December 13, 2025 • 10 mins
This week, James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the Black Caps' performance in the series against the West Indies and the future of Bazball.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
ZEDB afternoons about this time, James mcconey.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Hello mate, how are you pineying?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
You're right great, Thank you, very very good. Yes, looking
forward to chatting a bunch of stuff with you. Can
we start with the black Caps? What did you make
of their win in Wellington? Were you happy with all
of the moving parts behind the black Caps victory?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, comprehensive. I'm a big fan of TikTok of tech now.
I think that he's a player who can do something
at test level. He's got that steepling sort of bounce
and actually his test average bowling average I think I
tweeted this out and proof from something like thirty six
to twenty nine with that for FoST so he's down
(00:55):
under thirty the magic number. So that was good to
see in Duffy as well, playing a really solid role
there and dismissing getting those twenty wickets. I was actually
really interested in everyone's talking about Kin Williamson closing in
on ten thousand runs and I was just just doing
a bit of a comparison with Rachen Ravendra after nineteen
(01:18):
tests and actually Rachen is slightly ahead of Kine.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Well, yeah, I feel like Rachen could be anything he
wants to be. Will there be enough test cricket for
him to play though, to get to to get to
ten thousand.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, exactly, that's the key question. I think our schedule, well,
it's looking okay next year with it with a tour
of England and then obviously we've got more tests than
we've ever had against Australia at the back end of
the year. So I think we got four against them, yep, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Four four tests four So three against England, Yeah, I
think three against England Magia, two or three against India
here and then four against Australia. So at least nine
and maybe ten in the next sort of twelve to
fourteen months or so.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So there you go. Rachen at nineteen tests. So after
ninety test Kaine's average was thirty one. He had three
tests centuries. Rutchan's got four centuries with an average of
forty four. But then of course he was that incredible
purple patch of canes where he was a smashing and
he's played one hundred and seven tests now with thirty
three centuries at an average of fifty four. So that's
(02:25):
the thing he does, smash being the dish around the place,
and there's lowest averages against Australia Caines. So whether he
wants to go back out there and improve on that
next year, let's hope he does. I still want Caine
to be there, but like you say, I think Rachen
it's all ahead of him. There's the table's been set.
But after that incredible victory where Rochan actually didn't play
(02:46):
much of a role, I was just looking and thinking, well,
the worst they can do is draw this Test series.
Is it worth actually elevating someone and making a couple
of changes on the batting side with a guy like
Bevin Jacobs is averaging eighty for Auckland in this first
class season.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, And the other thing we spoke yesterday, I'm sure
you were doing more interesting things. We spoke yesterday about
the refreshing of the New Zealand seem attack and the
number of bowlers, and you mentioned Blair Tick, Michael Ray,
you know, Zach Folks and others who have got opportunities.
Then you look at the top five in the New
Zealand batting order, take ruch and out of it. You
know Tom Latham, Devon Conway, came Williamson, Darryl Mitchell can
(03:26):
add will Young into this conversation as well, all over thirty.
So at some stage the refreshing of the top order
has to happen. You mentioned Bevan Jacobs, what about Reece Martre?
You you'd be a big fan of his as well,
wouldn't you?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Exactly? I think Reees definitely needs to get a look
in as well, but Bevan is because as a lower
order back, or lower than Reece anyway, who opens. I
just thought I thought, well, you could actually speak him
in there in a Test match like this because the
next stop is England and then the next stop is Australia.
So I feel like it's a chance to get a
(04:00):
young one in there and get them used to the
five day game. And so either or I'd be happy.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, didn't did you? I just loved Michael Ray's approach
to this Test, didn't you. I mean a guy who
probably thought international cricket had passed him by, He wasn't
gonna get the chance. He was just going to be
a very good domestic bowler with a wonderful headband, and
here he was on test about charging and picking up
sex wickets looking like he loved every moment of it.
I couldn't help but smile every time Michael Ray was
(04:27):
involved in this test.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I know it's a bit like Nieza, wasn't it for
for Australia. Just somebody who's a veteran, salt of the earth,
pretty down to earth. I think you have Mitchell Hayes
saying he's a car guy, you know, so he's got
to love that he's appredits part of his life. But
he's a bit of a petrol head, so I mean, yeah,
it's I like those stories. I think that's that's cool.
(04:51):
On the batting front though, because I don't I love
a grizzled veteran bowler coming in. But on the batting front,
I really like to see some you some fresh eyes,
let's say, you know with that with that slightly quicker
reaction time.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, well, I know I went through a bit of
a lean patch, but we've got another big one hundred.
