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Used the bowl On the front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Cody, powered by News Talks dead b at iHeart Radio.
Hello, it's great to be on the front foot with you again. A weekend from heaven for cricket lovers. I went over India in their backyard, against all expectations. I kept that off while many people slipped. The White Ferns completed victory in the World T twenty Championship in Dubai. Wonderful moments for New Zealand cricket, thirty six years since
the last one and nineteen eighty eight. I was doing commentary during that Test match with a guy who played cricket for New Zealand previously, and he deserted the commentary box in the game previously at Bangalore. I was left to do it all on my own. I don't know what happened to him, but I think he surfaced after there. You remember him, Jerry, Do you know who it was?
I remember changing from my civies into one of the New Zealand players his trousers because they fit me and I was pressed into action.
You.
I also remember a fellow commentator rather disappointed that the opportunity to get onto the field was the rest of the New Zealand players who were fit at the time, and listening to various team talks and so on.
You remember that too, was don't you.
Yeah he was crying.
Yeah, yes he was, Yes he was little face gasp. Yeah.
Bangalore, nineteen eighty eight, when the New Zealand side was beaten by India. They've been taken ill and that's why Jeremy Coney was out on the park. I never got there. But the next Test was a real turnaround in Mumbai and they won it. The last time we've beaten India in India was a remarkable achievement. Peter Holland as well as again and the Test match that they've just won, well, it was the sort of performance we want to see
from a New Zealand side, wasn't it. They'd learned many of the lessons from the embarrassing defeats in Sri Lanka.
No question was and a good day to you and
Jerry Well I've written down here in my notes. Test match wonderful, fabulous, the ebbs and flows when you look at the scoreboard where it says forty six one hundred plus and then four hundred plus from India, and then then there's the jeopardy of the of the of the fourth innings that New Zealand's got to play, and being a New Zealand follower for so long one feared the worst and intrepidations and being the utter coward that I am, Brian, I can't watch that, so I have to I have
to walk away and go into the garden, if you know what I mean, because I'll be bad luck. But no, a wonderful Test match, and I think it brought out a lot of things that perhaps we had been looking for, not least of which that actually had some match time, albeit not very well performed in Sri Lanka. But they looked a lot more match hardened to my mind.
Very important that and they won a toss which I think was significant. Latham said he would have been well, that might have been trouble but Henry and O'Rourke. Was there ever an indication of where was Henry drew the Sherilankan testaments. Surely that was answered by his performance in Bangalore, wasn't it.
I was a lot.
You know, a lot of people who follow cricket will have been nonplussed at the non selection of Henry. I think everybody kind of understood why because he was going to take the position of the captain and that makes it a bit more awkward for the selectors. Nevertheless, New Zealand are a better side when he's in the playing eleven.
We've just got to accept that and move on from those other issues, no matter how difficult they are, particularly when the situation says that the conditions of the game are going to suit someone like Matt Henry.
I think we should just dwell.
If we could on the toss a little bit, because clearly it played a very major role in the way that New Zealand were able to construct a win from this game. I think the decision if you won the toss held very high consequences. Both of the captains would have got it wrong. Both sides wanted to bat, and that just indicates how strong the history in India of pictures deteriorating throughout the match and over the course of the match and the result of the match because of it.
The history says you bat first, you bat first.
It's very ossy in that kind of sense. You know, you're about nine times and on the tenth time you're bat The fact of it is they said that you shalt bat, but the present conditions said you must bowl. You know, four or five days undercovers with rain, dank, thick cloud covering lights on.
That says bowl.
It also says you got to do it quite quickly and grab the opportunity. That's what New Zealand did well. Even right Chama said it might be sticky. Well it certainly was, and New Zealand were good enough to grab that, you know, grab the nettle.
You know.
They also forgot both captains. I felt the way to win a four day game with the first day reigned out is to bat once and bat well, and usually you bat second. Now that was perfect for the situation confronting both captains at Bengaluru. To supply rest to your bowlers, you bowl first, you then bat once and bat well, and then you give the bowlers a rest and then.
