August 7, 2024 • 35 mins
This week on On The Front Foot, Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney reflect on the likely make up of the test team set to play Afghanistan in India.
Plus, they’re joined by Garth Gallaway as they pay their respects to an England cricketer Graham Thorpe, who passed away at 55, and remember one of the greats of the game, Bert Sutcliffe, 75 years on.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
Take another Patrick, It is out, The test is over.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Couldn't smokes a beauty? This is out here you guys.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Just Delivery has in.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
User to Bold.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney,
powered by News Talks Dead B at iHeart Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hello on the Front foot once again. The hiatus in
Test cricket, the World Test Championship having just a short
break while we enjoyed the the lights of Rolder climbing
on the Olympics and other fashionable sports that are being
played at the present time. It's a month away from
a test in India for the Black Chair versus Afghanistan.
(01:10):
How close are they? Just settling the squad winter training
at home. Teen twenties in America and Canada, they've got
one hundred. In England. We're going to remember one of
our greats from seventy five years ago, sadly a farewell
to an English cricket rock, the death recently of for
Graham Thorpe. We will talk about him as well. Some
(01:32):
sad news too. As we look towards what is happening.
Jeremy and Garth Galloway special guests once more with us
that Nathan Smith, who must be coming into reckoning for
the National selectors for international duty, is coming home from
Worcestershire because of injury. Good thing to do, but it's
(01:53):
not a good time to be doing it having an injury.
I don't think Jeremy with so many games coming up.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Good ay, Garth and Wadds. Look, Wor'stershare have really used
him quite sensibly. I mean he's been opening the bowling
I notice, certainly towards the beginning of the county Championship anyway,
and that's when they were using I think was at
the first two games they used the Kooko baro ball.
But certainly he was getting wickets for Worcestershire. And as
(02:23):
I mentioned last week, he can also handle a bat
adequately as well, certainly in comparison to the rest of
our bowling unit here in New Zealand with the red ball,
O Rourke and Sears. No, they don't really offer a
great deal with the bat. And then of course you
know you're looking at Saudi or Duffy perhaps you know
(02:45):
they don't offer much either at the moment. Maybe Shipley might.
He's got some runs at first class level, but certainly
not at the Test level yet. So you know, Nathan
Smith could be an important character to be watching carefully.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, and it's a tough time for him Garth because
he really only just come off a year's absence for
the game because of injury. That's the nature of the
beast is that you do have injuries. But he's in
New Zealand a consideration and he must be close to
selection either Test or One Day level. I don't know
(03:19):
about T twenty, but you know he's got to be
there from what he's achieved so far.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
I agree, and I think he's done. You know, he's
done very well for Worcestershire. He's taken twenty seven wickets
and seven matches. I've left on the notes in the office,
Watson Jerry. So if I'm slightly inaccurate, just you know,
forgive me. But twenty seven wickets and seven matches at
an average of twenty one, so you know, a really
good return. Put some tent on the county averages in
(03:45):
that Division One championship and he's got them at a
good economical rate as well. I really like him. I
see St Giles's, who's the general manager at Worcestershire and
former English selector and English spinner, has published a statement
saying that he's always welcome back at Worcestershire. It's a
lovely place, of course, in a Jerry, I don't know
(04:07):
if you played it New Road, but I was in
Worcester coaching for years a year and it's of course
got the association with Glenn Turner and of course Martin
Horton who coached out here, the former England player. Lovely
part of the world. So I'm sure Nathan Smith will
have enjoyed it and benefited from it, but just not
long enough for him. But I agree with you both.
I think he definitely comes into contention. He's got a
(04:28):
hamstring injury and judging by the fact that he's coming home,
it must be serious. So again I wonder if that's
because he really is genuinely in contention for these tests
which are coming up in the not too distant future.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Darth, can I just pick youre for a moment you
said something slightly inaccurate. I can't believe that you're slightly
inaccurate at any stage.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Oh no, thank you, thank you, thank you very much. Well,
Jerry picks me up occasionally.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
He was, he was inaccurate. It's twenty one point seventy
five six, right, and you need to get that right. Okay,
Now I do remember new Road Garth. I irritated all
the rest of the bowlers, the whole bowling fraternity in
one of the tours when I went there because it
(05:14):
was it was a bit of it was a rough
wicket and I managed to get seven wickets in the
match and that put me right on top of the averages.
So I was getting some horrible looks from all the
ballers at the end of the series for the playing
the off couldn't get the ball off me once. That's right,
exactly interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Nathan Smith's got an injury there. We're talking about a
World Test Championship. New Zealand have yet to pick aside.
In fact, they've yet to confirm their contract list. Must
be tough game for them. How tough is this year
going to be? I see this as pretty important. We're
fifty percent on the World Test Championship the moment. We've
(06:00):
got three in India and three Tests in England Afghanistan
don't appear in the World Test Championship. But it's a
big year for this New Zealm, so doesn't it.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Yeah, chores and I can't see them to be to
be honest with you, and Jerry and I were lucky
enough to sit in the studio in Eddington and do
ball by ball and the last time that they were
in India and and Wadd's you know it was it
was pretty grim. Well they drew, didn't they They drew the
That the what I'm just thinking Ptel picked.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Up for you.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
They hang on. Yeah the first test, didn't they nine down?
Speaker 5 (06:37):
That's right? Yeah, but it was grim And I think
these these three tests in India are going to be
pretty tough for this side as well. Wads and Jerry
and if you look at this silly competition, which you
know relies on the winning percentage, I think our percentage
will be dented after the India series in India and
(06:57):
that makes those tests against England deposlutely vital. I mean,
if they lose those three tests, you know their points
will be down. They'll be at an average of thirty
three that winning percentage or thirty three point three three
three recurring Jerry, just to be accurate.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Yeah, so you know, and I think it's going to
be very interesting. Indeed, the attack that they choose, who
will bowl at the at the start of the innings
and are they going to play three spinners and they
have to over there.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yeah. New Zealand have won three of the six Tests
they have played. They now are confronted with against two
of the stronger sides. England were at the bottom of
the of the Test Championship becauds. They had played Australia
in the Ashes and that was a tool wall draw
and then they played India and India and they lost
(07:48):
that four to one. So that's why are they were languishing.
But now they've come up with the last two victories
against West Indies. They are likely to do the same
against Sri Lanka, so they will probably improve their percentage.
New Zealand have got two hard ones, haven't they. It's
not in conceivable that they might lose all six or
(08:12):
they might not win one. In other words, it might
be a drawer somewhere, if there's rain somewhere or something
like that. If they can sneak through with a win somewhere.
I think that would be pretty reasonable for a side
actually in transition. I know they'll be at home. But England, look,
you know, they could easily have won that Basin Reserve Test,
(08:34):
even though lost by one run, but they I mean,
that's how close it was, and they took a gamble.
I could. I can see New Zealand, you know, not
winning a Test. It is conceivable.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
I think England also the other thing, when you watch
the way that they've played against the West Indies and
some of the series against India where they were well beaten.
