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Hello, We're back on the front foot. Just like the black Cats game one of the Champions Trophy. We analyze the outcome and reflect on the previous Winnesday for Pakistan and the success in a fifteen a side game against Afghanistan. We've also got a chance to recall out one and only international tournament title twenty four and a half years ago. But THEMS Trophy, what's an emphatic start to that competition. Third successive win over Pakistan in their backyard, and the
third was the most important. It was for real, not a warm up game. And that's significant Jeremy Cody, because it keeps that confidence up and that winning feeling that they are starting to develop and establish.
Yeah, gooday, I'm a bit knacked from watching it that I have to say.
Last night.
I don't know how you you managed it, made it. I don't know how you're handling the Pakistan ours up there in Wellington, but yeah, it was. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it. First point I think I'd like to make is the early arrival and in Pakistan and with the try series and the warm up game four games. I know some of them have toured there recently, and some of the young lads, so it's not new to them, but it shows and they look match fit to are
they ready to play? They look as if they're getting on with each other too, you know the look they look quite content happy. Now that might be winning, well that helps, doesn't it. But they look as if they're a group. And that's you've got to handle that, I guess to the coaching staff.
And you've got to hand it to Santna.
I think he looks a chap who's a They feel very confident in the decisions that he's making on the field. As I say, they're just enjoying each other's company. And I think that's really important thing to just mention. Do you do you agree with that? Do you think they look as if they're getting on?
Yeah? And That was a point made by Wally Lees last week too, wasn't it. You know, you get a sense that this is a happy side. They're all on the same page, they're all heading the direction and they fit in. They're playing sensible cricket. That showed in the partnership between Latham and Young, their ability to reast Eberyson and eas because for the first twenty five overs they weren't looking like three hundred and twenty on the board, were.
They No, Well, Moose the Traitor.
Yes, that's Peter Holland, one of our regular contributors. Are Traitor.
Moose sent me a text yesterday to say, I think Pakistan might win this one.
We've won those other ones.
So well, and we all know this is a new Zealand cricket followers that suddenly the one that matters comes along and suddenly someone like fucker Zaman or you know Barba or whoever ri Iswan has a magic innings, you know. So I must say when we were three down for seventy, when Mitchell went out at mid on, I sent him a Texas saying here we go, here we go, and you're right, we look I thought a busy start. Once we were put in on a very dry pitch, and you could.
See that it wasn't easy.
The variable bounce, you know, and a holding kind of surface that you know, if the bowler got it right, you had to as a batsman, I think, proceed with a bit of caution. If they missed their lenks, yeah,
or their line. You cashed in if you could. And I don't know whether you saw at various times or whether you were snoozing was but when the camera's gotten close you could see kind of different strips going across the pitch, and that normally meant you know, brown on the top of the like a corrugation, so that that takes the crest off when the moa goes through, and
so you left with dirt. Then you get into the hollow part, you know, and the valley and that's a little bit green and the moa doesn't reach that part.
So you get those strips along a pitch and if it.
Hits on the upside going up to the top of the crest, then the ball goes up and if hits in the downside, then it stays down.
So it wasn't that easy to bat I don't think.
But a really decent start, I thought really aggressive running that I thought also right through the innings just exposed the Pakistan outfield.
As a wee bit, you know, in their movement and their throwing.
But losing those three wickets two quick ones and two overs and then a little recovery of eight overs and then Mitchell out three for seventy, Latham and Young needed to shoulder some responsibility, didn't they, And indeed well they did.
They did. They took their time. Pakistan were now bowling a quick at.
One end and a spinner at the other, and they went for fours at the start. But then by the time they had been in for ten overs, they were going at seven's and so they were making up for lost time. And then the other point I want to make about spin, I think the dead batting of spin in the past that's hurt New Zealand, particularly against sides. It not that Pakistan are the greatest spin bowling units at the moment, but it used to hurt New Zealand.
But that seems to have gone.