You bat again.
And that's kind of what happened, except obviously India came back into the game a bit more on that third innings, but New Zealand grabbed it. They bowled well, as you say O'Rourke, Henry. They held for a change almost one hundred percent of their capture some good ones too, and we can go into that a bit later. So and then they not only did that, was they got then a lead of three hundred and fifty six, which put them in the box seat and left India.
So far behind.
They had to not only get five hundred and fifty that's the three fifty in debit plus two hundred if they could and scored them at a very high rate, which they did. But New Zealand just nipped them in the bud at the end.
But can I just add, I think coming into this India and you've got the sense from rowhit that despite there was concerns about batting first based on the form coming in where they'd absolutely flogged Bangladesh and we we were somewhat not at our best in Sri Lanka, that they would still carry through and I think that makes the win even more pleasing for New Zealand that they they overcame that and there was a degree of shall we see, we'll just brush you aside anyway From India,
I've got the sense of.
Vague arrogance, yeah, touch of arrogance.
Yeah, but you know what justify we sob if I'm probably in their issues yep, but well played New Zealand Revender.
Class what class judgment of length wds for me? For Ratchen one of the best I've witnessed actually by New Zealand batsmen. Maybe the fact that they were bowling between ninety one and ninety four k, which is tough, you know, quick and tough, but it does help you because you can't float the ball up and get it to dip quite so much. But nevertheless, as a batsman, it buys
you time. If you can see where the length is going to land early, it buys your time to get forward and get close to it, or if it's shorter to go back and either you know, get you know and revendra. The other aspect I felt about is bat was if he went forward he could hit anywhere between square cover to cover to extra cover to long off to wide long on from the same place where it hit the pitch. Now, imagine that is a bowler. Imagine
that as a captain. You know, your setting of your field suddenly becomes a hell of a difficult And so he scored very quickly. And that's another benefit of being able to see the length. But he is an absolute class his wrists when he attacks like high tensile things. Something happened during the burst and honestly earns him his new TV. His wrists do it earns him his pool in the back garden, because that's how much money he will get from those powerful risks and being able to play the way.
He did, he plays the quicks very well. Yeah, he looks assured against as best you could be against Boomera. Contrast Conway say, but no, I just think it's a spot work. He doesn't look flustered, he doesn't look ruffled, he looks at ease and he's comfortable in his own skin. I think he's an absolute revelation and the fact that he is committing himself to play Test cricket is something that we should all be thankful for and admire of him to go that way which he has done.
Put it this way, India will go away from this Test and their spinners will be for the first time against New Zealand concerned. They will certainly talk a lot about him for the next Test.
Yes, indeed, he certainly the man of the match. Well, the other player who impressed me was will Young. He looks organized. We'd not seen beginnings from him yet, but when they're in trouble, they were under pressure, and that fourth innings he held the innings together and he and Rivendra took them to the victory.
I think, well, Young is someone that I believe that a lot of us have been sort of thinking, how can you get him in there? And and he looked, he looked assured. His footwork was decisive, whereas I think Devon Conway, mind you, he did. Devon Conway at the other end did take most of Boomra in Boomera was hooping it around. Conways looked far less issued well as one probably would. But when when you were watching a young again, he got back, he got forward, He was decisive.
I thought class innings and you know, Dan good number three for us. And if Williamson's not fit in the following Test, I don't think that's too much of a problem. We'd love to have him pause.