In this series head after they won the first Test,
you're seeing a side I think that it's changing a
little bit in the way that they're playing the game.
So we saw the helter skelter, you know, the stuff
they call basball and all of that stuff, and it
(09:07):
did seem at time, I mean, it was highly addictive
but at times less effective, and I think that's you know,
the Wellington Test is a really good example of a
game that they threw away through through ego really and
wanting to play in that way. And you'll remember Wagner
took wickets in the second innings and he bowled short
and he was. You know, they really wanted to take
(09:27):
him on and had they not, I think they would
have won the match. They're playing a bit differently now
and if you look at the straight rates against the
West Indies of their top order, they're quite different to
what they were in the first you know, when McCullum
first took over. That doesn't help New Zealand's chances in
my view, and that's the point that I wanted to make.
They're being a little bit more circumspect, but they're still
scoring their runs at four point five five runs and over.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
We can't make our judgments against the West Indies, but
they're going to be a better side with the changes
that they've made in terms of personnel, and better side
than what they had when they came out last time.
They were surely Jerry.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Yeah, I think you know they're batting lineup with Root
just playing way that he normally plays. He holds and binds,
if you like that whole order at number four together.
Poper's not playing so aggressively. I think you'll find Crawley will,
(10:23):
but I think you know, with Brooke playing aggressively as
he does, having the bowling services of the captain really helps,
doesn't it. The whole side looks a lot more balanced
now they're not having to make up and find another bowler.
You know, Ben Stokes is there and he's bowling quite well,
(10:44):
and so now they've also changed some of their other
bowlers and they're looking very likely. Yes, you've got to
always put it into context of it was the West
Indies who were an inexperienced side. But let's see how
they go. They're changing their side again, aren't they. For
the Sri Lankan series that is just upcoming. Jordan Cox
(11:05):
is coming and as the keeper. Whether he plays or not,
I don't know. I would have thought Jamie Smith would
have carried on myself. Olie Stone is a fast bowler
who played against New Zealand and used to play for
Warwick Shoes at Edgeburston. He's in for Pennington who has
a bit of an injury I believe, and then Dan Lawrence.
The interesting even I mean Dan Lawrence is to sit
to open. That's that's interesting. With Crawley's injury. So you
(11:29):
know he's normally a middle order player. I'll be interested.
He's probably desperate to play. Went to India and he's
been sitting around for the West Indies series play anywhere.
Probably so. But he's a middle order and a bowler,
isn't he as well? Part time bowler? Really? Well?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
The interesting thing is that they've had an injury to
an opening batsman and Zach Crawley. They've decided, how will
we go about replacing him? Oh, we've got down?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Why are we bringing a look at keeper as well?
Because we've we've dumped he bears though, and poor old
Ben folks well, he can't keep to save himself, can he?
He can bat, but he can't keep. Oh if I
got that wrong or somebody has. But anyway, they've got
a new keeper as well. But I mean that all
adds to what they've got and we'll get a good
idea about England from Sri Lanka, who probably won't be
(12:18):
any better than West Indies at three home matches, will they.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I don't know whether you saw. I don't know whether
you saw the ode I scores. Sri Lanka have been
playing India, haven't they? They needed I think in the
in the last match I saw they needed nine runs
with six wickets remaining. They brought on a guy called
Ringkul and he's never bowled before he got a couple
(12:42):
of wickets. They brought in someone else, Suria Kumar, he
was the captain. He got a couple and they ended
up tying the match and then only scoring two in
the super over, so they lost the game. It's not
a good look. They're batting is awful at the moment,
so they are going to have to really play well.
I think to Test England. England are looking guys. They're
(13:05):
looking sharper. There's a much more steely kind of look
about them. I think a with the batting, which Garth's
pointed out, but be their bowling is better with players
like Wood bowling at ninety now and looking you know,
he had been bandaged up. He looked like an Egyptian mummy,
but you know he and Wood and Atkinson. Atkinson looks
(13:28):
very tidy indeed, and then Stokes to follow that up
who swings the ball and then this gliber shier and
I think that they're going to be a much more
difficult proposition this time around.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Yes, well, when the first Test comes up against the
Sri Lankan side, England will be playing due respect to
a man who's been seen as a rock of their game.
Somebody who is reliable and dependable and has passed away
at an early age. I think he must have had
a terminal illness of some kind. Graham thought, fifty five
(14:03):
years of age, one hundred Test matches for England. We know,
I'm pretty well in. He only made a few trips here,
Garth and a cricketer whoever is what? Nearly forty five
in Test matches? Great performer and sad to have been
passing away at such an early age.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
Oh, it's terrible, it's really sad news. And played a
one hundred tests, of course for England. A left hander
who was you know, I will well remember him and
we were all lucky enough to be broadcasting when he
scored two hundred at Lancaster Park and that magnificent Test
where as still got two hundred and twenty two in
(14:41):
two thousand and two, and it was a quite brilliant
hint things. I think people sometimes think of Thorpe as
being he was a stoic and a great competitor. But
he wasn't a dowdy left hander. I thought he was.
He was an attractive player. He was a player of
courage and just looking at his statistics one hundred matches,
sixteen Test centuries and just looking and reading about him
(15:05):
since he died one of his innings, you know, a
Test match and pack Kistan and Karachi in two thousand
when when England won that match and won the series
against Pakistan after they had been unbeaten for thirty four
Tests at home and they'd been beaten England five series
in a row. And it was as England chased down
(15:27):
one hundred and sixty or so in the fourth innings,
it was the best of the players was Thorpe who
got sixty four not out, you know, and again just
reflecting on some of his innings against against Sri Lanka
in Colombo where he scored one hundred and thirteen not
out of magnificent innings standing out against a very good
(15:49):
Tri Lankan side. And we talked about Sri Lanka earlier.
I mean this was a Shri Lankan side that's very
different to what we're seeing now. You know that magnificent
batting lineup that they had, and you think back so
fondy out of party, Jayasurias Thinkakara to silver, Jale Wardner,
hell ofving it, hell of a side and the bowling
attack wasn't bad either, with Bura Leather and Jayasuria and co.
(16:13):
And just looking and seeing that he was a great
player of spin bowling. He did well in India as well,
and I think people will remember him fondy but gone far,
far too early.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Yeah, you talk about that game in christ Church, the
Astill game two hundred and twenty two. We will never
ever forget that. But you look at Thorpe's stats. So
he got a double hundred, as you say, off two
hundred and thirty one balls. He was in that partnership
with Andrew Flintoff and in fact he out played flint Off.
He was Man of the match for his two hundred.
(16:43):
He had a strike rate of eighty six. Flint Off
one hundred and thirty seven from one hundred and sixty
three balls at a strike rate of eighty four. So
he certainly played an important part in giving England that
advantage that they had, because you know, I remember back
to the first day. Wasn't that Ken's had three wickets
(17:03):
before that even opened the gates to Lancaster Park as
it was known in those days. Goodness me, it's gone
for a few changes. It's Lancaster Park Jerry, I was
reading on the stats that it's Ami Stadium that he played.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, is that right? Yeah? No, yeah, well it certainly
wasn't was it. No? I mean we remember it for
the Astel innings, don't we, But you're right there was.