I think in the last plankets your game Kid's clearly
got a lot of promise, So yeah, I would love
to see him. As you say, it's a difficult balance,
isn't it, Because they don't play against the West Indies
and Totong the next time we played Test cricketers in England,
and the way they're playing at the moment that might
not be quite as hard as maybe it's been previously.
(05:26):
But then if you are going to blood guys into
a team for a very tough format series in Australia
next year, you're kind of out of options really if
you don't do it now or I guess mid year
in England.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yes, now, the other thing I was going to talk
to you while we're on cricket Ponty was basball bad.
And yes, your listeners do think that basball is dead.
I agree, even just watching Ben Stokes and that partnership
with Will Jackson digging in and showing that some grets
and resilience and stickability is required really to play Test cricket.
(05:59):
And it's all probably happened a little bit too late,
but we'll wait and see because it's a five Test series.
But I think every team, every player, every team has
a player who's a dasher who's strike rate as high,
and of course the og of that is vib Richards
with the West Indies way back in the day, who
was around the eighty six mark and then you Obviously
(06:21):
everybody has their favorite Adam Gilcrest say wag. Both Kansas
really and now England have Harry Brooks, So let Harry
be the Bears guy, you know. But the rest of
the team really need to dig in because I think
bads Wall is over.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I agree at the very least temperate. You know,
you don't have to abandon the philosophy altogether, but I
think it does need tweaking because it certainly isn't working.
When you know, the first two tests take a total
of six days and you'll lose by eight wickets and
both of them. You know, something has to be at
least altered a little bit for me. But I guess
we'll wait and see what they decide to do once
(06:57):
they get off the noose of Beaches. Have you been
to the noos of Beaches? They're very nice beaches.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
No, But I did admire Brendan McCullum quite brazenly say
that they prepare had too much for the second and
the Angless reaction was hilarious, like they just pretty much
but hard and just went come on, you know, But
I just if you met Brendan McCallum. He'd be just
staring down and saying, no, I think we went too hard.
(07:24):
We're going to have some days off in NUSA, which
is nice. I mean they might be able to be
able to catch some A League football if they venture
around the place. I was just going to say, Poney,
have a look at the at the Phoenix game today,
because I think they're building towards something quite cool this season.
Even though Auckland Sea have outshone them, the Wellington Phoenix.
(07:44):
You know, they're down the foot of the table, but
one one today and they spring back up into the
top six.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah, and look, the derby was only last weekend. It
seems to like about a month ago. The second derby.
I don't know. I just had to check the calendar.
Was I really up in Auckland at that derby last week?
It appears as though I was. I feel as though
this game today against Newcastle and next week against the
Central Coast Mariners, two sides who are also sort of
in the lower echelons of the table, are really really
(08:12):
important for Wellington. If they can get six points from
these two games, the table is so tight. James, You're right,
they could hit Christmas in the top six and be
ready to spring board in the new year.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, it's something good bring there. I think they've got
people who can score goals even and Alex Rufer is
scoring goal so it's a new year, new Phoenix. And
there Olaway. Yeahmi, their keeper, who was a bit of
a calamity last season, played the house down in the derby,
so I'm looking forward to that. And just if you're
an Arsenal fan out there as well, just as while
(08:43):
we're on football, be very concerned because your team, even
though you're at the top of the table, if anything
happens to Kayosaka, I don't think you're winning anything. That's
how I feel about Arsenal.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Right now, well they played. You would have seen the
game against Wolves or at least heard what happened to
that so Arsenal. Arsenal went ahead for an own goal
by Wolves, so have been utterly abysmal in the last
little while of the accumulation of points. So they aarsen
I'm going to end with their own goal. Wolves scored
on the ninetieth to make it one all look like
they were going to get a very very well earned
point at the Emirates Stadium. And then they scored a
(09:17):
second own goal and asked went at two to one.
It's just a crazy, crazy series of events.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Jesus. On the end of a cross as well. I
mean there's something in that, but we won't discuss it here. Jesus,
I'm talking about he didn't quite get his head on
the ball. It was an own goal. But the bakayasaka.
For the average punter out there, they go, oh, yeah,
I think I've heard of him, and yeah. His most
famous moment was missing a penalty in the Euro Final
(09:44):
against Italy a few years ago when he was nineteen.
But now he's turned into this incredible, just really exciting
winger and everything has to go through him.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Though.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
I watching Arsenal, they need to expand their repertoire or
do something about their playmaking because I've got talent and
I kind of would like them to win it. I
know you're a Liverpool man, but they looked really shake you.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
This morning, James. Great to chat us. All ways. Should
we got one more time before Christmas next Sunday? Will
you be available for that one more time?