Well, it does bring up that question, doesn't at once, about if Williamson is available for the next test in Poona, what in New Zealand going to do. They might opt to say, we'll give you another week of and we'll play. Perhaps you might the change you might make, you might put Young into open and Conway at three. I just want to also fly the flag of Conway for a
second ninety one. Playing aggressively in the first innings where the pitch was much better and easier to play on than the last innings, up and down, variable bounce movement. Certainly he made it look more uncomfortable. We've all got to accept that. But he batted from twelve to thirteen overs and Moose is right. He took the majority of Boomra. He got a bit of luck. The ball was going up and down quite a lot to him. But he
batted for thirteen overs and survived. And he saved the rest of the batting order by taking little blows and being beaten and hit on the hands, on the thighs and so on. It's a tough gig opening against Boomra, and so he did a hell of a job even just getting to seventeen, don't you agree?
Oh, most definitely, And you know he did take a pounding. His hands are obviously a target for them at the moment because he's been hit so many times. Also, the game proved that when needed, Tim Soudy actually can bat and play an important role with the bat. Where's it been through the ten twelve years of his career?
Yeah, that's that's a bit of a conundrum, isn't it that we all knew from even from his first innings when I think he got a seventy? Didn't he know the short side boundaries of McClain Park. But nevertheless, he could obviously hit a ball, and he's got a good hand eye coordination. And I don't know quite why the coaching staff and Saudi himself ultimately.
Have treated his so frivolously.
Since that time and just concentrated totally on his bowland I feel, and getting in love with hitting sixes. He did look awkward and like a little foal, you know, on feeble feet for a start when he batted, but he then against the spin particularly, he grew in stature and in confidence and started to hit down the ground and so on and played very well towards the end of his sixty odd runs that he had that partnership of one hundred and thirty odd with the Ravendra.
So that was it because our middle order failed.
Was that started the second morning, Mitchell, Blundell, Henry, you know they all actually got starts but couldn't go on when New Zealand wanted them to. This match was it was a lovely test match in terms of someone getting on top. Then a corner would arrive, a chicane you know, would arrive and you go round a corner and then suddenly one team would pick it up again. New Zealand
getting four hundred and two and getting a lead. Then suddenly India say no, no, my boys, We're going to come at you like a rocket and New Zealand struggle. If they'd have got another eighty or ninety runs, would have been an interesting game, wouldn't it.
Yeah, that would have been a challenge and a half. We've talked in the past about New Zealand's fielding and it's below standard in many of the tests of recent times. I don't think we could be a critical of their fielding and the catches they took in that first innings in particular after they'd lifted their game quite dramatically from what we saw in Sri Lanka.
Came to the shape of the game, Brian Frankly, you pull off a couple of those catches and all of a sudden you're three for not many many and the pressures coming on and supported by catching, there's no question about that. And the ball was hooping around.
No, well, it was New Zealand conditions, wasn't it really? And quite good ones. It was grippy, and you know the catching. Phillip's diving forward, wide leg slipped Coley goodbye, Conway hunting in for a single, got a bit close, an attempted cloth dry from sufferers, diving away to his right and the ball behind him one hand, good catch, Fortell backward point low catch smashed by Jasewell Court two handed Henry. After bowling that long goes to fine lead.
A hook goes up from Boomra and he runs thirty five yards and sprawls on the ground and takes a two handed catch. Brilliant Bracewell just coming onto the field, hasn't been on long in the gully, left handed, one hand catch. To finish the inning of cooldeep. So those are examples of the way that you need to catch an international cricket to get yourselves in a good position.
One of the points that disappointed me in the second innings was the length of the bowling, particularly to Saffras, who was allowed to play on the back foot, and he quite clearly liked playing on the back foot. And if they ever removed third man or backward point from the field to play, he'll get no runs. He scored half his runs in that area of the ground and he was fed the opportunity, wasn't he.
