October 25, 2024 • 10 mins
The Black Caps are closing in on a scarcely believable series win.
They’ve claimed the first test against India and have placed their hosts on the back foot as the Kiwis lead by 301 runs.
Former Black Cap Scott Styris joined Piney to discuss how the team has got to this point, and how important Mitchell Santer's contributions have been to the side.
He told him that Santer is likely to be the most important bowler for the Black Caps heading into the second innings.
“I think it will be all about Santer, just because of that bounce.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Black Caps on the verge of a first ever Test
series win in India, dominating the opening two days of
the second Test in Poune, looks closing in with the
army and.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
By a finger goes up. I'm by a Paul Rifle
has had a good deal as well, and so has
the man on your screen, Mitchell Santna. The second best
figures by New Zealander and India Mitchell Sandner.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Seventh for fifty three. What a spell of balling.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
It's been well for the first time.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Mitchell Santa is going to get to hold that ball
up and he will hold it up very, very proudly.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Indeed.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So match scores New Zealand two fifty nine and one
ninety eight for five, India all out one fifty six.
Mitchell Santner seven for fifty three. His best Test figure
is by a long way. The second best figure is
ever by New Zealander in India. The equal eighth best
innings bowling figures by any New Zealand bowler in our
Test cricket history that has The Black Caps had by
(01:06):
three hundred and one, with five second innings wickets in
hand and three days still to play. Let's just put
this in context for you. We've been touring India since
nineteen fifty five. What's that nearly seventy years. This is
the thirteenth time New Zealand have played a Test series
in India. Of the previous twelve, eleven have been won
by India. The only drawn series was in the back
(01:29):
end of two thousand and three when both Test matches
were drawn. Scott Styris was in that team actually that
drew both those Test matches at the back end of
two thousand and three. He joins us now, Scott, I
honestly didn't think I'd be saying the sentence. Mitchell Santina
has bowled New Zealand into a winning position. What did
you make of his bowling on Day two?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah, I think Mitchell center, of course, has been having
short of terrific with the white ball in his hand.
The red bull's been a bit more of a challenge.
But you know, he's got a lot of talent, there's
no question about that, and it's great to see him
step up and conditions which favor him. It's fair to say,
but you've still got to deliver, and he did that.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Well, I think you're right that the conditions do favor him.
But aj s Pattel at the same time didn't get
any wickets in the in the in the in the
first thing. So so you've got to put it down
to Mitchell Santner doing something that he hasn't really done
a Test level. That's just bold, terrifically well, don't you.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah. I think what we saw is his height, place
and advantage he's got. He's a tall man, he's got
a nice high action, very similar to a Daniel Vittori.
So he was the one that extracted a lot more
bounce out of the surface and that's what caused the
batsman problems. Wasn't so much the variable bounce. When you
couple that with the ability to stand theball almost tennis ball,
(02:44):
like I thought Mitchell Santner, then just every over you
could almost see that the approach from the batsman, the
Indian batsman was different to Santana to the others because
of the fact Phillips and a Jazz Battel are a
lot shorter and they don't get that same climb.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
So in that regard then Scott. Is it likely he'll
be the most important bowler for New Zealand and the
second innings as well, or with the pitch wearing, is
it likely to bring the likes of Patel, Phillips, maybe
even Ravendra into play.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I think it will be still all about Satna just
because of that bus. That's the one. You always want
variety in your bowling attack. And even though those two
left arm spinners they're very different left arm spinners, there's
usually a little bit quicker, has their bounce bowls, a
really nice undercutter, which is often the type of delivery
in India which has the most success, not necessarily the
traditional overspin that you see the likes of Victorial, Adju
(03:40):
Patel look to employ. So you know, I think the
fact that that they do have the two left hours
but they are very different does posts some problems is
a great strength for us because the spinners have done
really well on.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
This to it absolutely so. Then New Zealand went out
to bat with a first innings lead of just over
one hundred. They were really positive to start. How important
was Tom Latham's eighty six in the second innings yesterday?
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Oh? I love every minute of it. And the reason
for that is because of the old school batting, wasn't it.
I mean, I think we saw two teams of batsmen
who on that surface where they couldn't necessarily trust the balance,
didn't know how much it was going to turn. They
didn't really back their defensive screen, their defensive technique, and
therefore they were quite aggressive and they didn't have a
lot of patience. Well, Tom Layton doesn't play a lot
(04:25):
of T twenty cricket. He does take a lot of
pride in his defense obviously employs the sweepshot, which worked
really well. So I think he summed up conditions and
had the mental discipline if you like to stick to
that camp plan all the way through, because Newsilla certainly
needed it. You know, they need to get through fifty
to four hundred. I think if they do that, then yeah,
(04:45):
we may well see that first series win.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So we're three hundred ahead. Now, even that seems a
tough chase. Or do you think India could chase three
hundred down.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I think they could. I mean, if anyone was going
to them, it's their home conditions. They're used to these
style of pictures. I'd never feel confident in the subcontinent.