These players nowadays are much more busy. They come at the bowler if they're Colonway or they're Williamson and their Mitchell, or they might stay deep in their crease if they're Phillips, or they're Young, and they hit it square and they hit it down the ground, or they sweep and reverse sweep like Mitchell does and Latham does and Young does, or they go down the ground like Mitchell, you know, or they go overcover like Williamson. They've got a range
of options, these players, and they are finding spin. They are not just dead batting at all the time now and they are starting to look for runs and they're putting pressure on spin bowlers now and that's made a very big difference to the side.
Tom Latham deserved the Man of the Match. I had reservations about his place at number five, a key spot in the batting order, mentioned it last week, but in the last two games he answered criticism the best possible way runs match winning runs. To silence his doubters, he did an exceptional job with the bat. A man of the match and a man of the Match case could also have been made for will Young, probably only playing in Revender's absence.
I certainly didn't seem risk free. I suppose one thing our betting unit talked about was creating partnerships throughout o einence and it was only a small partnership with DEV, but we've got the ball rolling. And then unfortunately we
lost Caine early and Darryll not long after that. So Tommy and I talked about obviously building a partnership and just felt like, you know, Pakistan got three or four dot balls, We managed to get a boundary away not long after, and it just kept the mementium of the innings going. And then I think we got to where we wanted to after thirty overs, and I felt, or with Tommy, we both felt that the games and the balance at that point at one hundred and forty odds
for three after thirty overs, I think it was. And then from there we had a platform to launch from. And obviously the way that Tommy and and GP finished innings was just brilliant. Yeah, brilliant to start off the the champions Trophy trophy with a win. Just on the crowd, they went too quiet, they were they were a really good crowd.
They were noisy throughout.
So yeah, it's been awesome playing in Pakistan, and yeah, hopefully the crowds are the same throughout the tournament because.
They were brilliant today. Yeah, thank you.
It meant a great deal to bring up my fourth toty one hundred today. As I said before, it's it sort of makes it easier if you focus on the partnerships that you're in rather than focusing too much about your own personal score or anything like that. But yeah, in the power play, I think the nature of the power play, there's more people in the in the ring, so you're gonna hit fields more often, there's gonna be more dots. But on the flip side to that, there's
this opportunity to score some boundaries. And I managed to get a fuelway and the power play which sort of got my ownings and our innings going. And then through the middle it's a different challenge altogether. You know, spinners come into it, four fielders out, sort of the gaps.
Open up and and and you try and score off as many balls as you can to keep the momentum going.
So yeah, very pleased with the way things panned out today. And and yeah, have a meaningful contribution on the game with with my uh partnership with Tommy.
To be completely honest with you, Tommy and I knew we were in a little bit of.
Trouble three down, and we didn't wanna look too far ahead, did start talking past scores and things like things like that. We wanted to get to thirty overs three down.
That was our first goal.
Then the next phase was to the thirty fifth over and then I got out after that.
But when when I came off, I think I got out in the thirty eighth over.
I was saying to the boys, I thought, too eighty was a a really good total. If the seam has hit U a good length. It was difficult, you know, the old ball was going down. We saw from the Pakistan spinners as well that when they slowed the ball up especially, it would hold in the surface and there was a bit of turn there and and when they they fired it through a little bit quicker it was skiddy.
So it wasn't easy. And I thought two eighty was a good score.
And obviously the way a GP and Tommy got things going, it was just brilliant, the way that they finished off the innings and to get to through twenty. We all felt that we were slightly ahead of the game at that point. But in the same breath as you say, Pakistan chased down three fifty on the same wicket, so we knew we had to start well and thankfully we did that.
And it managed to keep it going.
Or even a case for Glenn Phillips as mental match he's currently feasting on the Pakistan bowlers during the happy hour. Is there something special on the table?
I wouldn't necessarily say something in particular. I think I'm just really clear at the moment and I'm seeing the ball really well and I guess being still at the point of contact, and I think that goes a long way into being able to be a good death death hitter. You know, I haven't always got it right in the past, but I think I've got a little bit of a feel for it at the.
Moment, which is helpful.