I think also was it one hundred by Hussein in
the first innings again for England. I don't know. I
get a bit mixed up now, but I think the
points that you've made fifty five just so young. Second
(17:44):
thing I agree with he had the reputation as a
tough player in the sense that he was you called
him the rock Quads and right through those nineties which
were chaotic really for selection of different players game after
game in England. But he could defend and he could attack.
(18:04):
I remember an attacking in as he played at Barbados
where he just smashed West Indies. A fast pitcher, rough pitch,
and he was known for his hooking and his cutting,
particularly against the quick bowlers. Wonderful player of spin. Morally,
of course, that innings he got in Sri Lanka, he
didn't hit. He got a hundred, didn't hit a boundary,
(18:27):
didn't hit a boundary, and so he he used to
play with quite a small backlift and very strong wrists.
So he became a very effective nerdler around you know.
So the ball wasn't getting through at all. His bat
was down always he was. He wasn't really a conformist.
(18:49):
I knew. I knew saw Pee quite well outspoken, you know.
I remember he dressed codes annoyed him like hell. He
never used to turn up with the right clothes on
for for England. He he once he he was. He
fough against two dressing rooms for Surrey, one for the
(19:11):
capped players and one for the uncapped players. And he
fought like hell against that and made himself quite unpopular.
He was against touring Zimbabwe, a long serving Surrey man
with Mark Butcher good made of his one hundred tests
averaging forty four. And that was against players like Moore.
(19:32):
He's played against South Africa, Donald Pollock in teenee Pallas,
I would have thought would have been there as well.
Gars mentioned Murley and vas of course, great player of
spin and always the last man to leave at the bar.
You know, loved a good story, was he. Macram called
(19:54):
him the most difficult batsman he had to bowl to,
you think against the team against Ozzie that he played
against those strong two thousand years, you know that year
two thousand McGrath, Warren Gillespie, haunting you know, Gilchrist that
that side, and yet was still able to average forty
four man, you know, he he was. He was a
(20:16):
hell of a player, and so yeah, he would have
troubled relationships off the field. Used to talk quite openly
about those, but just to you know, and people sometimes
see that a weakness. I thought that completed the whole man. Actually,
so I really enjoyed Thorpe and very.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
Yeah, we don't like we don't like conversations that are confrontational.
We avoid it and the conversations that we should have.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
That's why you became a lawyer.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
I get made to be confrontational. I mean, one of
these these are good stories that you're talking about with Thorpe.
You know, he was a character and for English players
to not like dress codes, you know, he would have
been rocking the.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Boat well yeah, you know.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
And and also the player. You know when he got
those runs in Pakistan it was against the Lakes of Unice,
and again Clay Mushtack and so on. You know, one
very fine quick one lovely off spinner, and then I
look at that that time you got those runs you
talked about in Sri Lanka, England scored two hundred and
forty nine.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
He got one hundred and thirteen not out Sri Lanka
out for eighty one, and then England it was seventy
four for six in the second innings to win, and
thought got thirty two not.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
Out of those as well, you know, just in terms
of incredibly reliable but also capable of lifting his game
and playing attacking shops. Lovely player, square of the worker
on the off side, beautiful card of the ball.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
He loved Wimbledon as well because he wore one of
John McEnroe's throwaway headbands quite often, didn't he.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Yeah, there's always the shot of him with taking his
helmet off when he got one hundred and he got
sixteen of them, and he lifted, he had his hands
aloft and you'd taken the helmet and there was the old,
ever present, ubiquitous sweatband that he had on underneath. And
you're right, but was he mackriman and Wakai Eunice Atherton
spoke about him in his book too. I remember reading
(22:14):
that and said, if I ever had anyone to go
out and bat when it was tough, you know, if
it was two for two hundred sorphy didn't you know,
you know, he was going to be heading back to
the changing room fairly soon after. But if they were
three for fifty on the first morning of a Test,
he was your man out. He would go, you know,
(22:36):
and he would he would really, you know, fight for
the wicket. So hell of a good player, nice person
off the field, and quite devastating for a lot of
those players. He became, of course the batting coach after
he played for England. He became the batting coach for England,
and he was about to join Afghanistan as the main
(22:56):
coach when he became ill, and when Trot went instead
of him. So yeah, so very sad news. Brian Waddell,
Jeremy Cooney on the front.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
While we're remembering players we've played in the past, let's
go back in time and again. This is slightly accurate
because it comes from Francis Payne, and I would never
doubt Francis pain in terms of inaccuracy when it comes
to faction figures. We are in the seventy fifth anniversary
of Bert Suckcliffe's first ever Test one hundred in England
(23:33):
at Old Trafford one hundred and one. New Zealand made
three hundred and forty eight for seven and it was
against England in nineteen forty nine three day Test matchism
when we played in those days. But I know Jerry
will remember and Garth you will remember Bert as well
as your father would remember him from the days in Dunedin,
(23:55):
wouldn't he.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
In terms of Bert.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Suckliffe, to my mind, I believe he is one of
the most elegant players I ever saw bat and that
was just part of the skill that he had as
a best player.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yeah, I mean a fantastic player. And Jerry can talk
knowledgeably about him and of course interviewed him and in
his wonderful programs on New Zealand Cricket. You know he
was a stall to the Northeast Valley Club in Dunedin.
Bert loved the club, came down to Dunedin a few
times after he had left and would always go along
to the club and watch Northeast Valley. Fantastic player, lovely man.
(24:34):
Of course, everyone will know the story of the tang
Away disaster from South Africa and New Zealand now play
for the tang away A Trophy and Bert's eighty nine
out in that match in nineteen fifty three was one
of the you know, the great boy's own stories. But
he scored five Test centuries, three of them against India,
two of them against England. And I think, you know,
(24:57):
a truly elegant player didn't play in a winning New
Zealand Test side. You know, that's hard to believe when
he played forty two tests, highest score of two hundred
and thirty nine out against India. One of our very
best players, one of our greats, never had the joy
of winning a Test match. But yeah, a wonderful man,
(25:18):
of course, Emphasma godem He worked for Rothmans over the
years and of course they have supplied him with par
too much product and unfortunately, at the age of seventy seven,
Burts have come to emphysema. But a wonderful human being,
a lovely man, and one of our very best.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Yeah, well I can't really add too much to that, Garth.
I really like Bert and I don't know a person
who didn't like him. Actually, he used to you're talking
about the product from Rothvens. He always used to bring
the cigarettes. And at the start of the day and
all the smokers and the team would suddenly cluster together.
They ran to that table faster than they chased the
(25:57):
ball to the boundary, and they would get in there
and get their packs of twenty and their whole sort
of things that he had take. But he was such
a nice fellow, that golden hair that he used to have,
curly hair, good looking man. And he would just look
around and he'd smile and say, well, the best of
luck to you guys today. Wouldn't sit never sit down
(26:19):
and interrupt anybody, wouldn't, you know, just wish us all well.