When they're got the bat in hand, they often over
the history have just made the pitchure look like a
completely different surface to battle. I think we won't see
them be as loose. You know, you won't see pulling
us another full toss Suffras. Yes he played a loose
(05:19):
shot to be caught him and off, but I guess
that's the way he plays. But I expect them to
be a little bit mentally stronger than that second innings.
They want want to lose that home Test match as well.
The Test Championship is something that they have won yet
and they put on a stock into it, so they
really want to keep developing that Test Cayman, India. They
(05:40):
book about it all the time and the commentary work
I do there that that's the version of the game
that they want to take to the next level. So
they'll be bristling with the fact that they're behind in
the series in a big way.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips will resume today one
ninety eight for five with that lead of three hundred
odd What will or what should the batting plan be
for New Zealand today?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
A good Glenn Phillips doesn't look like he has quite
worked out how to play the spinners in these conditions yet,
So in my own mind I'm a little torn if
he doesn't back his defense. He seems to be going
back onto the back foot a lot, which is not
the way to play the spinners over there. So maybe
it is that aggressive try and go out there and
(06:27):
get to the bowlers before they get you. If he
can get thirty or forty, along with Bundle getting another
twenty or thirty, then you know New Zealand will have
a total they will feel they can and should win with.
So it's all about the approach more than anything. How
are you going to score your runs? The sweep shots,
the square the wickets have been the one that have
done well so far. But you know, you've got to
(06:47):
look at Glen Phillips. You can just see that he's
a little torn in his own mind about how he's
going to do it. But this partnership is a big one.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Indeed. Questions for a few on text actually Scott from
Jeff what would be better winning a Test series in
India or winning a Test series in Australia?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Oh what a question? Can I say both both? It
would be amazing wasn't that, I think I think I
think I think Australia is solely because of how how
close we are and all the rivalries we have, and
then every sport that we play, to beat them over
there would be incredible. I think Australia in their home
conditions have just been so good for decades. I would
(07:26):
pick Australia slightly, but only slightly, because India, with the
way they're dominating the world game, the talent they have
over there, they do have a lot of respects for
New Zealand cricket, both on and off the field. They
really do, so they won't mind losing to us. They'll
prefer that to say, losing to Australia. They sort of
(07:46):
treat us as well as the little brother or the
or the nice breend if you like, and Indian, you know, so,
I think I think I'd still go with Australia just
solely because of the history and tradition we have in sport.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
All right, maybe we can get both over the next
couple of years. And you, obviously you're obviously part of
that team. As I mentioned at the top of the
chat that got the series. The two drawn test matches
at the back end of two thousand and three, you
got a got one hundred and Mohalley one of your
five test centuries. Where does that rate among the innings
that you played.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Oh, to be honest, I don't really think about those
sorts of things too much. Look, any any test on
hundred is amazing. I think about their test more for
the fact that we That was I was patting with
Mark Richardson when he had that cramp episode. Everyone to
take the mickey. That was. That was that test match
where you know he carried on like a screaming file day.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
So that was that.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
I remember. You remember the funny things from games, not
so much your own your own performance. I mean, yes,
you know, you pray of course if you've done well.
But from that I think we also fielded for two
and recorded days in a row because we made India
follow on and therefore that was probably I remember that
because of the biggest stint in the field two hundred
and seventy overs or thereabouts than the field in a row,
(09:07):
which is just brutal.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
And that, yeah, absolutely, because I think what you guys
got six hundred and twenty for five or six declared,
didn't you? And then Yeah, you what bottlemt for four
hundred and then forced to follow on. Man, that is
tough all that time out in the field, but it
must be. I mean India, we know we from from
watching on and you've been there a lot of times.
They just absolutely adore their cracket, don't they like more
(09:29):
than we can probably comprehend.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yeah, it's rugby in this country. On another level, I
spend probably three months a year there due to the
commentary that I do over that part of the world,
and it's an awesome part of the word. I mean,
India is just a terrific place. Love going there. It's
certainly not a chore like it used to be for
you know, the guys in the sixties, seventies, eighties, where
everything was third world. You know, India is certainly a
(09:56):
lot of first world about it now. So it's easy
for the players and it makes it great because you
get the different culture, you get the different legions, the languages,
all of that, and then of course their love for
the game of cricket and they just really do have
a hero culture, hero mentality for their cricketers, both the
domestic guys and the international players that come across. So
(10:19):
it's a it's a great thing to experience as a player,
and the IPI certainly has been front center of that.