I think we've had a different pitch and it's played a different way every time we've been here. You know. We definitely had a lot more spin in the evening again, which we found a couple of years ago when we were here, you know, but the paces were definitely harder to play. I think during the day, you know, the
balls going up and down a lot. Obviously the way Matt Henry and Willow rock Bold was a testament to how good they did up there, But I think during the day the way the Pakistan boys bowld, especially at the top, made it quite tough for us to get away early on. So I think we've been really adaptable to the different kinds of style of pitch. But it was nice to actually see him turn out there in the evening.
Yeah, very lucky for us.
Obviously, no one never wants to see a player get injured, but I think when a player gets injured, they can make them really really dangerous. And obviously it showed today. You know, he wasn't necessarily able to run, but he was still just as powerful as ever. And I think we've tried to mix up lines and links up to him a little bit and you know, play a bit more of a guessing game with him. But hey, obviously he's a great player and I'm sure he'll be back and fit to go sooner.
They were the key players, would they lay them Young and Phillips? Of course, the RESK played their part as well. One of the interesting things that I have sort of come across too as watching remember the time when New Zealand used to put the opposition in because they didn't want to bat first. They almost felt as though they weren't capable of batting well. Now they seem comfortable batting first or chasing, and I think that that is adding to the confidence factor in some of these players. And
you talk about their ability to play spin. Bowl in New Zealand were always reluctant against spin. Yet now they've got spinners themselves in the side and they've got an attack that's able to do the business, whether it's batting first or second.
YEP, I think that that's right.
Certainly, when Young went out in the thirty eight Ober what was it, one hundred and seven balls for one hundred and or one hundred and seven of one hundred and thirty something like that. You know that left twelve overs of Phillip's You mentioned him to get in not only he doesn't have to go hard for from the start as if there's two overs left, he's got twelve overs that he.
Can use there.
And he did do that, and he did mention, didn't he that he's seeing the ball and he's staying nice and still, and those are very important things, whether you're a power hitter or not.
He is able to get in.
It was important that he was with Latham, who's his red ball captain in the Test cricket poetly keeping him calm, and then of course he releases he's only been out once, I think when he's actually in Pakistan, hasn't he I mean, he's smashed it.
So he showered.
He showed his power in that innings towards the end there and one hundred and thirteen from the last ten overs. It wasn't two seventy five to eighty five. It was three twenty on a tricky pitch, you know. I thought it was a very finely controlled and thoughtful ODI innings, probably one of the best I've seen from New Zealand for a long time, and it was always going to take a really special individual innings from either Fakar or Rizwan or Barbar or some you know, to run that kind of total down.
Yes, Pakistan needed for car, but he got injured, and that's one of the aspects of the game. I suppose you just have to live with he won't sort of play again. I wouldn't imagine. The other thing is New Zealand can't really change this side, now, can they. They've got Ravendra, They've got Jamison who is in pretty good form at the moment. They've got a Duffy who's there. They've got Chapman who had a good game in the
warm up against Afghanistan. I've got players there. But you can't change that team now for certainly the next game, can.
You don't think so odds This is a very short tournament. It's a knockout tournament. You've got to get to You've only got three in the group stage, three games, so you've got to win two. And New Zealand this next game in roll Pindi against Bangladesh. There's going to be important match and I don't think you would want to change that side too much. I'm sure Revenger will be keen to try and get back in there. But who does he replace? So that's going to be an interesting
discussion for the selectors. Does he do they replace Conway who's got some runs? Do they replay you know, do they take Young who's gone one hundred? So well, you see, these are these are the issues and so so it's a nice problem to have in a way, and so you know, I don't know what they'll do about that. That's not going to be an easy meeting at all, I don't think. But but just very quickly, you know, you mentioned New Zealanders have had contributions from lots of people,
haven't they. You've mentioned the three main ones, and it was interesting, wasn't it for me that Young and Latham, of all the players, Young and Lathan were probably the two men who you most need to join that contribution.
And there they were.