I think actually with dear and I have spoken about him one. I think he's interesting, so we share. We say quirky is that the right word? Inventive player? And I suspect that New Zealand probably didn't quite know what they were coming up again, so they'll need to adjust. And I think you're right there, Brian, you take that shot out with a short third man and all that
type of thing. But that was a fabulous innings. I've got to say I enjoyed watching that, watching him and play with such inventiveness, because hard to set a field to very much, and he and scores at pace and interesting when you're listening to the commentators that he apparently he scored truckloads of runs and domestic cricket and has earnt his way there. And I just think, breath the
fresh air and quite wonderful. Interesting to see what Indy will do because I think he was replacing Gil and what what will happen now, Because when you've just gone out and smashed one hundred and fifty, it's pretty hard to drop you for Schuvar and Gil. Fine player though Gill is I will wait with interest.
Interesting in Puno, which might turn a little bit more than this test. But you're right unconventional was wasn't He looks like a little small, muscular street fighter like old jar of me and Dad when we played great hand die coordination. You're right, only two runs down in what we would call the v long off and long on. So we did bowl a bit short, and we bowled certainly a bit wide, but we didn't react a to the bowlers, our bowlers changing things a bit and b
the captain setting more. You might need two third men, you know. We need to be able to react quickly to someone like a suffaras I think we just can't keep going the way we are when it's not working. So I'm interested to see how someone like Sapparas goes in South Africa, where it's a bit more spicy to pitch, or New Zealand and England where it is greener, and perhaps Australia where there's a bit more bounce, although that
might suit him as well. He likes bounce, but he's obviously got a hell of a good hand eye coordination.
You mentioned Toune, we don't know too much about it. You mentioned the possibility of spin. Does that mean New Zealand has to make a change or do you go in with the same side.
I think you've still got to go in with three quicker bowlers because I think that's what we're better at. Question whether that is South I think it will be now because of his success in his last test, but I think there's no question that it's Henry and O'Rourke. We hadn't really touched Oraq because I don't think you need to. It was just such a fabulous performance on both in the in both innings.
But I.
Don't think we have a choice.
I think we still need to go in with Patel and I guess the alternative is Phillips because brace Will gone home.
Yeah, that's that's the first point. We have reduced our spin options by Bracewall going home. It's the first thing. And I think he's probably our biggest spinner of a ball. I think that there are left handers in their order which would suit him as well. I think he offers some other aspects that we haven't got from some of the other spin is like very good catching and also you know at number eight, I think he offers that and gives a little bit little the option there is
for you know, getting some runs. The second thing is Sody who's going over hasn't played, hasn't played, and that counts for a lot as we know. Secondly, Santna, we've seen how he goes and conditions where it turns. He's not really much a great wicket taker. So I think our third seema you're going to get more bowling and more pressure created if you set the right fields to
a SOUVII than you are to a spinner. And I know it'll sound a bit odd because we've we've been a wee bit critical of Saudi, but you know, I think that gives us a stronger attack, more reliable attack than going in with two spinners plus as we did, as we did in Sri Lanka.
Brian Waddle, Jeremy Cooney, Yes, on the front foot.
You know, it's hard to decide which achievement rates highest, to win over India in India or a World T twenty title for the women. Is it fair to give them equal significance To be able to celebrate two great moments one day. I mean it makes it more enjoyable. Is one event or one achievement more important than the other, because.
For me, no question, And I think I know where Iland T twenty world it's a World Cup, it's a World Cup, and they've struggled and.
Where they've come from and where I think everyone's expectations were. It is a phenomenal achievement and wonderful that they've been able to pull this off of fabulous and you could see growth in the team in the period of the tournament, the win over South Africa and the lead up games and the development. They seem to be better organized, They seem to know what they wanted to do, like batting first seemed to be working for them, I think, no question.
Despite the fact that the win in India in the Test match is phenomenal. The Women's World Cup twenty twenty when is a great thing for cricket and particularly the women's cricket.
