April 11, 2025 • 7 mins
Matt Henry and Melie Kerr dominated the prize giving at the 2025 NZ Cricket Awards – Kerr claiming the Debbie Hockley Medal and Henry taking home the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.
Henry joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about his resilience and longevity after spending many years behind the big three of Southee, Boult, and Wagner, to now being the first name on any team sheet.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yes, indeed, someone who has been fabulous for a long
time on the cricket pitch. Matt Henry, and we have
to send our massive congratulations for winning the Sir Richard
Hadley Award at the Cricket Awards on Wednesday night, and
Matt joins us, Matt, good.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah, well done. There'll be a lot of accolades coming
your way. What are magnificent two or three years you've had?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, it was, Yeah, it
was nice to I suppose reflect on Yes, what's been
called a special couple of years here.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Look, when you think about some of the stats, and
I don't know whether you are a stats person, some
people are like I know, Sir Richard Hadley was. I
mean you look at your twenty five wickets in an
average of twenty and five Tests, that includes an eight
wicket hall in Bangalore during that historic three mil series
win against India. That was fantastic. Your twenty four wickets
(00:51):
at sixteen point five secured the Men's ODI Award as
the pivotal figure in the black Caps charge to the
champions Trophy. What we should ask your house that shoulder?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Oh yeah, I know, I'm good now it's been nice
to be back into bowling and getting them back into,
i suppose, the your normal routine of cricket. So it's
been a little bit a long one, unfortunately longer than
I would have liked. But yeah, no, we're back on
track now.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Fantastic. Are you a states person?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
No, not necessarily. I mean they're there for a reason,
I suppose, But at the end of the day, I'm
more around, probably contributing to team performances than having one.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
It's quite difficult to win the Sir Richard Hadley Award
as a bowler because I think if you look back,
you've got Rutch and Ravendra, you've got Caine Williamson, you know,
the better standout and all rounders can get it as well.
I think it's more difficult for a bowler to secure that,
so it makes it, in my eyes anyway, more meritorious.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Oh thank you. Now, it's really special to receive that award.
I suppose Sir Richard always shown me a lot of
encouragement over the years and always followed my cricket well.
So it was and as well as Dale's been a
big part of coaching staff in Canterbury for a long
time too, So no, that is a really special one.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, fantastic that you said that, because I think for Dale,
especially helping bowlers with their run ups, getting little quirky
things out of it and making it a bit more
streamlined and hopefully less injury prone. Because at the moment
we have got some pretty good fast bowling stoke steaks,
haven't we Yeah, we go.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
We've got a lot of good fast bowlers around and
it's great, great to see really, and it's good to
see some young guys steaming in and charging in. So yeah, no,
it's a great place in New z Own cricket to
be and I suppose for me as a fast ball,
it's always nice when you've got some tall timber at
the other end getting down there getting the better is jumping.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Around absolutely, so were you two from here? For you?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
So for me it's just getting ready for some canny.
I've got a contract with Somerset and lots in mid
May now, so it was I meant to be there,
but unfortunately with the injuries has just had to push
everything back a little bit. So yeah, looking to try
to target the middle slash packing of May at the
(03:18):
stage and then we'll have some Barbwe tour after that, Well.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
That's going to be interesting and fascinating to watch. And
you've fluted a little bit with the IPL. Are you
interested in the twenty leagues?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah? I know. I've really enjoyed my time at IPL,
and I suppose for me a big part of my
journey's probably been through county cricket, though obviously with having
a lot of time being twelfth man, getting crack under
the belt's been really important for me. So I've left
my time at IPL and I'd love to go back,
but I supposed for me being out there playing in
(03:54):
the over the last few years has probably been a
bit of a priority. So I've really enjoyed suppose how
that's improved my game and me as a cricket and
probably pushed me to playing for New Zeln.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
How has it improved you?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I think when you're playing so much cricket and yes,
having to understand your game a little bit more, and
definitely as a bowler that resilience piece to be able
to listen to your body and keep the most out
of it as well. So on those parts it's been
really important. And then like I mentioned, with just the
nature of being on the side that you have to
(04:31):
find some cricket somewhere, and that's been a huge revenue
for me, and it's been really a great way for
me to keep pushing my case.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
When you think back and look, someone should write a
book about it. You know, your story and your career
and how it's prevailed and the fact that you waited
for a while to become the frontline bowler. You sat
on the benches, so to speak, and you've come back
out and blasted your way back into the record books.