Last night actually playing a predominant part of the innings and the whole business of it really so yeah, I mean New Zealand basically they used to quicks and they the Pakistan quicks at the end went for two hundred and fourteen at seven's just over sevens then, and the spinners even went for over fives, so that was good. And listen, to be fair Latham. You mentioned Latham. It's a big deal when a number five or a number
six gets one hundred in an ODI game. You don't normally have that opportunity, and it means that you've had a you know, a collapse and the pop order to enable you to have enough overs to get through.
But he played very aggressively. He's a good sweeper. He gets his head in line, he extends his hands.
Out towards the ball so he's at the length of the ball and he's got a variety of sweets, little laps that go far and then hardest weeps that go square. He hit it, hit one for six and a couple for six actually as well. So he's a difficult custament to bowl too. And he's got the reverses as well. So terrific effort from him, and he lifted the rate and then helped, as I say.
Philip's get along.
But yeah, I mean I thought it was a I didn't see the whole of the bowling in ings wads.
I was just going to talk about the bowlers. I think, you know, Henry did what Henry does and he's a great leader of the attack. A Rourke, to my mind, is an amazing asset. You know, the pace, the bounce. He's starting to starting to think batsman out too, isn't he using the bouncer effectively? And they've got Smith, who a new boy on the block, probably needs to tighten up a little bit. That will take some time, but
I think they've got the balance there. And you add Jamison and Duffy to the lineup, I think they've got that. Along with the bowling of Santana Bracefill, who was getting the ball to turn quite sharply and Phillips. They've got a nice varied bowling attack that Santa can use. And I think he did it perfectly against the Pakistan top order, who know the conditions pretty well.
Held himself back, didn't he.
He bowled He bought Bracewollan in the eleventh over and then he bowled Phillips almost straight away. There was a left hander in I think at that stage fuck Zaman was in. Why did he come in at four? I know he had to come out later because of his injury, but if he couldn't run a single, which is you could see that he just I mean not only for his own not only for his own total, and he
only got he got a twenty odd, didn't he? But he couldn't run the other bats, and that he couldn't run his two's, So why didn't they leave him down until the slogging?
You know time they had a couple of useful hitters, didn't they.
Yeah, Kushtild got a sixty odd, didn't he? And I think I was at Salman got a forty. So yeah, know that helped them and that'll keep their net run rate a little bit better, I guess.
But you know, I just wondered whether fuck I.
Should have actually been left a little bit later in case they got close and when he could just slog, you know, because he was he couldn't run really.
And he wasn't able to pass the strikeover to Baba Adahm, who was obviously wanting it. But you know, he was then getting tied down because you couldn't afford to take too many risks. He couldn't play any free range shots and that cost them and New Zealand exploited it. Well, that's why he was full of credit for Santa and his captaincy and the bowling changes and feeling changes he made. I thought they were outstanding.
He's a smart He's a smart captain. Was he's a smart captain?
Yeah, I quite agree.
And the players are with him because that they know Baba doesn't sweep, and so he could bowl two off spinners, taking the ball away from Fakar at that stage, so that was always a chance as the ball leaves him and then to Baba who doesn't sweep. He just plays
a forward defense sixty four off ninety Baba. Why so, Timid, I did not see him try and move his feet once I did not see him try and stand out or go deep in his crease once and as soon as he tucked it round the corner there were people you know, at forty five and just by the umpire and so on. He couldn't get a single because Fuka
couldn't run it, so he was actually lost. He he scores quicker when the ball's going away for him, like Sentner, he scores more quickly there, but against the ball turning back into him, he doesn't score as far. So it was smart Captaincy, I think from Satna at that point, but very timid from Baba really, to be honest. So yeah, and as I say, no sweep just showed up. So there were dots all over the place for Baba and it was lucky really that little necessary cameos that you've
talked about from those two lower players. But yeah, I mean, and I think, to be honest with you, Sentna at the end kept on trying to just get wickets.
He looked so dangerous.
I went to bed after he bowled about two or three overs and he looked like he was going to just bowl him out with his quality and his change of flight. And there's gone. He was getting a bit of turn as well. I just thought he was trying to bowl him out rather than going for you know, sort of economies, if you know what I mean.