And I had a lot of time for Bert. And
what a player. You know, there's a difference between cricket
players and you know, some people like me, I was
judged by the scoreboard. You could see how I was
going on the day because of the schoolboard. It was,
(26:41):
you know, it was collected one run at the time,
and that's how I was judged by that scoreboard. But
there are some players who would score sometimes less than me,
but you would remember their earnings so much more because
of the way that they had collected those runs, the
strokes that they had played burned on your memory. Now,
(27:04):
Bert was one of those. Off driving was absolutely fantastic
to watch, you know, there's it should have been worth
eight every time, you know, rather than a sort of
a fine edge from Coney through the slips for four.
There's nothing, you know, it's there are some of those player.
(27:25):
That's why Crow is remembered for those sorts of those
lovely balanced sort of positions he took and the way
that the ball raced off the bat without any seeming
you know, power put into the stroke. And Bert was
one of those. So yeah, wadds I don't, I don't
really was that the Third Test? Were they playing at
(27:46):
Manchester Watts? Was that that was the Third Test? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
That's interesting. Yeah, three days Test matches they played in
New Zealand scored three hundred and forty eight for seven
on the last day, batting for five hours. Now we
don't know how many balls suckle faced, but that three
days play they bowled three hundred and sixty six overs
in that it was a batting game. New Zealand battered twice,
(28:11):
England about it once. Three hundred and sixty six overs
in three days. Where have those records gone? Where is
that gone? Wouldn't we love to have that average forty
though Gathy mentioned that he never played on a winning side,
which was tragic. I still haven't been able to find
out why didn't play against the West Indies and fifty six,
(28:33):
because he played the first two tests there. He must
have been injured or unavailable for some reason or another
on that occasion because he would have been in the
front row basically of selections.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
Absolutely. Your dad always tells a story about Suckcliffe scoring
one hundred against England for the MCC and you will
have heard this when he's playing for a targo and
Dad went in at number eleven and got a duck,
the golden duck actually, and the crowd was still applauding.
Suckliff had been out the player before him and he
always talked about it being the only person to get
(29:07):
a golden duck and still being applauded off carols Brook.
But he was very fond of it. And the thing
that you've you've touched on both of you, you know,
but Bert talked to everybody. He was he was a
wonderful human being. And I remember he came down for
a funeral in Dunedin and he came out to home
afterwards and sat down and I was, you know, sort
(29:27):
of even more naive than I am now. And I
sat down and asked him about fifty three and the
Tongue Away disaster and he took me throw it almost
ball bay ball, you know, and to talk to a
young fella in that way and so kindly, and he
said to me, you know, when Bob Blair came out
to bed, he said, I don't mind saying I had
a tear in my eye. And you know, it was
(29:49):
a lovely expression of a New Zealand, of a proud
New Zealand male who you know, was was happy to
say that he had tears in his eyes when Bob
came out. And I think the whole ground had tears
in their.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
Eyes as well. He absolutely was. He was right around
his head, yeah, yeah. And and they went off at
nine down, of course, because that was the day of
the Tanguwaire disaster, wasn't it. And the manager had gone
and to tell Bob, everyone thought he was back at
the motel. None of his teammates knew. And suddenly, if
(30:20):
you at Ellis Park you come up from under the ground.
And so in fact, as they were all walking off
at nine down. Suddenly Bob sort of came up almost
out of the ground itself underneath and appeared. And Bert
told me about that in that interview and said he
(30:40):
went over and put his arm around and said, what
did you do that for you? And that is so
so Bert, what did you do that for Bob? And
then they went out, of course, and that's when Bob Bob.
And then he said, you could have heard a pin
drop at the ground. When Bob Blair faced his first
(31:01):
ball at then Huey Tayfield, they hit him for six.
Bob hit him for six, Bob Blair and then of
course Bert cut loose, and then then Bob lad was stumped,
wasn't he? And so they walked off together. They didn't
go out and field, they both of them. They sat
on chairs in the shower, in the shower and they
just drank whiskies. And so that's how Bob sorry, that's
(31:26):
how Bert finished the stories.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
That should have been my approach back. Perhaps I should
have drunk a few whiskies. I might have played cricket
a little better. I don't know whether that's the case.
Lovely memories, though, of a wonderful man Bert Suckliffe, and
we could go on talking about some of the things
he achieved on the cricket field, and a lot of
other cricklers. Of course, one of the great things about
crickelers there are those memories around and we can thrive
(31:50):
and live on many of those memories. But one of
the memories we're going to have to wait for is
the memory of the New Zealand cricket team to go
and play Afghanistan in Greater Neider, Jerry. It's been confirmed
that Greater Neider is the venue, so we don't have
that side for a while. But I'm sure they will
(32:12):
get a team picked and hopefully they all have contracts
by the time they head off to great Annoiter.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
Well, yeah, who knows what? Who knows? Look, I don't know.
Williamson declared, you know, declined his contract on the nineteenth
of June. I looked that up today, So that's seven
weeks ago. Don't tell me the other players weren't talking
about contracts as well at that time, because they will it,
(32:40):
you know, on the tenth of July. We're now in August,
aren't we Nearly the tenth That's when it was announced
that Ravendra and sea Is and O'Rourke and Duffy, they're
all offered it. You know, that's a month ago. Is
that long enough to think an offer over?
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Well? I should think so. Sometimes in near future New
Zealand Cricket may make an announcement about the contracts and
the team they've selected to play against Afghanistan. It's a
month away. Travel documents, I guess will be needed. Well.
Test champion Ship back this week in the Caribbean and
of course the England Sri Lanka Test. Thanks again to
you got away for joining us and Jerry a bit
(33:16):
of time to sit and enjoy the Olympics and celebrate
the medals.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
Yeah, absolutely, what I do like that guy from Alexandra
who plunges into that roaring water and that's it's kind
of like a super smash down, you know, in the water,
isn't it? Going through gates and hitting each other and
that's extraordinary the whole thing. Anyway, I don't think I
(33:41):
should have done that. Would you have? Would you have
done it? No?
Speaker 2 (33:44):
It's a sort of knock him down as they come
out in front of you, and the strongest man wins.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
It's right, it's exactly what it is anyway. Yeah, tests
around the corner, tests around the corner, and you know
that's great. I hope we get a chance to talk
about the forty nine tour and a little bit more
depth sometimes because it's not a tour that I think
some of our listeners would know heaps about. And there
(34:13):
was lots happening, some fantastic games there they had.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Yeah, well it was the starting It was the starting
point for well, pretty much the modern game, wasn't it
That everything sort of went back to what happened in
forty nine. Yes, we had some tough years where we
didn't develop the players through fifty eight and that period
of time, but it was the basic starting point for
our modern game. So yeah, there's a lot of good
(34:39):
stories come out of there because you know, there's some
wonderful characters and so yeah, they've passed away.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Yes they have, and I must pass on once myself
because I've been to go and get some something to eat.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
And much a bit of the Olympics, you know, the
beach volleyball, which is one of your favorites, or the.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Knowall and throwing boulders, throwing boulders to each other. Yeah,
got a lot of funds this. If I can't get
your little bit around you on your bed, here's me. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:15):
Cheers my Tho for the wages of summacing.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Do for more from News Talks at b Listen live
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
Take another Patrick, It is out, The test is over.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Couldn't smokes a beauty? This is out here you guys.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Just Delivery has in.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
User to Bold.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney,
powered by News Talks Dead B at iHeart Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hello on the Front foot once again. The hiatus in
Test cricket, the World Test Championship having just a short
break while we enjoyed the the lights of Rolder climbing
on the Olympics and other fashionable sports that are being
played at the present time. It's a month away from
a test in India for the Black Chair versus Afghanistan.