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Let's start punk it, mate, Let's put helmets on and
do it.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Jesus, I just hope that we could talk on the
radio one more time. But I love the way you've
segued into daft punk. Love it, James. Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
ZEDB afternoons about this time, James mcconey.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Hello mate, how are you pineying?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
You're right great, Thank you, very very good. Yes, looking
forward to chatting a bunch of stuff with you. Can
we start with the black Caps? What did you make
of their win in Wellington? Were you happy with all
of the moving parts behind the black Caps victory?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, comprehensive. I'm a big fan of TikTok of tech now.
I think that he's a player who can do something
at test level. He's got that steepling sort of bounce
and actually his test average bowling average I think I
tweeted this out and proof from something like thirty six
to twenty nine with that for FoST so he's down
(00:55):
under thirty the magic number. So that was good to
see in Duffy as well, playing a really solid role
there and dismissing getting those twenty wickets. I was actually
really interested in everyone's talking about Kin Williamson closing in
on ten thousand runs and I was just just doing
a bit of a comparison with Rachen Ravendra after nineteen
(01:18):
tests and actually Rachen is slightly ahead of Kine.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Well, yeah, I feel like Rachen could be anything he
wants to be. Will there be enough test cricket for
him to play though, to get to to get to
ten thousand.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, exactly, that's the key question. I think our schedule, well,
it's looking okay next year with it with a tour
of England and then obviously we've got more tests than
we've ever had against Australia at the back end of
the year. So I think we got four against them, yep, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Four four tests four So three against England, Yeah, I
think three against England Magia, two or three against India
here and then four against Australia. So at least nine
and maybe ten in the next sort of twelve to
fourteen months or so.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So there you go. Rachen at nineteen tests. So after
ninety test Kaine's average was thirty one. He had three
tests centuries. Rutchan's got four centuries with an average of
forty four. But then of course he was that incredible
purple patch of canes where he was a smashing and
he's played one hundred and seven tests now with thirty
three centuries at an average of fifty four. So that's
(02:25):
the thing he does, smash being the dish around the place,
and there's lowest averages against Australia Caines. So whether he
wants to go back out there and improve on that
next year, let's hope he does. I still want Caine
to be there, but like you say, I think Rachen
it's all ahead of him. There's the table's been set.
But after that incredible victory where Rochan actually didn't play
(02:46):
much of a role, I was just looking and thinking, well,
the worst they can do is draw this Test series.
Is it worth actually elevating someone and making a couple
of changes on the batting side with a guy like
Bevin Jacobs is averaging eighty for Auckland in this first
class season.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, And the other thing we spoke yesterday, I'm sure
you were doing more interesting things. We spoke yesterday about
the refreshing of the New Zealand seem attack and the
number of bowlers, and you mentioned Blair Tick, Michael Ray,
you know, Zach Folks and others who have got opportunities.
Then you look at the top five in the New
Zealand batting order, take ruch and out of it. You
know Tom Latham, Devon Conway, came Williamson, Darryl Mitchell can
(03:26):
add will Young into this conversation as well, all over thirty.
So at some stage the refreshing of the top order
has to happen. You mentioned Bevan Jacobs, what about Reece Martre?
You you'd be a big fan of his as well,
wouldn't you?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Exactly? I think Reees definitely needs to get a look
in as well, but Bevan is because as a lower
order back, or lower than Reece anyway, who opens. I
just thought I thought, well, you could actually speak him
in there in a Test match like this because the
next stop is England and then the next stop is Australia.
So I feel like it's a chance to get a
(04:00):
young one in there and get them used to the
five day game. And so either or I'd be happy.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, didn't did you? I just loved Michael Ray's approach
to this Test, didn't you. I mean a guy who
probably thought international cricket had passed him by, He wasn't
gonna get the chance. He was just going to be
a very good domestic bowler with a wonderful headband, and
here he was on test about charging and picking up
sex wickets looking like he loved every moment of it.
I couldn't help but smile every time Michael Ray was
(04:27):
involved in this test.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I know it's a bit like Nieza, wasn't it for
for Australia. Just somebody who's a veteran, salt of the earth,
pretty down to earth. I think you have Mitchell Hayes
saying he's a car guy, you know, so he's got
to love that he's appredits part of his life. But
he's a bit of a petrol head, so I mean, yeah,
it's I like those stories. I think that's that's cool.
(04:51):
On the batting front though, because I don't I love
a grizzled veteran bowler coming in. But on the batting front,
I really like to see some you some fresh eyes,
let's say, you know with that with that slightly quicker
reaction time.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, well, I know I went through a bit of
a lean patch, but we've got another big one hundred.
I think in the last plankets your game Kid's clearly
got a lot of promise, So yeah, I would love
to see him. As you say, it's a difficult balance,
isn't it, Because they don't play against the West Indies
and Totong the next time we played Test cricketers in England,
and the way they're playing at the moment that might
not be quite as hard as maybe it's been previously.