He just wanted wickets.
Pull on the throat stuff was what was needed at that stage. Pakistan, I've got it all to play for now. They're in a deal of trouble. They've got to win both their games now. I'm beating India is going to be a real tough task for them. But New Zealand have got to play Bangladesh. They can put the Pakistan game behind them, the lessons they will have taken from that and prepare for Bangladesh and we look forward to that jury.
The only thing I'd like to mention about that next match was we know the Bangladesh side and you know people like Shamaya and Mushfaka and Mahmadullah and Ridoy and Mayadi of those people. The new boy on the block is a quick which is most unusual.
Really for Bangladesh.
Nahid Rana, he's only twenty two, he's had six Tests, he's got twenty odd wickets. He's played against Sri Lanka at home, he's played Pakistan twice. That's when they beat banglad Dish beat Pakistan, tou Nilda at home. You know in Pakistan, he played India and he's played South Africa and.
The West Indies.
So he's played a range of teams and he's picked up a four wickets and he's picked up a five for So just keep your eye on Nahid Rana in that metchip against New Zealand.
Brian Waddell, Jeremy Cooney on the front foot.
Remember this this.
Cairns New Zealand all round Theer're on ninety nine twelve from eleven needed by New Zealand. Slower ball, that's Kansas hundred. What a finding is that is punch is the air in delight. That is a marvelous effort from the man who wasn't even sure he was going to play this morning. One hundred from one hundred and ten balls full task, they've gone New Zealand and that away for the single that gives New Zealand victory two sixty five for six. What a stunning effort that is New Zealand. When this
ICC knockout trophy by four wickets. Chris Cans, who wasn't even sure that he could play this morning because of that injured knee has got an unbeaten one hundred and two under steered New Zealand to a wonderful win.
Oh I remember it vividly. It was a great occasion. It was our first and only International Cricket award. And someone I know who remember it pretty vividly as well, not so much for the commentary but for being there was Craig McMillan, and he joins us to remember that title in Nairobi and Kenya, of all places, one of the strangest areas. Do you imagine Mecca to be in Nairobi winning an ICC title?
Hello, Onejie and most unusuals, The first and early time I've actually been to Kenya. Been back since then, you know interested listening to that commentary, it sort of feels like it was yesterday, but then you look at the dates and it was twenty five years ago, which was obviously a long time, but still a lot of great memories around that tournament and especially that final where to get up and beat the mice of India in a final in an ICC Champions Trophy was something grew special.
Yeah, it was a great endings by Cans, but it's not about one person is it. I mean, he's a match when on always was a match winner at times. But to get to the final and actually win the final, it needed other players to play a significant role, and you were one of those. You've got a couple of half centuries in the lead up games, didn't you.
Yeah.
It was a really short tournament, so you had to hit the ground running. We had Zimbabwe first up and we'd actually just come from Zimbabwe with beating us to one in a one day series. They were a very strong team through that mid to late nineties, if you remember. They had the likes of his Streak and the Flower brothers, Paul Strang. We're just very good one day international side. So we just come from Zimbabwe where they bet us. They were our first up match, so it wasn't an
easy starts. We got through that and then we faced the mind of Pakistan in the semi final, who in the conditions that we faced over in Nairobi, which was very low and slow and suited the spinners, So the likes of India and Pakistan with dangerous sides in those conditions.
So to beat Pakistan in that semi final, which was a close match, they had a very good side, obviously with the likes of was em Atkram leading them, they had a very strong side, and then we managed to have India in the final and that was a bit of an epic match. But you're right, the ken things did stand out when you were chasing. But what led up to that to actually give us a chance to
win was the bowling performance. Because at one stage, I think Angouli and Tendolka had India one hundred and forty without loss, and it looked like they were going to score three hundred plus, which probably would have been a winning score, but the bowlers did a fantastic job and actually pulling India back to a score around that to sixty mark, which was achievable and we felt was going to be chasable, which we did.
