Jason Pine: Sportstalk host on whether Tim Southee will play his final match in Hamilton

Debate is building as to whether Tim Southee will play a 107th and final valedictory test in the dead rubber match at Hamilton this week.

New Zealand are 2-nil down in the three-match series against England.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine weighed up the odds ahead of the match.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jason pine Is with US Spooks Talk host a seven
pm tonight on News Talk, said, B Jason, Good, afternoon, giddy, Ryan,
good to talk to you. Should Tim Sauvey play in
the Test in Hamilton? What do you reckon?

Speaker 2 (00:10):
What a very good question. What a very good question,
one which I know a lot of cricket fans will
be pontificating about across the weak ahead. Look, I think
it all comes down to whether you favor sentiment or
whether you favor selecting the best side to win a
game of game of cricket, because I think the first
tests are the first two tests of shyness. That Tim
Soudy is not in the best form of his career. Unfortunately.

(00:32):
What's happened with the signaling of this as his farewell
valedictory tour just about is that I'm almost certain Ryan,
they'll play him in Hamilton. Really, I'm almost.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Certain that they will.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
I think so. I think so. And to be fair,
you say, okay, well they're two nil down, they can't
win the series. They can only lose three nils. So
maybe it doesn't matter, But actually it does matter. You
don't just give away test caps to people I know. Look,
I feel a little bit. I wouldn't say sorry for
Tim Soude, but he's had a absolutely outstanding career, has
been one of our best all format cricketers for well

(01:07):
over a decade and a half and I just worry
about legacy being tarnished a bit by what's happening here
at the end. You think back a year, Neil Wagner
was never given the given the you know, the privilege
of having a fair well. He was basically told in
no uncertain terms that he needed to retire, whereas Tim
Soudi has been given this, this final tour where it
seems to be written in the stars that will play

(01:28):
an all three Test matches regardless of conditions or match situation.
So yeah, look, I'm almost willing to bet my house
on the fact that Tim Soudi will play this final
Test in Hamilton. Whether you agree with that or not,
I guess it's a different story.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
Plus, there's got to be lots of other young ones
coming through that could do with the opportunity is that
you would have thought as a young one coming through.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
You are on the Drive show, you know these opportunities
have to be handed out, you.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Know, Jason Howe Auckland. You see got so good so fast.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
I love this. I love this story and I love
it as much off the field as on the field.
It was lucky enough to be at go Media Stadium
on Saturday to witness the derby and look Auckland FC
played six one six. I mean, you can't do much
better than that. Just incredible from them, and I think
it's down to shrewd investment and really engendering a passion
in these players. But off the field, twenty six thousand

(02:23):
turning up. They had the same number in their opening game.
I saw a stat today, Ryan. In four home games,
Auckland FC have got a bigger cumulative crowd than the
entire two season life of the New Zealand Knights twenty
one home games in two thousand and five, six and seven.
Across those twenty one games, Auckland f C have already

(02:45):
beaten that cumulative total in just four home matches.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Incredible, it is incredible. Jason, thank you for that. I
love to talk to you. That is Jason Pines's sports
talk host.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks. It'd be from four pm weekday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio,