December 7, 2025 • 9 mins
Jason Pine of Newstalk ZB looks at West Indies cricket gaining an honourable draw, and the failure of Bazball.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is a muster on Hakanui. Jason Piney's host on
Weekend Sport on newstog Zibe Piney Good afternoon, a big
weekend to crack out and arguably the West Indies they
found a real good backbone they haven't had for a
very long time.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Can I Andy good to be on with you as always? Yes.
I think a lot of us when the West Indies
you know, were announced as tourings at the front end
of our summer, thought that the Test series might be
a bit of a damp squib, that they might be
perhaps you know, a reasonable white ball side, but the
Test side has in the last few years really failed
to match the exports of their white ball teams, their
(00:42):
T twenty team in particular. But yeah, some backbone at
Hagley Oval on Saturday on day five when you know,
admittedly New Zealand folding attack was under strength with no
Matt Henry and no Nathan Smith available on the last day,
so I've made a lot of toil for those who
were left. But he's still going to stay out there,
you know, and for the West Indies to rack up
(01:04):
four hundred and twenty and save the Test and take
it to Wellington all square with two to play. I
think surprised a lot of people. And it's going to
be hard for New Zealand at the base in reserve
because now we know that there's no Nathan Smith or
Matt Henry or Mitchell Satner as well as Tom Blundell
all missing for the base in reserve tests. So the
(01:25):
depth of our seam bowling stocks in particular is going
to be quite severely tested in Wellington.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Jacob Duffy, he's excelled in the short form game. How's
he going in the test format? Do you think he's
something that he's somebody who could actually step up there
and perhaps look ahead to next year going to Australia.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well, he's going to have to, isn't he. That's the thing.
He's going to have to lead the line. I think
Matt Henry, we all agree, is the spare ahead of
our bowling attack. But he can't do it by himself
and with no Willow Rourke at the moment, no Cayle Jamison.
Jacob Duffy is going to get the new ball, you know,
he and Zack Folks are going to open up with
a new ball in Wellington. Oh yeah, I think Jacob
Duffy has a brilliant opportunity to show the selectors and
(02:05):
New Zealand cricket fans that he's an all format bowler,
that he's not just the white ball specialist. He's been
around the first class scene and he as you know,
down your neck of the woods for a long time
twelve years, yeah, and has always been, you know, a
guy who at provincial level has excelled. So yep, he's
fould plenty of plenty of deliveries with the red ball.
(02:26):
Looking forward to seeing how he goes in Wellington.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Is there a chance of fatigue though? I mean Duffy
bowled a lot of overs, folks did, Oh, so how
are we going to how are we going to front
up though with only a couple of days grace.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, it's a good question, and you're right, I think.
I think Duffy bold forty odd overs and that second
innings folks the same thirty odds. So yeah, look as
a matter of how they how they come through, I guess,
and they recover. TESTA to starts on Wednesday, so once
we get there, and who knows, maybe we'll bat first anyway,
so that'll be another a day or two opportunity for
(02:58):
them to refresh, but yeah, it'll be a test, an
absolute test, and that's what they're called, and the test
matches that they're supposed to test. You.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Now, we're looking your head to the black Caps going
to Australia next year, as it talks about before. But look,
this Australian team is so good and especially on their
own decks. Bas ball England coming over there and just saying, look,
we're going to take you on with our brand of cricket.
But it is fair to say this is spectacularly backfiring
for Benda McCallum.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Yeah, I think Australia are just a better side. Andy.
I think, man for man, they're just a better team
than England, you know. And yes the approach has been
talked about a lot. I think they were a bit
more circumspect at the Gabba than they were in Perth
where it was just suicidal on occasion. But you know,
they got to the Gabba and they applied themselves a
little bit more in the first innings in particular, and
(03:46):
Joe Root with a century there was good to see.
But I just think Australia are a better team and
they're still missing a couple as well. Pat Cummin's not
there and Josh Hazel would still has to come back.
No Nathan Lyon in this test. So yeah, look this
Ashes could be wrapped up before Christmas, couldn't it. They
go to Adelaide next for the Boxing Day Test in
Melbourne and then the Fifth Test in Sydney. Look, we
(04:08):
might get to Christmas and the ashes have been secured
by Australia. So look, as I say, I just think
they are a very good cricketing side with plenty of
depth and lots of batting power. You know, much as
we might be intimidated by that, I still can't wait
for that four Test series next summer.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah it's going to be fantastic. But I mean you
talk about their batting depth as well. Nathan McSweeney, he's
on the verge of the Test side. He makes two
hundred and twenty six night out against the Lions eleven,
which is effectively the second England side. So they've got
depth for Africa.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
That's always been the case over there, hasn't it. You know,
Sheffield Shield is very competitive the domestic first class competition,
and you know it often takes a while for a
player to get into the Test team, they have to
score a lot of runs at Sheffield Shield level before
they even get considered for the Test side. And I
think of a guy like Michael Hussey. He need scored
thousands and thousands of runs at Sheffield Chield level before
(05:03):
he was even close to the Australian side, and then
we know what he went on to do. So yeah,
they produced a lot of good batters over there on
those hard and fast decks and yeah, I can't see
that changing anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, Mike Cassie close to ten thousand runs domestically before
he got his call out. Now, the FIFA World Cup
drawer was held over the we kid the all whites, Belgium,
Egypt and Iran in their group. How do you view this?
Is this a positive?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I think so? Yeah, I think it's a good draw.
Could have been a lot worse than that, could have
been better. I guess if you had your absolute ideal
and you could have you know, picked the balls out
yourself and put us in a group with who we
know absolutely would have liked to face. But I think
it's a good draw. You know, we were always going
to have a tough game when a team from pot
one came out, you know, one of the top nine
(05:49):
or ten sides in the world. That's if we didn't
draw one of the co hosts, which we didn't, so Belgium,
you know, they're not a glamorous team. They're not in
England or in Argentina or a Brazil you know, I
almost feel us. So that is a bit of a
free hit. And it's the other two that New Zealand
will absolutely target to try and get results from. Irana
twentieth in the world at the moment. Egypt are thirty
(06:10):
fourth for reference, where eighty six. But the fief of
rankings once you get beyond about number thirty. You can
throw a blanket over a lot of teams rarely and
especially not one of situation. The other part of this,
which is really really encouraging is the venues for New
Zealand's matches. One game in Los Angeles and two up
in Vancouver, so the western seaboard of North America accessible
(06:33):
for New Zealand fans. There are direct flights to both
of those cities from Auckland. So anybody who was maybe
thinking about the World Cup and going over to support
the All Whites and were waiting to see whether they
ended up somewhere over on the East coast or there
were three different venues, or down in Mexico or whatever
it was. They can now say, well, actually it's a
direct flight from Auckland to Vancouver, a direct flight from
(06:55):
Auckland to Los Angeles. Maybe we will go up there
and watch them. Temperatures are much better on the Winns
Coast as well in June and July than some of
those southern states where temperatures tend to get into the
mid thirties. So all in all, Andy, I think it's
a really positive drawer. Now we know who the all
Whites are facing, they can set about planning to get
the best results they can out of those three games.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
And just finally, Jason sam Ruth running records fifteen hundred meters.
He's breaking records all over the show. This guy looks
the real deal.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Incredible, incredible what he is doing at his age. You
look at the New Zealand secondary school records for the
fifteen hundred and eight hundred meters that he beat over
the weekend. He didn't just beat the Andy, he obliterated
those records. That fifteen hundred meter record has stood for
thirty nine years, sorry, thirty six years anyway, it's in
(07:44):
the thirties. Richard Potts set that record back in nineteen
eighty nine, and ironically enough, he was there giving Sam
Ruth his split times as he went past the belly
or you know, the start finish line each time. That
was a nice little layer. But Sam beat his record
by eight seconds eight seconds in the fifteen hundred meters.
(08:06):
That's not just you know, beating the record, that is
absolutely smashing it. And in the eight hundred he was
also three and a half four seconds quicker than the
previous record holder. So this kid, at the age of
sixteen is running faster than Peter Smell did and John
Walker did, than Rod Dixon Nick Willis did at the
same age. Look, you don't want to pump a young
(08:26):
boy's ties up too much, but what he's doing at
the moment is not normal, absolutely not normal, and it
will be tremendously exciting to follow the progress of the
sixteen year old Sam Ruth. It's a name to remember,
and who knows what he might go on to achieve.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Good on your pony, Always appreciate your time and as
you have done over the year, free come on free
and we'll do it again in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Look forward to it. Andy, all the best to you
and your family for a RESTful and relaxing holiday season,
and to all your listeners as well. Look forward to
catching up and an exciting twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Jason Pine of Newstalk ZIBB, host of the Weekend Sport
before we wrap up. Ellen McCleary of Sherwell, New Zealand,
This is a muster on Hakanui. Jason Piney's host on
Weekend Sport on newstog Zibe Piney Good afternoon, a big
weekend to crack out and arguably the West Indies they
found a real good backbone they haven't had for a
very long time.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Can I Andy good to be on with you as always? Yes.
I think a lot of us when the West Indies
you know, were announced as tourings at the front end
of our summer, thought that the Test series might be
a bit of a damp squib, that they might be
perhaps you know, a reasonable white ball side, but the
Test side has in the last few years really failed
to match the exports of their white ball teams, their
(00:42):
T twenty team in particular. But yeah, some backbone at
Hagley Oval on Saturday on day five when you know,
admittedly New Zealand folding attack was under strength with no
Matt Henry and no Nathan Smith available on the last day,
so I've made a lot of toil for those who
were left. But he's still going to stay out there,
you know, and for the West Indies to rack up
(01:04):
four hundred and twenty and save the Test and take
it to Wellington all square with two to play. I
think surprised a lot of people. And it's going to
be hard for New Zealand at the base in reserve
because now we know that there's no Nathan Smith or
Matt Henry or Mitchell Satner as well as Tom Blundell
all missing for the base in reserve tests. So the
(01:25):
depth of our seam bowling stocks in particular is going
to be quite severely tested in Wellington.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Jacob Duffy, he's excelled in the short form game. How's
he going in the test format? Do you think he's
something that he's somebody who could actually step up there
and perhaps look ahead to next year going to Australia.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well, he's going to have to, isn't he. That's the thing.
He's going to have to lead the line. I think
Matt Henry, we all agree, is the spare ahead of
our bowling attack. But he can't do it by himself
and with no Willow Rourke at the moment, no Cayle Jamison.
Jacob Duffy is going to get the new ball, you know,
he and Zack Folks are going to open up with
a new ball in Wellington. Oh yeah, I think Jacob
Duffy has a brilliant opportunity to show the selectors and
(02:05):
New Zealand cricket fans that he's an all format bowler,
that he's not just the white ball specialist. He's been
around the first class scene and he as you know,
down your neck of the woods for a long time
twelve years, yeah, and has always been, you know, a
guy who at provincial level has excelled. So yep, he's
fould plenty of plenty of deliveries with the red ball.
(02:26):
Looking forward to seeing how he goes in Wellington.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Is there a chance of fatigue though? I mean Duffy
bowled a lot of overs, folks did, Oh, so how
are we going to how are we going to front
up though with only a couple of days grace.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, it's a good question, and you're right, I think.
I think Duffy bold forty odd overs and that second
innings folks the same thirty odds. So yeah, look as
a matter of how they how they come through, I guess,
and they recover. TESTA to starts on Wednesday, so once
we get there, and who knows, maybe we'll bat first anyway,
so that'll be another a day or two opportunity for
(02:58):
them to refresh, but yeah, it'll be a test, an
absolute test, and that's what they're called, and the test
matches that they're supposed to test. You.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Now, we're looking your head to the black Caps going
to Australia next year, as it talks about before. But look,
this Australian team is so good and especially on their
own decks. Bas ball England coming over there and just saying, look,
we're going to take you on with our brand of cricket.
But it is fair to say this is spectacularly backfiring
for Benda McCallum.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Yeah, I think Australia are just a better side. Andy.
I think, man for man, they're just a better team
than England, you know. And yes the approach has been
talked about a lot. I think they were a bit
more circumspect at the Gabba than they were in Perth
where it was just suicidal on occasion. But you know,
they got to the Gabba and they applied themselves a
little bit more in the first innings in particular, and
(03:46):
Joe Root with a century there was good to see.
But I just think Australia are a better team and
they're still missing a couple as well. Pat Cummin's not
there and Josh Hazel would still has to come back.
No Nathan Lyon in this test. So yeah, look this
Ashes could be wrapped up before Christmas, couldn't it. They
go to Adelaide next for the Boxing Day Test in
Melbourne and then the Fifth Test in Sydney. Look, we
(04:08):
might get to Christmas and the ashes have been secured
by Australia. So look, as I say, I just think
they are a very good cricketing side with plenty of
depth and lots of batting power. You know, much as
we might be intimidated by that, I still can't wait
for that four Test series next summer.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah it's going to be fantastic. But I mean you
talk about their batting depth as well. Nathan McSweeney, he's
on the verge of the Test side. He makes two
hundred and twenty six night out against the Lions eleven,
which is effectively the second England side. So they've got
depth for Africa.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
That's always been the case over there, hasn't it. You know,
Sheffield Shield is very competitive the domestic first class competition,
and you know it often takes a while for a
player to get into the Test team, they have to
score a lot of runs at Sheffield Shield level before
they even get considered for the Test side. And I
think of a guy like Michael Hussey. He need scored
thousands and thousands of runs at Sheffield Chield level before
(05:03):
he was even close to the Australian side, and then
we know what he went on to do. So yeah,
they produced a lot of good batters over there on
those hard and fast decks and yeah, I can't see
that changing anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, Mike Cassie close to ten thousand runs domestically before
he got his call out. Now, the FIFA World Cup
drawer was held over the we kid the all whites, Belgium,
Egypt and Iran in their group. How do you view this?
Is this a positive?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I think so? Yeah, I think it's a good draw.
Could have been a lot worse than that, could have
been better. I guess if you had your absolute ideal
and you could have you know, picked the balls out
yourself and put us in a group with who we
know absolutely would have liked to face. But I think
it's a good draw. You know, we were always going
to have a tough game when a team from pot
one came out, you know, one of the top nine
(05:49):
or ten sides in the world. That's if we didn't
draw one of the co hosts, which we didn't, so Belgium,
you know, they're not a glamorous team. They're not in
England or in Argentina or a Brazil you know, I
almost feel us. So that is a bit of a
free hit. And it's the other two that New Zealand
will absolutely target to try and get results from. Irana
twentieth in the world at the moment. Egypt are thirty
(06:10):
fourth for reference, where eighty six. But the fief of
rankings once you get beyond about number thirty. You can
throw a blanket over a lot of teams rarely and
especially not one of situation. The other part of this,
which is really really encouraging is the venues for New
Zealand's matches. One game in Los Angeles and two up
in Vancouver, so the western seaboard of North America accessible
(06:33):
for New Zealand fans. There are direct flights to both
of those cities from Auckland. So anybody who was maybe
thinking about the World Cup and going over to support
the All Whites and were waiting to see whether they
ended up somewhere over on the East coast or there
were three different venues, or down in Mexico or whatever
it was. They can now say, well, actually it's a
direct flight from Auckland to Vancouver, a direct flight from
(06:55):
Auckland to Los Angeles. Maybe we will go up there
and watch them. Temperatures are much better on the Winns
Coast as well in June and July than some of
those southern states where temperatures tend to get into the
mid thirties. So all in all, Andy, I think it's
a really positive drawer. Now we know who the all
Whites are facing, they can set about planning to get
the best results they can out of those three games.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
And just finally, Jason sam Ruth running records fifteen hundred meters.
He's breaking records all over the show. This guy looks
the real deal.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Incredible, incredible what he is doing at his age. You
look at the New Zealand secondary school records for the
fifteen hundred and eight hundred meters that he beat over
the weekend. He didn't just beat the Andy, he obliterated
those records. That fifteen hundred meter record has stood for
thirty nine years, sorry, thirty six years anyway, it's in
(07:44):
the thirties. Richard Potts set that record back in nineteen
eighty nine, and ironically enough, he was there giving Sam
Ruth his split times as he went past the belly
or you know, the start finish line each time. That
was a nice little layer. But Sam beat his record
by eight seconds eight seconds in the fifteen hundred meters.
(08:06):
That's not just you know, beating the record, that is
absolutely smashing it. And in the eight hundred he was
also three and a half four seconds quicker than the
previous record holder. So this kid, at the age of
sixteen is running faster than Peter Smell did and John
Walker did, than Rod Dixon Nick Willis did at the
same age. Look, you don't want to pump a young
(08:26):
boy's ties up too much, but what he's doing at
the moment is not normal, absolutely not normal, and it
will be tremendously exciting to follow the progress of the
sixteen year old Sam Ruth. It's a name to remember,
and who knows what he might go on to achieve.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Good on your pony, Always appreciate your time and as
you have done over the year, free come on free
and we'll do it again in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Look forward to it. Andy, all the best to you
and your family for a RESTful and relaxing holiday season,
and to all your listeners as well. Look forward to
catching up and an exciting twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Jason Pine of Newstalk ZIBB, host of the Weekend Sport
before we wrap up. Ellen McCleary of Sherwell, New Zealand,
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.