Yeah, two sixty in those days, though, was still quite a large task, wasn't. I mean now, three hundred is nothing in terms of a task, but two sixty in those days wasn't considered an easy, gettable target. Wasn't.
No, it wasn't it was it was on the high side in those days, wasn't it anything about above two fifty you felt like you had a pretty good shot of winning the match if you bowled and fielded half decent. So I think perhaps the confidence came towards from the fact that we'd chased two sixty in the semi final against Pakistan and they had a very strong, violent line up the lights of to claim rushtack as well, and we managed to chase that down, so there was confidence
that we could do that. We lost some wickets at different stages and we knew that it was going to take something exceptional to get us over the line, and that was really where the innings from Chris Kens came in. Then he got some help from some others. I think it was a partnership with Chris Harris that just steadied the ship at a time when we wobbled a little
bit and lost a few wickets. But again I go back to the point that we were only chasing two sixty instead of two to eighty two ninety three hundred, which would have been a different story.
I think sometimes we tend to underplay our team that was in that tournament because you look at the Indian side Ganngoli ten darker ratherd you've rustling and on and on and on, and the Pakistan side were a very good side as well. To beat both of them had to be an outstanding performance. And I suppose there are some parallels between that side and this current side at the champions Trophy right across the board. Team performance.
Yeah, it's one of the strengths of New Zealand teams over the years, isn't it That we don't and we can't rely on one or two players. Some of the other sides have that star quality, but we rely on every player and that Plane eleven or even the squad because we had got that came in and out of out of the squad, the Plane leven over those three games, just coming in and doing their job and every everyone does that, then we know that we're going to have a good day. And we had a very good side.
You know, Roger Teos was probably at the peak of his powers in terms of being one of the best One day International batters in the world at that stage. We had likes of Astor and Spaming at the top, who generally got us off to an explosive start. We had a lot of guys that we're all around us who could bowl a few overs chipping here, but it's a lot of all around cricketers that could do the job.
So it was a good, well blended New Zealand side that you know, it's still remarkable was that that's the only I guess white ball trophy that were won over all the years. We've got close in some other tournaments and we.
Yes we have indeed, but we won't bring those up. Chris Kens one hundred and two. You know, it was a run of ball innings. He could be a dynamic player. I'm sure you batted with and against him at times in in games where he was a dominant feature.
Yeah, I did obviously playing for Canterbury over the years with Chris as well, we spent a lot of time in the middle and I was just you know, always loved batting with him because he scored quickly for a start, so there was never any scoring pressure when you're out in the middle with Chris Kens, and you know, just the ability to hit the ball so hard that you could see it put fear in opposition bowling lineups at times because if he got going and he was in
a mood, then you know that there was going to
be some habit to pay. So I think the thing that stood out about that innings in that final against India was just the calmness because I think it was one hundred and two from one hundred and thirteen balls, which for Chris you would probably say this a little bit on the slow side, but he actually assessed the conditions and the situation of the game really well because we'd lost some wickets as I mentioned, and we just needed a partnership Chris Harris, who did that in a
number of times for New Zealand over the years, with probably the perfect foil in that partnership. And once they had sort of done that and got that partnership going, and I just sort of you could feel within the changing room too, the guy sitting there watching there was a thing to belief that, yes, we can do this sort of started to grow within the group, which was quite cool.
Yeah, And there was reports that Cans might not have played that game. He had an injury and didn't play in the semifinal against PAKISTANSI right.
Yeah, it is right. He didn't play against Pakistan in the semifinal. He was having an initie with his knee, so I think it was one of those fifty to fifty calls and in the end it was decided that he wouldn't play. Watching the end proved to be a bit of a master stroke because we got up over Pakistan and then he was fit enough to play in
the final. So I mean, he perhaps might have played in that semi final, but it would have been disappointing if we hadn't got up there, and then he was available for the final, so that was I guess another confidence booster have him back for that final after he was unavailable or not quite fit enough for that semi final against Bogustan.
You had some personal highs on those right through a long career and the ability to win matches and pick up results that might not have been expected. Where does something like this sit personally for you? And winning an ICC title just to.