It's just such a massive tournament.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Good man, Scott, always love chatting credit with you, mate,
Thanks for taking our call any type. Cheers all right,
cheers mate. That Scott Starris, former international, hugely respected commentator. Now,
as you say, three months a year he spends up
in India commentating, so knows the conditions really well.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk ZB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Black Caps on the verge of a first ever Test
series win in India, dominating the opening two days of
the second Test in Poune, looks closing in with the
army and.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
By a finger goes up. I'm by a Paul Rifle
has had a good deal as well, and so has
the man on your screen, Mitchell Santna. The second best
figures by New Zealander and India Mitchell Sandner.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Seventh for fifty three. What a spell of balling.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
It's been well for the first time.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Mitchell Santa is going to get to hold that ball
up and he will hold it up very, very proudly.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Indeed.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So match scores New Zealand two fifty nine and one
ninety eight for five, India all out one fifty six.
Mitchell Santner seven for fifty three. His best Test figure
is by a long way. The second best figure is
ever by New Zealander in India. The equal eighth best
innings bowling figures by any New Zealand bowler in our
Test cricket history that has The Black Caps had by
(01:06):
three hundred and one, with five second innings wickets in
hand and three days still to play. Let's just put
this in context for you. We've been touring India since
nineteen fifty five. What's that nearly seventy years. This is
the thirteenth time New Zealand have played a Test series
in India. Of the previous twelve, eleven have been won
by India. The only drawn series was in the back
(01:29):
end of two thousand and three when both Test matches
were drawn. Scott Styris was in that team actually that
drew both those Test matches at the back end of
two thousand and three. He joins us now, Scott, I
honestly didn't think I'd be saying the sentence. Mitchell Santina
has bowled New Zealand into a winning position. What did
you make of his bowling on Day two?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah, I think Mitchell center, of course, has been having
short of terrific with the white ball in his hand.
The red bull's been a bit more of a challenge.
But you know, he's got a lot of talent, there's
no question about that, and it's great to see him
step up and conditions which favor him. It's fair to say,
but you've still got to deliver, and he did that.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Well, I think you're right that the conditions do favor him.
But aj s Pattel at the same time didn't get
any wickets in the in the in the in the
first thing. So so you've got to put it down
to Mitchell Santner doing something that he hasn't really done
a Test level. That's just bold, terrifically well, don't you.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah. I think what we saw is his height, place
and advantage he's got. He's a tall man, he's got
a nice high action, very similar to a Daniel Vittori.
So he was the one that extracted a lot more
bounce out of the surface and that's what caused the
batsman problems. Wasn't so much the variable bounce. When you
couple that with the ability to stand theball almost tennis ball,
(02:44):
like I thought Mitchell Santner, then just every over you
could almost see that the approach from the batsman, the
Indian batsman was different to Santana to the others because
of the fact Phillips and a Jazz Battel are a
lot shorter and they don't get that same climb.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
So in that regard then Scott. Is it likely he'll
be the most important bowler for New Zealand and the
second innings as well, or with the pitch wearing, is
it likely to bring the likes of Patel, Phillips, maybe
even Ravendra into play.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I think it will be still all about Satna just
because of that bus. That's the one. You always want
variety in your bowling attack. And even though those two
left arm spinners they're very different left arm spinners, there's
usually a little bit quicker, has their bounce bowls, a
really nice undercutter, which is often the type of delivery
in India which has the most success, not necessarily the
traditional overspin that you see the likes of Victorial, Adju
(03:40):
Patel look to employ. So you know, I think the
fact that that they do have the two left hours
but they are very different does posts some problems is
a great strength for us because the spinners have done
really well on.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
This to it absolutely so. Then New Zealand went out
to bat with a first innings lead of just over
one hundred. They were really positive to start. How important
was Tom Latham's eighty six in the second innings yesterday?
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Oh? I love every minute of it. And the reason
for that is because of the old school batting, wasn't it.
I mean, I think we saw two teams of batsmen
who on that surface where they couldn't necessarily trust the balance,
didn't know how much it was going to turn. They
didn't really back their defensive screen, their defensive technique, and
therefore they were quite aggressive and they didn't have a
lot of patience. Well, Tom Layton doesn't play a lot
(04:25):
of T twenty cricket. He does take a lot of
pride in his defense obviously employs the sweepshot, which worked
really well. So I think he summed up conditions and
had the mental discipline if you like to stick to
that camp plan all the way through, because Newsilla certainly
needed it. You know, they need to get through fifty
to four hundred. I think if they do that, then yeah,
(04:45):
we may well see that first series win.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So we're three hundred ahead. Now, even that seems a
tough chase. Or do you think India could chase three
hundred down.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I think they could. I mean, if anyone was going
to them, it's their home conditions. They're used to these
style of pictures. I'd never feel confident in the subcontinent.
When they're got the bat in hand, they often over
the history have just made the pitchure look like a
completely different surface to battle. I think we won't see
them be as loose. You know, you won't see pulling
us another full toss Suffras. Yes he played a loose
(05:19):
shot to be caught him and off, but I guess
that's the way he plays. But I expect them to
be a little bit mentally stronger than that second innings.
They want want to lose that home Test match as well.
The Test Championship is something that they have won yet
and they put on a stock into it, so they
really want to keep developing that Test Cayman, India. They
(05:40):
book about it all the time and the commentary work
I do there that that's the version of the game
that they want to take to the next level. So
they'll be bristling with the fact that they're behind in
the series in a big way.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips will resume today one
ninety eight for five with that lead of three hundred
odd What will or what should the batting plan be
for New Zealand today?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
A good Glenn Phillips doesn't look like he has quite
worked out how to play the spinners in these conditions yet,
So in my own mind I'm a little torn if
he doesn't back his defense. He seems to be going
back onto the back foot a lot, which is not
the way to play the spinners over there. So maybe
it is that aggressive try and go out there and
(06:27):
get to the bowlers before they get you. If he
can get thirty or forty, along with Bundle getting another
twenty or thirty, then you know New Zealand will have
a total they will feel they can and should win with.
So it's all about the approach more than anything. How
are you going to score your runs? The sweep shots,
the square the wickets have been the one that have
done well so far. But you know, you've got to
(06:47):
look at Glen Phillips. You can just see that he's
a little torn in his own mind about how he's
going to do it. But this partnership is a big one.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Indeed. Questions for a few on text actually Scott from
Jeff what would be better winning a Test series in
India or winning a Test series in Australia?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Oh what a question? Can I say both both? It
would be amazing wasn't that, I think I think I
think I think Australia is solely because of how how
close we are and all the rivalries we have, and
then every sport that we play, to beat them over
there would be incredible. I think Australia in their home
conditions have just been so good for decades. I would
(07:26):
pick Australia slightly, but only slightly, because India, with the
way they're dominating the world game, the talent they have
over there, they do have a lot of respects for
New Zealand cricket, both on and off the field. They
really do, so they won't mind losing to us. They'll
prefer that to say, losing to Australia. They sort of
(07:46):
treat us as well as the little brother or the
or the nice breend if you like, and Indian, you know, so,
I think I think I'd still go with Australia just
solely because of the history and tradition we have in sport.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
All right, maybe we can get both over the next
couple of years. And you, obviously you're obviously part of
that team. As I mentioned at the top of the
chat that got the series. The two drawn test matches
at the back end of two thousand and three, you
got a got one hundred and Mohalley one of your
five test centuries. Where does that rate among the innings
that you played.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Oh, to be honest, I don't really think about those
sorts of things too much. Look, any any test on
hundred is amazing. I think about their test more for
the fact that we That was I was patting with
Mark Richardson when he had that cramp episode. Everyone to
take the mickey. That was. That was that test match
where you know he carried on like a screaming file day.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
So that was that.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
I remember. You remember the funny things from games, not
so much your own your own performance. I mean, yes,
you know, you pray of course if you've done well.
But from that I think we also fielded for two
and recorded days in a row because we made India
follow on and therefore that was probably I remember that
because of the biggest stint in the field two hundred
and seventy overs or thereabouts than the field in a row,
(09:07):
which is just brutal.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
And that, yeah, absolutely, because I think what you guys
got six hundred and twenty for five or six declared,
didn't you? And then Yeah, you what bottlemt for four
hundred and then forced to follow on. Man, that is
tough all that time out in the field, but it
must be. I mean India, we know we from from
watching on and you've been there a lot of times.
They just absolutely adore their cracket, don't they like more
(09:29):
than we can probably comprehend.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yeah, it's rugby in this country. On another level, I
spend probably three months a year there due to the
commentary that I do over that part of the world,
and it's an awesome part of the word. I mean,
India is just a terrific place. Love going there. It's
certainly not a chore like it used to be for
you know, the guys in the sixties, seventies, eighties, where
everything was third world. You know, India is certainly a
(09:56):
lot of first world about it now. So it's easy
for the players and it makes it great because you
get the different culture, you get the different legions, the languages,
all of that, and then of course their love for
the game of cricket and they just really do have
a hero culture, hero mentality for their cricketers, both the
domestic guys and the international players that come across. So
(10:19):
it's a it's a great thing to experience as a player,
and the IPI certainly has been front center of that.
It's just such a massive tournament.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Good man, Scott, always love chatting credit with you, mate,
Thanks for taking our call any type. Cheers all right,
cheers mate. That Scott Starris, former international, hugely respected commentator. Now,
as you say, three months a year he spends up
in India commentating, so knows the conditions really well.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk ZB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio
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