I mean, it's a great story for young kids. You know,
never to give up just because you love what you do.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, I think that's that's a good point just around enjoying.
It's obviously presented a lot of challenges on the way,
and it's you don't you can't stick at it without
great support networks. And I've been bucking up with my
wife and my mum and dad and brother and that
family and friends play a huge role. But that piece
of just probably understanding some things are out of your control,
(05:24):
so you've you've got to, I suppose, take things into
your own hands and make sure that you can still
keep adding to a group. And that's been important for
me and allowed me to keep enjoying my cricket. So
when I had my opportunities with there were just a
couple of games here or there, you were taking them
and making sure you're still doing your part for the team.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
What do you do outside of cricket? Do you play golf?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah? I love my golf. Oh yeah. We don't need
to go there, do we. It's a potem's nothing.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Who's who's got the best one in the black Caps?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Mitch Stner? Who's you might be a plus one or
plus two now, yeah, he's very good.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, but you love it.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yeah, I do love my golf, to be fair, having
me playing all too much. We've got a two year
old so she keeps me pretty busy. And then it's
been a bfa. It's been a very busy run over
the last few years, especially with I suppose your time
off your away playing cricket in England, so it has
been quite a full on a few years, not not
(06:28):
too much downtime, but it's also a good problem to have,
so it's been it's been exciting and something I've really enjoyed.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Oh well, it's fantastic. We just wanted to ring up
and congratulate you and acknowledge you know what you've done
because those wickets in India, the other parts, the ODI,
the Champions Trophy and just your composure and where you're
at in your game. It's just so evident, and you know,
we've got to make sure that we congratulate and give
the positives to the people who are being our exemplars.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And obviously you are here for quite a long time too.
You're it's not like you're finishing anytime soon with the
black Cat.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I hope not. I've been enjoying my cricket and the
body's stelling good now. It's been great to actually spend
a bit of time and doing some rehab and getting
nice and strong and in all those areas as well,
so hopefully you can keep charging him very good.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well, look, you enjoy whatever time you've got before you
have to hit across the Mini CA's over to the
UK and we'll be watching with great interest your county
career because we know how good that was for you
when you first went over there. But fantastic travels, safe
and once again, congratulations, Sir Richard Hedley winner.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Awesome Thank you so much, Lezie. For more from News
Talks ed B, listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio
Yes, indeed, someone who has been fabulous for a long
time on the cricket pitch. Matt Henry, and we have
to send our massive congratulations for winning the Sir Richard
Hadley Award at the Cricket Awards on Wednesday night, and
Matt joins us, Matt, good.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah, well done. There'll be a lot of accolades coming
your way. What are magnificent two or three years you've had?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, it was, Yeah, it
was nice to I suppose reflect on Yes, what's been
called a special couple of years here.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Look, when you think about some of the stats, and
I don't know whether you are a stats person, some
people are like I know, Sir Richard Hadley was. I
mean you look at your twenty five wickets in an
average of twenty and five Tests, that includes an eight
wicket hall in Bangalore during that historic three mil series
win against India. That was fantastic. Your twenty four wickets
(00:51):
at sixteen point five secured the Men's ODI Award as
the pivotal figure in the black Caps charge to the
champions Trophy. What we should ask your house that shoulder?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Oh yeah, I know, I'm good now it's been nice
to be back into bowling and getting them back into,
i suppose, the your normal routine of cricket. So it's
been a little bit a long one, unfortunately longer than
I would have liked. But yeah, no, we're back on
track now.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Fantastic. Are you a states person?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
No, not necessarily. I mean they're there for a reason,
I suppose, But at the end of the day, I'm
more around, probably contributing to team performances than having one.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
It's quite difficult to win the Sir Richard Hadley Award
as a bowler because I think if you look back,
you've got Rutch and Ravendra, you've got Caine Williamson, you know,
the better standout and all rounders can get it as well.
I think it's more difficult for a bowler to secure that,
so it makes it, in my eyes anyway, more meritorious.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Oh thank you. Now, it's really special to receive that award.
I suppose Sir Richard always shown me a lot of
encouragement over the years and always followed my cricket well.
So it was and as well as Dale's been a
big part of coaching staff in Canterbury for a long
time too, So no, that is a really special one.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, fantastic that you said that, because I think for Dale,
especially helping bowlers with their run ups, getting little quirky
things out of it and making it a bit more
streamlined and hopefully less injury prone. Because at the moment
we have got some pretty good fast bowling stoke steaks,
haven't we Yeah, we go.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
We've got a lot of good fast bowlers around and
it's great, great to see really, and it's good to
see some young guys steaming in and charging in. So yeah, no,
it's a great place in New z Own cricket to
be and I suppose for me as a fast ball,
it's always nice when you've got some tall timber at
the other end getting down there getting the better is jumping.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Around absolutely, so were you two from here? For you?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
So for me it's just getting ready for some canny.
I've got a contract with Somerset and lots in mid
May now, so it was I meant to be there,
but unfortunately with the injuries has just had to push
everything back a little bit. So yeah, looking to try
to target the middle slash packing of May at the
(03:18):
stage and then we'll have some Barbwe tour after that, Well.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
That's going to be interesting and fascinating to watch. And
you've fluted a little bit with the IPL. Are you
interested in the twenty leagues?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah? I know. I've really enjoyed my time at IPL,
and I suppose for me a big part of my
journey's probably been through county cricket, though obviously with having
a lot of time being twelfth man, getting crack under
the belt's been really important for me. So I've left
my time at IPL and I'd love to go back,
but I supposed for me being out there playing in
(03:54):
the over the last few years has probably been a
bit of a priority. So I've really enjoyed suppose how
that's improved my game and me as a cricket and
probably pushed me to playing for New Zeln.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
How has it improved you?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I think when you're playing so much cricket and yes,
having to understand your game a little bit more, and
definitely as a bowler that resilience piece to be able
to listen to your body and keep the most out
of it as well. So on those parts it's been
really important. And then like I mentioned, with just the
nature of being on the side that you have to
(04:31):
find some cricket somewhere, and that's been a huge revenue
for me, and it's been really a great way for
me to keep pushing my case.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
When you think back and look, someone should write a
book about it. You know, your story and your career
and how it's prevailed and the fact that you waited
for a while to become the frontline bowler. You sat
on the benches, so to speak, and you've come back
out and blasted your way back into the record books.
I mean, it's a great story for young kids. You know,
never to give up just because you love what you do.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, I think that's that's a good point just around enjoying.
It's obviously presented a lot of challenges on the way,
and it's you don't you can't stick at it without
great support networks. And I've been bucking up with my
wife and my mum and dad and brother and that
family and friends play a huge role. But that piece
of just probably understanding some things are out of your control,
(05:24):
so you've you've got to, I suppose, take things into
your own hands and make sure that you can still
keep adding to a group. And that's been important for
me and allowed me to keep enjoying my cricket. So
when I had my opportunities with there were just a
couple of games here or there, you were taking them
and making sure you're still doing your part for the team.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
What do you do outside of cricket? Do you play golf?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah? I love my golf. Oh yeah. We don't need
to go there, do we. It's a potem's nothing.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Who's who's got the best one in the black Caps?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Mitch Stner? Who's you might be a plus one or
plus two now, yeah, he's very good.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, but you love it.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yeah, I do love my golf, to be fair, having
me playing all too much. We've got a two year
old so she keeps me pretty busy. And then it's
been a bfa. It's been a very busy run over
the last few years, especially with I suppose your time
off your away playing cricket in England, so it has
been quite a full on a few years, not not
(06:28):
too much downtime, but it's also a good problem to have,
so it's been it's been exciting and something I've really enjoyed.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Oh well, it's fantastic. We just wanted to ring up
and congratulate you and acknowledge you know what you've done
because those wickets in India, the other parts, the ODI,
the Champions Trophy and just your composure and where you're
at in your game. It's just so evident, and you know,
we've got to make sure that we congratulate and give
the positives to the people who are being our exemplars.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And obviously you are here for quite a long time too.
You're it's not like you're finishing anytime soon with the
black Cat.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I hope not. I've been enjoying my cricket and the
body's stelling good now. It's been great to actually spend
a bit of time and doing some rehab and getting
nice and strong and in all those areas as well,
so hopefully you can keep charging him very good.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well, look, you enjoy whatever time you've got before you
have to hit across the Mini CA's over to the
UK and we'll be watching with great interest your county
career because we know how good that was for you
when you first went over there. But fantastic travels, safe
and once again, congratulations, Sir Richard Hedley winner.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Awesome Thank you so much, Lezie. For more from News
Talks ed B, listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio
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