Jesse Ryder: former Black Cap speaks ahead of 2026 Black Clash

The next ahead of the 2026 edition of the Black Clash was announced today, with former Black Cap batter Jesse Ryder adding to the already star-studded lineup. 

He caught up with D'Arcy to talk about the Black Clash - and what he's been up to since stepping away from international cricket. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be the eighth edition of the Hospring spis a
Black Clash and association with the wolfbrook is on the wave.
You've got another made just signing. That signing is Jesse Ryder.
He joins us now to talk about his return to
cricket here in New Zealand.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Fund it.

Speaker 4 (00:27):
What has been up to as well? Jesse, Jesse, Jesse
evenue for where have you been.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Just hiding under a rock? Mate, just chilling?

Speaker 2 (00:36):
So how do they encourage you to get out from
under the rock to start playing cricket again?

Speaker 4 (00:41):
What's the story?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Just got if? I came to be a part of
the Black Lass and you know, it seems like an awesome,
awesome day, So I'm looking forward to being a part
of it next year.

Speaker 4 (00:53):
So what have you been doing cricket wise? I know
you played in a few leagues around the.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
World, but like where how well, what's your form? Like,
what have you been doing in the cricket area?

Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yeahs, heaps of retired comps that have been popping up
over the last year. So I've just been back and
forth from India mainly over the last two years. This
year has been a bit of a bit of a
nightmare with payment issues. Yeah, we gole players have been
going away and not been paid. So hopefully the next

(01:26):
few comps coming up they actually pay us.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
Who's not paying you come on out them.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
Now it's pretty much just the organizers of the tournaments.
So here's the last tournament I went to that they
all blew up over in the media over in India.
So hopefully it sort of helps with the next comps
to make sure they pay the players.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
Okay, form wise, how are you heading the ball?

Speaker 3 (01:50):
Last game? I've at one hundred and thirty or fifty balls,
but there was a few months back now so still
will probably rust years come to the Blacklash it.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
May be, but now's the time you tell us all
you're going to spend a lot of time in the nets.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Right, Yeah, I'll be sending plenty of time in the nets,
but that'll be more me coaching than me betting.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
International cricket. You haven't been seeing at that level for
some time, kind of ask do you miss it.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
A little bit? But not really. Yeah, I went through
quite a bit through my career and stuff like that,
and you know, I took the enjoyment sector away for me,
so like, I sort of do this at times, but
I knew, I knew that I had a lot more
to offer. But yeah, it's what it is, and I'm

(02:40):
just doing what I'm doing now.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
So what else are you doing? Any other sport? The golf?

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Yeah, golf. I got into golf big time last year,
so I've been I've been playing a lot of golf,
not as late because as I've been away, but yeah,
that's been one of my main main distractions lately.

Speaker 4 (02:57):
Be kind of cool to get back into a ship
with some of your former teammates, the Tory, like Less
goes on, he's still got a good relationship with these guys.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yeah, it'll be good to see them. I haven't seen
them for ages, so nah, it's going to be cool
to catch up with everyone. And like I feel, it
looks like a pretty awesome day at bay Oval, So
that'll be exciting getting back out there and playing in
front of the New Zealand crowd.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
Mercurial, maverick and mysterious, that's what the press release describes
you as.

Speaker 4 (03:27):
Also swashedback, you a swashbacker.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
Jesse about that just keeps it simple. See the ball
hit the.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Ball, So nothing new there. You just stick to what
you're good at.

Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, yeah, White, change something that works.

Speaker 4 (03:44):
What about with the ball, Jesse? Do you roll your
arm over every now and then?

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Oh? Nah, I haven't bowld seem up for a few
years since six days. I think more just bowl some
nude offs and the.

Speaker 4 (03:58):
Nude so you just lob the ball down there then.

Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, I just love it down there and see what happens.

Speaker 4 (04:04):
What are you expecting from the crowd?

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Kind of response I think you'll get when you get
out there into the middle.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah, hopefully there's a few showies on the sideline for me, Well,
I'm on the boundary during the game, but it should
be pretty exciting. Hopefully there'll be a bit of banter
and stuff, but it should be good times.

Speaker 4 (04:24):
You played in the States as well, didn't you, Jesse?
How was that? Do they understand it? Do they know
what's going on?

Speaker 3 (04:31):
Well? I played one tournament over there. I'm mentally going
there on the fifth of December for another tournament, but yeah,
still went to hear what's happening with that's been postponed twice.
But when I was there last there wasn't really much
of a crowd at all. There's probably about ten or
fifteen people. Yeah, I don't think they follow too much

(04:53):
of these tournaments where you plan their high tournaments, but
you're locally. It's building pretty well over there cricket wise.

Speaker 4 (05:00):
What does the future look like, Jesse, You've got a
master plan? Where are you headed?

Speaker 3 (05:05):
No, I'm just cruising it the moment. I'm just started
my coaching business. I'm trying to build that now that
I'm home for a little bit so i can push
it a bit more. And yeah, I'm just pretty much
winging it at the moment. With these tournaments. It's hard
to sort of try and find a job when I'm
back and forth so much. Another thing is just trying
to find a solid job so I don't have to

(05:26):
go away as much. Now. I want to spend a
bit more time at home and trying to build this
coaching coaching gig up coaching.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
Hey, tell us about yourself as a coach. What do
you bring in the coaching space.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
I try to just keep things pretty simple, especially with
kids that are new to the game. It's just stay
trying to get them to, you know, get the basics
sorted first before we move on to the big shops
and stuff like that. And I think I can help
mentally with older players. You know, I've been through been

(06:01):
through quite a bit, so I sort of know. I
know how to build a innings and stuff like that
and what it takes to get to that level. So
it's just the others want to harm help out and
give back for the young. Follows now.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
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