If New Zealand had still been in the World Test Championship wards and in the game, you know what I mean, still there challenging. You might put it closer because it was necessary and because it was in India. But New Zealand are out of it, and so I think the World Cup for me, I take Moose's point about the batting and the structure and the way they played. I think the development of players like Plimmer, like Carson, like Jonas and Gays. You've suddenly got four young players. They're
making contributions right throughout that. The build up of the you know, in the game throughout the tournament, Kerr of course continued and you know that the older players, the grandmothers as they refer to them, had had moments, didn't they divine Playing against India, Kerr picking up wickets throughout and getting runs in the final, I think Mayor coming
back and introducing him. I saw that last final, for example, as the New Zealand bowlers versus the top order of the South Africans because they won by seven wickets, eight wickets and two wickets in their lead up to this match, beating Ossie by eight wickets Volpart Brits, Bosh, those people you know, and then perhaps Marian Cup. They can play well. So it was our bowlers against them and we held catchers as well. So you know, well done the women, very well done.
And ameliacur Wold, Fart and Bosh, who were the dominant players against Australia. Her contribution was was fabulous.
Time for a little bit of honesty from us.
All.
I didn't go to the t B and back New Zealand and either event last week, did you.
Well, I'm not a gambler, so.
I don't mind it, but I didn't like the odds because I wouldn't have I wouldn't have given either.
No, I'm with you once too. I think I think, well, I think quite a few. We wouldn't have been alone.
From the team.
The emotions were obvious after the game. Straight after the match, player of the tournament Melia Kerhr, revealed it wasn't achieved without the obvious sweat and toil.
Yeah, obviously I was probably struggling a little bit out there whilst betting, and it was hot. I went through about ten pairs of gloves, so I sweating a lot, and yeah, when I came off, had a nice bath and then got out on the field and sprinted for one and felt my carf almost go and cramp up.
And then I bowled my first ball and the same feeling kind of happened, so thankfully I then stayed in the ring and didn't need a field on the boundary where I normally do, and bowling was just getting through the crease. I probably didn't put as much energy through the crease as I would have liked, but still managed to get through.
Yeah, she certainly struggled quite clearly, and for Kurt and the captain Sophie Divine, there was some extra motivation.
I was inspired to be a white fern watching that twenty ten World cart which Sophie was at, and from that moment I was at the nets with my dad pretending I was batting with Sophie and Susie. And I like being in the team so young and playing with my role models who have been so good to me, and two of New Zealand's greatest ever cricketers. I don't necessarily believe you deserve things in sport, but if any
two people do, it's Sophie and Sue. And I just think back to myself as a kid that was batting with Sophie and Susie in the nets, and like when I was at primary school and creative writing, I wrote about winning a World Cup with Sophie and Susie and so to be here now having done that, I think that's probably why I was so emotional out on the field in the moment, and yeah, something that's so special when I think back to my younger self and to be here now and to do it with two of
these eland's best ever.
I just hope that it instills belief and confidence in these young ones. I think we've seen over the last three or four weeks their confidence grow, and as a leader, that's what you want is to see that growth. And I know we've sort of joked about being grandmas and mums and whatnot, but it really is. You feel a real sense of pride and seeing them stand up and take opportunities and to take moments and like merely today was unbelievable, Like what you're able to achieve out there
is pretty bloody cool. So yeah, from us to be able to win it, it is it's just nice to have there. I think it's always something that you want want to have when you finish your I'm not retiring, by the way, just putting that out there, but yeah, to be able to say that you're a World Cup winner is something that's, yeah, is really special and to be able to share it with this group of players, it's obviously something that you hold onto the rest of
your career. Oh. I think the coaching staff don't get enough credit. They're probably the first ones to get absolutely slammed by you know, critics, media outsiders, and they get forgotten when a team wins. But they have been outstanding. They've stood with every single one of us players and backed us and believed in us, given us the confidence to know that they, yeah, that when we play our best, when we play the brand of cricket that we want to,
you can win Will Cups. So the likes have been Dean Browne as well, Craig natecviillan who's recently on board, Paul Wiseman. But I also think back to you know, Craig Howard had a really important role with the spinners previous to there. I think about Andre Adams and his impact around the group. There's been so much people that have come into our environment and have added to it and have helped this team grow that to be able to I guess sit here with a World Cut trophy,
it goes to them as well. And everything that they've been able to give to the players, to the group's New Zealand cricket as well. I think so much has to go to them. Obviously we're the ones that do it out on the park, but the hours that they spend, you know, toiling away, planning, preparing players. Yeah, they really are the unsung heroes and so much credit has to go to them.