(05:26):
But then if you are going to blood guys into
a team for a very tough format series in Australia
next year, you're kind of out of options really if
you don't do it now or I guess mid year
in England.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yes, now, the other thing I was going to talk
to you while we're on cricket Ponty was basball bad.
And yes, your listeners do think that basball is dead.
I agree, even just watching Ben Stokes and that partnership
with Will Jackson digging in and showing that some grets
and resilience and stickability is required really to play Test cricket.
(05:59):
And it's all probably happened a little bit too late,
but we'll wait and see because it's a five Test series.
But I think every team, every player, every team has
a player who's a dasher who's strike rate as high,
and of course the og of that is vib Richards
with the West Indies way back in the day, who
was around the eighty six mark and then you Obviously
(06:21):
everybody has their favorite Adam Gilcrest say wag. Both Kansas
really and now England have Harry Brooks, So let Harry
be the Bears guy, you know. But the rest of
the team really need to dig in because I think
bads Wall is over.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I agree at the very least temperate. You know,
you don't have to abandon the philosophy altogether, but I
think it does need tweaking because it certainly isn't working.
When you know, the first two tests take a total
of six days and you'll lose by eight wickets and
both of them. You know, something has to be at
least altered a little bit for me. But I guess
we'll wait and see what they decide to do once
(06:57):
they get off the noose of Beaches. Have you been
to the noos of Beaches? They're very nice beaches.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
No, But I did admire Brendan McCullum quite brazenly say
that they prepare had too much for the second and
the Angless reaction was hilarious, like they just pretty much
but hard and just went come on, you know, But
I just if you met Brendan McCallum. He'd be just
staring down and saying, no, I think we went too hard.
(07:24):
We're going to have some days off in NUSA, which
is nice. I mean they might be able to be
able to catch some A League football if they venture
around the place. I was just going to say, Poney,
have a look at the at the Phoenix game today,
because I think they're building towards something quite cool this season.
Even though Auckland Sea have outshone them, the Wellington Phoenix.
(07:44):
You know, they're down the foot of the table, but
one one today and they spring back up into the
top six.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah, and look, the derby was only last weekend. It
seems to like about a month ago. The second derby.
I don't know. I just had to check the calendar.
Was I really up in Auckland at that derby last week?
It appears as though I was. I feel as though
this game today against Newcastle and next week against the
Central Coast Mariners, two sides who are also sort of
in the lower echelons of the table, are really really
(08:12):
important for Wellington. If they can get six points from
these two games, the table is so tight. James, You're right,
they could hit Christmas in the top six and be
ready to spring board in the new year.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, it's something good bring there. I think they've got
people who can score goals even and Alex Rufer is
scoring goal so it's a new year, new Phoenix. And
there Olaway. Yeahmi, their keeper, who was a bit of
a calamity last season, played the house down in the derby,
so I'm looking forward to that. And just if you're
an Arsenal fan out there as well, just as while
(08:43):
we're on football, be very concerned because your team, even
though you're at the top of the table, if anything
happens to Kayosaka, I don't think you're winning anything. That's
how I feel about Arsenal.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Right now, well they played. You would have seen the
game against Wolves or at least heard what happened to
that so Arsenal. Arsenal went ahead for an own goal
by Wolves, so have been utterly abysmal in the last
little while of the accumulation of points. So they aarsen
I'm going to end with their own goal. Wolves scored
on the ninetieth to make it one all look like
they were going to get a very very well earned
point at the Emirates Stadium. And then they scored a
(09:17):
second own goal and asked went at two to one.
It's just a crazy, crazy series of events.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Jesus. On the end of a cross as well. I
mean there's something in that, but we won't discuss it here. Jesus,
I'm talking about he didn't quite get his head on
the ball. It was an own goal. But the bakayasaka.
For the average punter out there, they go, oh, yeah,
I think I've heard of him, and yeah. His most
famous moment was missing a penalty in the Euro Final
(09:44):
against Italy a few years ago when he was nineteen.
But now he's turned into this incredible, just really exciting
winger and everything has to go through him.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Though.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
I watching Arsenal, they need to expand their repertoire or
do something about their playmaking because I've got talent and
I kind of would like them to win it. I
know you're a Liverpool man, but they looked really shake you.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
This morning, James. Great to chat us. All ways. Should
we got one more time before Christmas next Sunday? Will
you be available for that one more time?
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Let's start punk it, mate, Let's put helmets on and
do it.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Jesus, I just hope that we could talk on the
radio one more time. But I love the way you've
segued into daft punk. Love it, James. Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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