(01:10):
How close are they? Just settling the squad winter training
at home. Teen twenties in America and Canada, they've got
one hundred. In England. We're going to remember one of
our greats from seventy five years ago, sadly a farewell
to an English cricket rock, the death recently of for
Graham Thorpe. We will talk about him as well. Some
(01:32):
sad news too. As we look towards what is happening.
Jeremy and Garth Galloway special guests once more with us
that Nathan Smith, who must be coming into reckoning for
the National selectors for international duty, is coming home from
Worcestershire because of injury. Good thing to do, but it's
(01:53):
not a good time to be doing it having an injury.
I don't think Jeremy with so many games coming up.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Good ay, Garth and Wadds. Look, Wor'stershare have really used
him quite sensibly. I mean he's been opening the bowling
I notice, certainly towards the beginning of the county Championship anyway,
and that's when they were using I think was at
the first two games they used the Kooko baro ball.
But certainly he was getting wickets for Worcestershire. And as
(02:23):
I mentioned last week, he can also handle a bat
adequately as well, certainly in comparison to the rest of
our bowling unit here in New Zealand with the red ball,
O Rourke and Sears. No, they don't really offer a
great deal with the bat. And then of course you
know you're looking at Saudi or Duffy perhaps you know
(02:45):
they don't offer much either at the moment. Maybe Shipley might.
He's got some runs at first class level, but certainly
not at the Test level yet. So you know, Nathan
Smith could be an important character to be watching carefully.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, and it's a tough time for him Garth because
he really only just come off a year's absence for
the game because of injury. That's the nature of the
beast is that you do have injuries. But he's in
New Zealand a consideration and he must be close to
selection either Test or One Day level. I don't know
(03:19):
about T twenty, but you know he's got to be
there from what he's achieved so far.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
I agree, and I think he's done. You know, he's
done very well for Worcestershire. He's taken twenty seven wickets
and seven matches. I've left on the notes in the office,
Watson Jerry. So if I'm slightly inaccurate, just you know,
forgive me. But twenty seven wickets and seven matches at
an average of twenty one, so you know, a really
good return. Put some tent on the county averages in
(03:45):
that Division One championship and he's got them at a
good economical rate as well. I really like him. I
see St Giles's, who's the general manager at Worcestershire and
former English selector and English spinner, has published a statement
saying that he's always welcome back at Worcestershire. It's a
lovely place, of course, in a Jerry, I don't know
(04:07):
if you played it New Road, but I was in
Worcester coaching for years a year and it's of course
got the association with Glenn Turner and of course Martin
Horton who coached out here, the former England player. Lovely
part of the world. So I'm sure Nathan Smith will
have enjoyed it and benefited from it, but just not
long enough for him. But I agree with you both.
I think he definitely comes into contention. He's got a
(04:28):
hamstring injury and judging by the fact that he's coming home,
it must be serious. So again I wonder if that's
because he really is genuinely in contention for these tests
which are coming up in the not too distant future.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Darth, can I just pick youre for a moment you
said something slightly inaccurate. I can't believe that you're slightly
inaccurate at any stage.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Oh no, thank you, thank you, thank you very much. Well,
Jerry picks me up occasionally.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
He was, he was inaccurate. It's twenty one point seventy
five six, right, and you need to get that right. Okay,
Now I do remember new Road Garth. I irritated all
the rest of the bowlers, the whole bowling fraternity in
one of the tours when I went there because it
(05:14):
was it was a bit of it was a rough
wicket and I managed to get seven wickets in the
match and that put me right on top of the averages.
So I was getting some horrible looks from all the
ballers at the end of the series for the playing
the off couldn't get the ball off me once. That's right,
exactly interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Nathan Smith's got an injury there. We're talking about a
World Test Championship. New Zealand have yet to pick aside.
In fact, they've yet to confirm their contract list. Must
be tough game for them. How tough is this year
going to be? I see this as pretty important. We're
fifty percent on the World Test Championship the moment. We've
(06:00):
got three in India and three Tests in England Afghanistan
don't appear in the World Test Championship. But it's a
big year for this New Zealm, so doesn't it.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Yeah, chores and I can't see them to be to
be honest with you, and Jerry and I were lucky
enough to sit in the studio in Eddington and do
ball by ball and the last time that they were
in India and and Wadd's you know it was it
was pretty grim. Well they drew, didn't they They drew the
That the what I'm just thinking Ptel picked.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Up for you.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
They hang on. Yeah the first test, didn't they nine down?
Speaker 5 (06:37):
That's right? Yeah, but it was grim And I think
these these three tests in India are going to be
pretty tough for this side as well. Wads and Jerry
and if you look at this silly competition, which you
know relies on the winning percentage, I think our percentage
will be dented after the India series in India and
(06:57):
that makes those tests against England deposlutely vital. I mean,
if they lose those three tests, you know their points
will be down. They'll be at an average of thirty
three that winning percentage or thirty three point three three
three recurring Jerry, just to be accurate.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Yeah, so you know, and I think it's going to
be very interesting. Indeed, the attack that they choose, who
will bowl at the at the start of the innings
and are they going to play three spinners and they
have to over there.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yeah. New Zealand have won three of the six Tests
they have played. They now are confronted with against two
of the stronger sides. England were at the bottom of
the of the Test Championship becauds. They had played Australia
in the Ashes and that was a tool wall draw
and then they played India and India and they lost
(07:48):
that four to one. So that's why are they were languishing.
But now they've come up with the last two victories
against West Indies. They are likely to do the same
against Sri Lanka, so they will probably improve their percentage.
New Zealand have got two hard ones, haven't they. It's
not in conceivable that they might lose all six or
(08:12):
they might not win one. In other words, it might
be a drawer somewhere, if there's rain somewhere or something
like that. If they can sneak through with a win somewhere.
I think that would be pretty reasonable for a side
actually in transition. I know they'll be at home. But England, look,
you know, they could easily have won that Basin Reserve Test,
(08:34):
even though lost by one run, but they I mean,
that's how close it was, and they took a gamble.
I could. I can see New Zealand, you know, not
winning a Test. It is conceivable.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
I think England also the other thing, when you watch
the way that they've played against the West Indies and
some of the series against India where they were well beaten.
In this series head after they won the first Test,
you're seeing a side I think that it's changing a
little bit in the way that they're playing the game.
So we saw the helter skelter, you know, the stuff
they call basball and all of that stuff, and it
(09:07):
did seem at time, I mean, it was highly addictive
but at times less effective, and I think that's you know,
the Wellington Test is a really good example of a
game that they threw away through through ego really and
wanting to play in that way. And you'll remember Wagner
took wickets in the second innings and he bowled short
and he was. You know, they really wanted to take
(09:27):
him on and had they not, I think they would
have won the match. They're playing a bit differently now
and if you look at the straight rates against the
West Indies of their top order, they're quite different to
what they were in the first you know, when McCullum
first took over. That doesn't help New Zealand's chances in
my view, and that's the point that I wanted to make.
They're being a little bit more circumspect, but they're still
scoring their runs at four point five five runs and over.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
We can't make our judgments against the West Indies, but
they're going to be a better side with the changes
that they've made in terms of personnel, and better side
than what they had when they came out last time.
They were surely Jerry.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Yeah, I think you know they're batting lineup with Root
just playing way that he normally plays. He holds and binds,
if you like that whole order at number four together.
Poper's not playing so aggressively. I think you'll find Crawley will,
(10:23):
but I think you know, with Brooke playing aggressively as
he does, having the bowling services of the captain really helps,
doesn't it. The whole side looks a lot more balanced
now they're not having to make up and find another bowler.
You know, Ben Stokes is there and he's bowling quite well,
(10:44):
and so now they've also changed some of their other
bowlers and they're looking very likely. Yes, you've got to
always put it into context of it was the West
Indies who were an inexperienced side. But let's see how
they go. They're changing their side again, aren't they. For
the Sri Lankan series that is just upcoming. Jordan Cox
(11:05):
is coming and as the keeper. Whether he plays or not,
I don't know. I would have thought Jamie Smith would
have carried on myself. Olie Stone is a fast bowler
who played against New Zealand and used to play for
Warwick Shoes at Edgeburston. He's in for Pennington who has
a bit of an injury I believe, and then Dan Lawrence.
The interesting even I mean Dan Lawrence is to sit
to open. That's that's interesting. With Crawley's injury. So you
(11:29):
know he's normally a middle order player. I'll be interested.
He's probably desperate to play. Went to India and he's
been sitting around for the West Indies series play anywhere.
Probably so. But he's a middle order and a bowler,
isn't he as well? Part time bowler? Really? Well?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
The interesting thing is that they've had an injury to
an opening batsman and Zach Crawley. They've decided, how will
we go about replacing him? Oh, we've got down?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Why are we bringing a look at keeper as well?
Because we've we've dumped he bears though, and poor old
Ben folks well, he can't keep to save himself, can he?
He can bat, but he can't keep. Oh if I
got that wrong or somebody has. But anyway, they've got
a new keeper as well. But I mean that all
adds to what they've got and we'll get a good
idea about England from Sri Lanka, who probably won't be
(12:18):
any better than West Indies at three home matches, will they.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I don't know whether you saw. I don't know whether
you saw the ode I scores. Sri Lanka have been
playing India, haven't they? They needed I think in the
in the last match I saw they needed nine runs
with six wickets remaining. They brought on a guy called
Ringkul and he's never bowled before he got a couple
(12:42):
of wickets. They brought in someone else, Suria Kumar, he
was the captain. He got a couple and they ended
up tying the match and then only scoring two in
the super over, so they lost the game. It's not
a good look. They're batting is awful at the moment,
so they are going to have to really play well.
I think to Test England. England are looking guys. They're
(13:05):
looking sharper. There's a much more steely kind of look
about them. I think a with the batting, which Garth's
pointed out, but be their bowling is better with players
like Wood bowling at ninety now and looking you know,
he had been bandaged up. He looked like an Egyptian mummy,
but you know he and Wood and Atkinson. Atkinson looks
(13:28):
very tidy indeed, and then Stokes to follow that up
who swings the ball and then this gliber shier and
I think that they're going to be a much more
difficult proposition this time around.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Yes, well, when the first Test comes up against the
Sri Lankan side, England will be playing due respect to
a man who's been seen as a rock of their game.
Somebody who is reliable and dependable and has passed away
at an early age. I think he must have had
a terminal illness of some kind. Graham thought, fifty five
(14:03):
years of age, one hundred Test matches for England. We know,
I'm pretty well in. He only made a few trips here,
Garth and a cricketer whoever is what? Nearly forty five
in Test matches? Great performer and sad to have been
passing away at such an early age.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
Oh, it's terrible, it's really sad news. And played a
one hundred tests, of course for England. A left hander
who was you know, I will well remember him and
we were all lucky enough to be broadcasting when he
scored two hundred at Lancaster Park and that magnificent Test
where as still got two hundred and twenty two in
(14:41):
two thousand and two, and it was a quite brilliant
hint things. I think people sometimes think of Thorpe as
being he was a stoic and a great competitor. But
he wasn't a dowdy left hander. I thought he was.
He was an attractive player. He was a player of
courage and just looking at his statistics one hundred matches,
sixteen Test centuries and just looking and reading about him
(15:05):
since he died one of his innings, you know, a
Test match and pack Kistan and Karachi in two thousand
when when England won that match and won the series
against Pakistan after they had been unbeaten for thirty four
Tests at home and they'd been beaten England five series
in a row. And it was as England chased down
(15:27):
one hundred and sixty or so in the fourth innings,
it was the best of the players was Thorpe who
got sixty four not out, you know, and again just
reflecting on some of his innings against against Sri Lanka
in Colombo where he scored one hundred and thirteen not
out of magnificent innings standing out against a very good
(15:49):
Tri Lankan side. And we talked about Sri Lanka earlier.
I mean this was a Shri Lankan side that's very
different to what we're seeing now. You know that magnificent
batting lineup that they had, and you think back so
fondy out of party, Jayasurias Thinkakara to silver, Jale Wardner,
hell ofving it, hell of a side and the bowling
attack wasn't bad either, with Bura Leather and Jayasuria and co.
(16:13):
And just looking and seeing that he was a great
player of spin bowling. He did well in India as well,
and I think people will remember him fondy but gone far,
far too early.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Yeah, you talk about that game in christ Church, the
Astill game two hundred and twenty two. We will never
ever forget that. But you look at Thorpe's stats. So
he got a double hundred, as you say, off two
hundred and thirty one balls. He was in that partnership
with Andrew Flintoff and in fact he out played flint Off.
He was Man of the match for his two hundred.
(16:43):
He had a strike rate of eighty six. Flint Off
one hundred and thirty seven from one hundred and sixty
three balls at a strike rate of eighty four. So
he certainly played an important part in giving England that
advantage that they had, because you know, I remember back
to the first day. Wasn't that Ken's had three wickets
(17:03):
before that even opened the gates to Lancaster Park as
it was known in those days. Goodness me, it's gone
for a few changes. It's Lancaster Park Jerry, I was
reading on the stats that it's Ami Stadium that he played.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, is that right? Yeah? No, yeah, well it certainly
wasn't was it. No? I mean we remember it for
the Astel innings, don't we, But you're right there was.
I think also was it one hundred by Hussein in
the first innings again for England. I don't know. I
get a bit mixed up now, but I think the
points that you've made fifty five just so young. Second
(17:44):
thing I agree with he had the reputation as a
tough player in the sense that he was you called
him the rock Quads and right through those nineties which
were chaotic really for selection of different players game after
game in England. But he could defend and he could attack.
(18:04):
I remember an attacking in as he played at Barbados
where he just smashed West Indies. A fast pitcher, rough pitch,
and he was known for his hooking and his cutting,
particularly against the quick bowlers. Wonderful player of spin. Morally,
of course, that innings he got in Sri Lanka, he
didn't hit. He got a hundred, didn't hit a boundary,
(18:27):
didn't hit a boundary, and so he he used to
play with quite a small backlift and very strong wrists.
So he became a very effective nerdler around you know.
So the ball wasn't getting through at all. His bat
was down always he was. He wasn't really a conformist.
(18:49):
I knew. I knew saw Pee quite well outspoken, you know.
I remember he dressed codes annoyed him like hell. He
never used to turn up with the right clothes on
for for England. He he once he he was. He
fough against two dressing rooms for Surrey, one for the
(19:11):
capped players and one for the uncapped players. And he
fought like hell against that and made himself quite unpopular.
He was against touring Zimbabwe, a long serving Surrey man
with Mark Butcher good made of his one hundred tests
averaging forty four. And that was against players like Moore.
(19:32):
He's played against South Africa, Donald Pollock in teenee Pallas,
I would have thought would have been there as well.
Gars mentioned Murley and vas of course, great player of
spin and always the last man to leave at the bar.
You know, loved a good story, was he. Macram called
(19:54):
him the most difficult batsman he had to bowl to,
you think against the team against Ozzie that he played
against those strong two thousand years, you know that year
two thousand McGrath, Warren Gillespie, haunting you know, Gilchrist that
that side, and yet was still able to average forty
four man, you know, he he was. He was a
(20:16):
hell of a player, and so yeah, he would have
troubled relationships off the field. Used to talk quite openly
about those, but just to you know, and people sometimes
see that a weakness. I thought that completed the whole man. Actually,
so I really enjoyed Thorpe and very.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
Yeah, we don't like we don't like conversations that are confrontational.
We avoid it and the conversations that we should have.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
That's why you became a lawyer.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
I get made to be confrontational. I mean, one of
these these are good stories that you're talking about with Thorpe.
You know, he was a character and for English players
to not like dress codes, you know, he would have
been rocking the.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Boat well yeah, you know.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
And and also the player. You know when he got
those runs in Pakistan it was against the Lakes of Unice,
and again Clay Mushtack and so on. You know, one
very fine quick one lovely off spinner, and then I
look at that that time you got those runs you
talked about in Sri Lanka, England scored two hundred and
forty nine.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
He got one hundred and thirteen not out Sri Lanka
out for eighty one, and then England it was seventy
four for six in the second innings to win, and
thought got thirty two not.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
Out of those as well, you know, just in terms
of incredibly reliable but also capable of lifting his game
and playing attacking shops. Lovely player, square of the worker
on the off side, beautiful card of the ball.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
He loved Wimbledon as well because he wore one of
John McEnroe's throwaway headbands quite often, didn't he.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Yeah, there's always the shot of him with taking his
helmet off when he got one hundred and he got
sixteen of them, and he lifted, he had his hands
aloft and you'd taken the helmet and there was the old,
ever present, ubiquitous sweatband that he had on underneath. And
you're right, but was he mackriman and Wakai Eunice Atherton
spoke about him in his book too. I remember reading
(22:14):
that and said, if I ever had anyone to go
out and bat when it was tough, you know, if
it was two for two hundred sorphy didn't you know,
you know, he was going to be heading back to
the changing room fairly soon after. But if they were
three for fifty on the first morning of a Test,
he was your man out. He would go, you know,
(22:36):
and he would he would really, you know, fight for
the wicket. So hell of a good player, nice person
off the field, and quite devastating for a lot of
those players. He became, of course the batting coach after
he played for England. He became the batting coach for England,
and he was about to join Afghanistan as the main
(22:56):
coach when he became ill, and when Trot went instead
of him. So yeah, so very sad news. Brian Waddell,
Jeremy Cooney on the front.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
While we're remembering players we've played in the past, let's
go back in time and again. This is slightly accurate
because it comes from Francis Payne, and I would never
doubt Francis pain in terms of inaccuracy when it comes
to faction figures. We are in the seventy fifth anniversary
of Bert Suckcliffe's first ever Test one hundred in England
(23:33):
at Old Trafford one hundred and one. New Zealand made
three hundred and forty eight for seven and it was
against England in nineteen forty nine three day Test matchism
when we played in those days. But I know Jerry
will remember and Garth you will remember Bert as well
as your father would remember him from the days in Dunedin,
(23:55):
wouldn't he.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
In terms of Bert.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Suckliffe, to my mind, I believe he is one of
the most elegant players I ever saw bat and that
was just part of the skill that he had as
a best player.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yeah, I mean a fantastic player. And Jerry can talk
knowledgeably about him and of course interviewed him and in
his wonderful programs on New Zealand Cricket. You know he
was a stall to the Northeast Valley Club in Dunedin.
Bert loved the club, came down to Dunedin a few
times after he had left and would always go along
to the club and watch Northeast Valley. Fantastic player, lovely man.
(24:34):
Of course, everyone will know the story of the tang
Away disaster from South Africa and New Zealand now play
for the tang away A Trophy and Bert's eighty nine
out in that match in nineteen fifty three was one
of the you know, the great boy's own stories. But
he scored five Test centuries, three of them against India,
two of them against England. And I think, you know,
(24:57):
a truly elegant player didn't play in a winning New
Zealand Test side. You know, that's hard to believe when
he played forty two tests, highest score of two hundred
and thirty nine out against India. One of our very
best players, one of our greats, never had the joy
of winning a Test match. But yeah, a wonderful man,
(25:18):
of course, Emphasma godem He worked for Rothmans over the
years and of course they have supplied him with par
too much product and unfortunately, at the age of seventy seven,
Burts have come to emphysema. But a wonderful human being,
a lovely man, and one of our very best.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Yeah, well I can't really add too much to that, Garth.
I really like Bert and I don't know a person
who didn't like him. Actually, he used to you're talking
about the product from Rothvens. He always used to bring
the cigarettes. And at the start of the day and
all the smokers and the team would suddenly cluster together.
They ran to that table faster than they chased the
(25:57):
ball to the boundary, and they would get in there
and get their packs of twenty and their whole sort
of things that he had take. But he was such
a nice fellow, that golden hair that he used to have,
curly hair, good looking man. And he would just look
around and he'd smile and say, well, the best of
luck to you guys today. Wouldn't sit never sit down
(26:19):
and interrupt anybody, wouldn't, you know, just wish us all well.
And I had a lot of time for Bert. And
what a player. You know, there's a difference between cricket
players and you know, some people like me, I was
judged by the scoreboard. You could see how I was
going on the day because of the schoolboard. It was,
(26:41):
you know, it was collected one run at the time,
and that's how I was judged by that scoreboard. But
there are some players who would score sometimes less than me,
but you would remember their earnings so much more because
of the way that they had collected those runs, the
strokes that they had played burned on your memory. Now,
(27:04):
Bert was one of those. Off driving was absolutely fantastic
to watch, you know, there's it should have been worth
eight every time, you know, rather than a sort of
a fine edge from Coney through the slips for four.
There's nothing, you know, it's there are some of those player.
(27:25):
That's why Crow is remembered for those sorts of those
lovely balanced sort of positions he took and the way
that the ball raced off the bat without any seeming
you know, power put into the stroke. And Bert was
one of those. So yeah, wadds I don't, I don't
really was that the Third Test? Were they playing at
(27:46):
Manchester Watts? Was that that was the Third Test? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
That's interesting. Yeah, three days Test matches they played in
New Zealand scored three hundred and forty eight for seven
on the last day, batting for five hours. Now we
don't know how many balls suckle faced, but that three
days play they bowled three hundred and sixty six overs
in that it was a batting game. New Zealand battered twice,
(28:11):
England about it once. Three hundred and sixty six overs
in three days. Where have those records gone? Where is
that gone? Wouldn't we love to have that average forty
though Gathy mentioned that he never played on a winning side,
which was tragic. I still haven't been able to find
out why didn't play against the West Indies and fifty six,
(28:33):
because he played the first two tests there. He must
have been injured or unavailable for some reason or another
on that occasion because he would have been in the
front row basically of selections.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
Absolutely. Your dad always tells a story about Suckcliffe scoring
one hundred against England for the MCC and you will
have heard this when he's playing for a targo and
Dad went in at number eleven and got a duck,
the golden duck actually, and the crowd was still applauding.
Suckliff had been out the player before him and he
always talked about it being the only person to get
(29:07):
a golden duck and still being applauded off carols Brook.
But he was very fond of it. And the thing
that you've you've touched on both of you, you know,
but Bert talked to everybody. He was he was a
wonderful human being. And I remember he came down for
a funeral in Dunedin and he came out to home
afterwards and sat down and I was, you know, sort
(29:27):
of even more naive than I am now. And I
sat down and asked him about fifty three and the
Tongue Away disaster and he took me throw it almost
ball bay ball, you know, and to talk to a
young fella in that way and so kindly, and he
said to me, you know, when Bob Blair came out
to bed, he said, I don't mind saying I had
a tear in my eye. And you know, it was
(29:49):
a lovely expression of a New Zealand, of a proud
New Zealand male who you know, was was happy to
say that he had tears in his eyes when Bob
came out. And I think the whole ground had tears
in their.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
Eyes as well. He absolutely was. He was right around
his head, yeah, yeah. And and they went off at
nine down, of course, because that was the day of
the Tanguwaire disaster, wasn't it. And the manager had gone
and to tell Bob, everyone thought he was back at
the motel. None of his teammates knew. And suddenly, if
(30:20):
you at Ellis Park you come up from under the ground.
And so in fact, as they were all walking off
at nine down. Suddenly Bob sort of came up almost
out of the ground itself underneath and appeared. And Bert
told me about that in that interview and said he
(30:40):
went over and put his arm around and said, what
did you do that for you? And that is so
so Bert, what did you do that for Bob? And
then they went out, of course, and that's when Bob Bob.
And then he said, you could have heard a pin
drop at the ground. When Bob Blair faced his first
(31:01):
ball at then Huey Tayfield, they hit him for six.
Bob hit him for six, Bob Blair and then of
course Bert cut loose, and then then Bob lad was stumped,
wasn't he? And so they walked off together. They didn't
go out and field, they both of them. They sat
on chairs in the shower, in the shower and they
just drank whiskies. And so that's how Bob sorry, that's
(31:26):
how Bert finished the stories.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
That should have been my approach back. Perhaps I should
have drunk a few whiskies. I might have played cricket
a little better. I don't know whether that's the case.
Lovely memories, though, of a wonderful man Bert Suckliffe, and
we could go on talking about some of the things
he achieved on the cricket field, and a lot of
other cricklers. Of course, one of the great things about
crickelers there are those memories around and we can thrive
(31:50):
and live on many of those memories. But one of
the memories we're going to have to wait for is
the memory of the New Zealand cricket team to go
and play Afghanistan in Greater Neider, Jerry. It's been confirmed
that Greater Neider is the venue, so we don't have
that side for a while. But I'm sure they will
(32:12):
get a team picked and hopefully they all have contracts
by the time they head off to great Annoiter.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
Well, yeah, who knows what? Who knows? Look, I don't know.
Williamson declared, you know, declined his contract on the nineteenth
of June. I looked that up today, So that's seven
weeks ago. Don't tell me the other players weren't talking
about contracts as well at that time, because they will it,
(32:40):
you know, on the tenth of July. We're now in August,
aren't we Nearly the tenth That's when it was announced
that Ravendra and sea Is and O'Rourke and Duffy, they're
all offered it. You know, that's a month ago. Is
that long enough to think an offer over?
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Well? I should think so. Sometimes in near future New
Zealand Cricket may make an announcement about the contracts and
the team they've selected to play against Afghanistan. It's a
month away. Travel documents, I guess will be needed. Well.
Test champion Ship back this week in the Caribbean and
of course the England Sri Lanka Test. Thanks again to
you got away for joining us and Jerry a bit
(33:16):
of time to sit and enjoy the Olympics and celebrate
the medals.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
Yeah, absolutely, what I do like that guy from Alexandra
who plunges into that roaring water and that's it's kind
of like a super smash down, you know, in the water,
isn't it? Going through gates and hitting each other and
that's extraordinary the whole thing. Anyway, I don't think I
(33:41):
should have done that. Would you have? Would you have
done it? No?
Speaker 2 (33:44):
It's a sort of knock him down as they come
out in front of you, and the strongest man wins.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
It's right, it's exactly what it is anyway. Yeah, tests
around the corner, tests around the corner, and you know
that's great. I hope we get a chance to talk
about the forty nine tour and a little bit more
depth sometimes because it's not a tour that I think
some of our listeners would know heaps about. And there
(34:13):
was lots happening, some fantastic games there they had.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Yeah, well it was the starting It was the starting
point for well, pretty much the modern game, wasn't it
That everything sort of went back to what happened in
forty nine. Yes, we had some tough years where we
didn't develop the players through fifty eight and that period
of time, but it was the basic starting point for
our modern game. So yeah, there's a lot of good
(34:39):
stories come out of there because you know, there's some
wonderful characters and so yeah, they've passed away.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Yes they have, and I must pass on once myself
because I've been to go and get some something to eat.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
And much a bit of the Olympics, you know, the
beach volleyball, which is one of your favorites, or the.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Knowall and throwing boulders, throwing boulders to each other. Yeah,
got a lot of funds this. If I can't get
your little bit around you on your bed, here's me. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:15):
Cheers my Tho for the wages of summacing.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
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