And I know one person who would have enjoyed it, former White fern Kirsty Bond.
Yeah. Look, I mean how good was that? I mean I had to pinch myself actually at one stage, and you know, I was just couldn't believe I was watching the same team, to be honest, Just so many good things that happened in that match that just may really warmed the heart around everything that we've been talking about with the White fans. To see it come together like that on a big stage, was just, you know, something
really special. So, you know, I know they've had a lot of critics in the last few years, and I'll certainly put my hand up and say that I've been one of them. Just to see, you know, the way those players stood up last night was just unbelievably great. So yeah, I mean, a huge congratulations to them. It's just fantastic.
Yeah, indeed, and it'll be a lucrative time for them as well. They're going to pick up something like two hundred and fifty thousand plus each player, and that's good for the women's game as well. You talk about the criticism, I think some of it was justified to some extent, and they picked a tough program, didn't they against Australia and England. But I guess we've also got to say it may have started to bear some fruit.
Yeah, and I think you know, like I, you know, yes, I've been critical. I know a lot of others have as well, and I think, you know, as Kiwi as we do expect a lot of our of our athletes. And to be fair, I think you know a lot of my calls were you know, in regards to the team was really around the senior players, and then you know, standing up and leading from the front and performing on
a consistent basis. Really, you know, I've always said that that that is, you know, the most important things that your senior players have got to lead from the front. And if if you get some of your younger players, you know, contributing here and there, well that that's a
real bonus. But you know, the thing that was so exciting about the World Cup this time around was that we did see some of our young players like Carson, like Plimmer really starting to show their talent, which you know that that in itself just is so exciting for the future. And I have to say, you know, Georgia Plimmer, like that, what a star that girl is going to be, because man, she's had a tough time, a really tough time, and she obviously has hung in there and kept believing.
And you know, I had my doubts about her opening the batting and the pressure that was on her. Man, she really stood up in this World Cup and all credit to her.
Yes, I think You've been one who's in the past have said that we have to have the focus on youth and a matter of patience, and there has been patients with glimmer with the spin ballers, I thought have really shown their true abilities, Carson and fran Jonas, and you know, it's been a tough road for them, and the fact that they've held together has been pretty important because it's a tough world and when you are being criticized, you've got to look for some positives and sometimes they're
very hard to find.
Yeah, and they can be and you know, and that's never easy when you're a young player and you know you're trying to find your feet in the international game. And I've I've always said that, you know, we cannot point the finger at our young players that are in that team because they have It's not their fault that they've found themselves there at such an early stage of their careers. And I think, you know, they obviously, you know, show a lot of potential and that's why they've been picked.
But yeah, to see to see that bear fruit over this tournament is just really exciting. And you know, we are looking at potentially three of our experienced players in the Grandmas as they call themselves, divine and Baits and to who may well in the not too distant future retire,
you know, that will leave a massive hole. So you know, you have to be thinking if that doesn't inspire our young cricketers sixteen seventeen, eighteen year olds around the country to want to, you know, work hard and want to play the game at an international level, then you wonder what would inspire them. I also had to say, Brian, I really thought that Brooke Halliday's innings last night was
a real game changer. And I really thought, you know, I know, merely better beautifully for a forty three, but I actually have thought all tournament that Mealy almost looked like she wasn't batting as well as what you know, we know she came back, she looked to be struggling a little bit with her timing at times, and I thought the way Brook came out last night and and really just took the game to her game to the South Africans and just took so much pressure of me Lee,
I really felt like that innings of hers was a game changer for us.
Nicely finished off too by Maddy Green who took runs off the last She's a player who's been disappointing in terms of her performances of recent times, but they were emphatic ones that game and the one against India to start the tournament. I think set the scene for them, didn't it, because they really took it to India and they're a good side, that Indian side they are.
And yeah, I mean the first game of the tournament, last game in the tournament, and you know, some of what we saw in between was a little bit mixed. I thought we had a fairly average performance against the West Indies in the semi final and I think we just we were lucky that we came up with against the West Indies team that were even more average, to
be fair. And I know I remember thinking back at the time over that game and thinking, gee, if we dropped the catchers that we dropped in that game against the West Indy's and the final, then we really, you know, that's really going to be something that will be pretty hard to come back from. But you know, last night, the composure in the fielding I thought was absolutely superb.
Indeed, and drop catches were a problem. There must have been the lights I think that created that issue for all sides. New Zealand was one of the better catching sides.
In terms of talking about the preparation. I know Ben Sawyer's had a bit to do in terms of developing the program, and he's got the compliments that they deserve for just wonder how important Craig McMullan has been to that team in terms of what he brings the experience, the fact that he's been a coach and the men's team, what he has brought to that women's team in terms of not only what they do on the park, but mental attitude.
Only the players probably could answer that question. You know, I did think about that last night too, about where the you know, how much of an impact Meccha has had, And yeah, I guess we'd have to ask the players about that, about how they feel about that. But certainly, you know, Mecca would have a huge amount to offer. We know that for sure, and I'm sure that he has played a huge part and what the girls have achieved over this tournament.
You talk about being prepared for young people to come into the game, we've got to provide the programs for them they do. It's not just a matter of people say, oh, let's go and play cricket. You've got to offer them the programs that will want to They'll want to play, don't you.
Yeah, for sure, and I think there's definitely some some good things starting to happen around the country, which is
which is you know, promising. Whilst it's wonderful to see the White fans wint to World Cup, and especially wonderful for those, you know, for for Suzi and for the Leah and for Sophie in particular, it's really important that it doesn't mask what is really happening underneath in our game and that you know, it's in a perilous state and and it needs, you know, some genuine vision, it needs some genuine investment, and I'm really hoping now that
we'll see that start to happen. And I think if you look across the Tasman and I know we don't have the money that Australia has, but if you look across the Testment at the way that Australian cricket to a punt on the women and invested in the game there, and it's it's paid off in bucket loads for them. And I've always maintained that we have the talent, we just need to provide the opportunities, the pathways, the structures
so that that talent can be developed. And that's what I've always said about those young players and the white funds at the moment that you know, when they were being criticized that actually it's it's really not their fault that they've found themselves in this position because they haven't had the opportunities to have their game developed in the way that it should have been prior to making the white you know, being selected in the white fans.
Yeah, they've been on the front line right the way through, haven't they. England too, have so good programs that developed their players. It's a great though, guesty that the emphasis on the white fans of the women's game at a time when New Zealand have recorded one of their best Test victories in men's cricket and the women have taken them.
Yeah.
But you know it was great weekend, wasn't it. I mean, what had a fantastic achievement by the Black Cats to want a test in India? You know, I think was it the first time in thirty six years or something like that? A long time anyway.
I don't mentioned that time because I was there thirty six years ago when they won that game.
There wasn't a game you had to go on the field, was it? What?
No, No, Jeremy Coney did. I didn't get the opportunity. I'm forever annoyed about that because they had some clothes for me to wear. It I never got on.
You, was it?
Yeah?
There was a fantastic performance. I mean the bowling in the first innings was superb and great to see a young bowler like willow Walk performed so well. And of course Matt Henry Bold superbly. But you know, I mean Revendra's one hundred was just sensationized thought. He's just such a star as me.
Yeah, and it's good that our game has those players who can step up. When you take a Test match without Kane Williamson, you give yourself a bit of a handicap because of his abilities, and yet somebody just steps up and takes that role, and in the toughest environment India.
