases where guys probably might want a few
days off free. But I'd say everyone will be will
be playing you know, Semer Smash at some stage, you know,
at least probably two games each other day, and you know,
(10:11):
I think it's great for the complin when all these
guys can come back. I don't know what kenn Ay
going to do with their team and they've got all
these guys coming back, it's going to be it's going
to be a challenge for them.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, they've stacked it down there, haven't they. Hey Mitchell, Thanks,
but it's exciting side looking forward to seeing how the
Champions Trophy goes. Thanks for taking the time for a chat.
No worries, thanks mate, now, thanks Mitchel. Mitchell Santoner there,
captain of our white ball size, captain of the Champions
Trophy side that's going to head off and try and
win some silverware in Pakistan and the UAE in February
and into March.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
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