Yeah, and that's what it's all about, isn't it. When you've got players of that sort of caliber and they're able to take those opportunities when they get them, as you know Rivendra has. I mean I think back to the recent World Cup where he played so beautifully and I think, you know what, he got his place really because it wasn't someone injured and so he was given an opportunity and he came out and lasted one hundred
in a Swiss game. So yeah, it is. It's so good to watch to see those young players take those opportunities and really make the most of them, isn't it.
Yeah, well, the pressures on them now, of course. They got two more tests and in there, and then they come home to play England and one of those games, I think the first one is at your home ground, so that'll be exciting for you coming up. But you'll be still coaching, are you.
Yes, I'm still going a little bit, you know. I really just enjoy working with the young ones and doing a few I'm doing a few one on ones at the moment with some young players, so I really enjoy that. And yeah, earlier in the year, took a young team under fifteen sort of unofficial South Island team Revage, to a tournament in Dubai, which was absolutely the most fantastic experience.
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with us, Kirsty. It's lovely to talk to you about the women's game and I look forward to taking that opportunity later through the season if possible.
Yeah, lovely. Thanks so much, Brian.
Yeah, nice to hear from Kirsty Bond again. And just an important point she made towards the end is it's not a given that we will get young women playing cricket.
We've got to put the programs together whereby they can be developed at our top players, the likes that you talked about Jerry Plimmer and Carson and fran Jonas am not really able to learn the game anywhere other than playing internationally, are they They're not getting those opportunities and they've got to be provided for them back here at home.
I think it's very interesting, Brian. I contrast this with something which I saw in Melbourne last week where a club that you and I are both involved and were playing the MCC at the offred ground. They had to be off the ground by four point thirty because the women were coming to play the Melbourne Cricket Club women. There would have been forty of them there, kitted completely out, four or five coaches, the resources going into one club.
That's just the Mobile Cricket Club the MCC who had been start contrast to probably see anything you would see in New Zealand. It was also a comment that I would have met that ten years ago you wouldn't have seen that. But in Australia the resources that they are putting into women's cricket was quite stark. And I think you're right. The programs are the yere. I'm hearing good things from Craig coming what he's doing down and down in Otaga, and I'm sure it's being replicated in other parts.
But it's the question of rew and focus.
Well, it's an opportunity, isn't it.
Wad.
We've got a grasp that. Don't lose this chance New Zealand cricket. You know, of trying to bring new players into the game and having things available for them.
It's going to cost them money. They've got to spend a bit of money to get the programs so that these people can play, rather than put them up on Granada Park where no one can see them play and it blows like hell. I don't think you would have ever played at Grenada Park in Wellington, Jerry, you were too good for that. But us lower graders we know what Grenada Park was like, and I'm sure there are
parks like that up and down the country. They've got to be given the prominence that their achievements have merited.
Look, I think I agree with you. That's shit on Granada Park. I would have equated it to the Enville Park anyway.
Come oh, Cony played there, beautiful ground. Let's hope we're talking about some cricket to celebrate. Next week the women have those three one day is that they've got to play, and there's a Test match in Puna. Rest well, gentlemen, put the betting slips away. You know you might be inclined to go and back New Zealand and a Test match. I don't know. I know you don't, Jerry, So that's fine.
Can I just ask a question? Was very interesting? Rite it towards the end of the innings ashwn Bowl. The last couple of overs was not introduced until after Judasia and cool Deep and they kept coming back. What does that mean? It was perplexing to me.
You had to put.
Probably probably, But I just thought it was interesting that he was, wasn't you.
Well we'll see what happens in the Test match in Poona. Thanks for your time, guys, I look forward to talking to you again. Enjoy the time off between now and the start of POONA.
Good side step was lovely to hear from you. Take care of mate. You make sure you've been the winger now and going in the corner.
Ye have a good time.
Summer.
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