Sit right up near the top one is to be fair because of the opposition and because it was effectively a mini World Cup, it was a new format. I think we'd played a previous one in ninety seven. I think I think we played that in Bangladesh and actually I think Zimbabwe might have even knocked us out of the tournament. So it was one of those tournaments that was a straight knockout, so that always put pressure on we've done well previously at World Cups and got to
semi finals. For the team to actually get over the line and win a final was something very special and something that we cherished very highly because you know, we never in New Zealand teams went into any tournament, whether it was a champions Trophy or a will Cut, we were never the favorites. We were generally one of the dark horses that people didn't talk a lot about. So to actually come away with the silverware from that tournament was something very special.
Was that because you didn't have obviously potential match whiners. I mean we look at that side now we know what type of cricketer Nathan Asta was, Fleming two's kens, etc. But there were some players that didn't make a lot of international impact that Shane O'Connor was an outstanding left unbliso was Jeff Allott and they played significant roles around that era.
Didn't they They surely did. Yeah, there was a number of players through that era that probably didn't have long international careers and an injury for a number of them was the reason for that. Jeff Ellot in a prime example, who had back issues and didn't play half as many games as what he could have or should have if
he had been injury free. I think once when I look back at it, that era international crifting here was very strong and I look at Australia, I look at Pakistan, I look at India, I look at South Africa and they were very very strong sides. And if you go back through time and you look at those teams through that period, there'd be probably half a dozen players in each of those sides that would be their greatest, would
make their greatest all time eleven. So it was a very strong era that you know, we had very good players as we mentioned, good expected players, but we're up against them, some of the greats of the world at that particular time for them, very strong side, so we've got most of the present and I guess was in the New Zealand way, we were quite happy with that.
We were happy being the underdogs and just going about our work and trying to surprise people and that's what we managed to do in that Champions Trophy.
Yeah, lovely memories there from Craig McMillan and a good victory for New Zealand. As we mentioned, they beat two quality sides, Pakistan and the Indian side in the final. I remember it because I called it off the TV on the telephone. I don't know why I was doing that. We didn't go to the competition in those days because it was costing too much. So I do have those memories. I don't know whether you remember that tournament. I just remember it because of the kens and things and the fact we won.
Well, especially yeah, especially because we won, and because it was it was over pretty quickly, wasn't it.
What did they play? Three matches games?
Yeah?
Well yeah, well and three pretty strong. I mean those two other sides they played. I know Maca mentioned Zimbabwe was strong, but they you know, it was that they came to New Zealand. I can remember you and I are commentating on it on the Test Series and I think Zimbabwe won it with the one of the Test Series against New Zealand here in New Zealand.
And it was the.
Players like Streak and the Longer and Paul strang And and you know the two Flower brothers, Alistair campbell Is and they guy Whittle remember him. He bowled for mediums and could hit it as well. Yeah, as Stuart Carlisle and so on. So they were a strong side. They got you know New Zealand got two sixty and bowled them out. But then the Pakistan side was said, Mohammed Yusuf in zam arm Remember that jogger e jaz armored. He looked like he had spent his life on a track,
very bandy legg and yeah, that's right. And then it was he mentioned was Hem and Saklay Mushtak of course, but then there was Azama Mood and he was I think either Azra abd Razak. I think he's the bowling coach at the moment. I saw him the last night actually in the Yeah. So, and then Mowen Kahan was the captain, he was the wike keeper I think. So that was a strong side and they managed to be then that was a similar kind of total two fifty odd.
So well done in New Zealand there. I mean, that was a fantastic effort make us.
To all this.
And I just wonder whether you have any thoughts on the lack cap performance of beating the pakistanis three times.
Yeah, it shouldn't be underestimated how difficult that is to do, to be Pakistan and their own conditions not only once but three times within a sort of two week period. So an excellent start from the New Zealand boys. And one of the key things about these champions Trophies and Will Cups as momentum, and once you have momentum, then you can be a very hard thing to stop. So New Zealand looks. I thought they did an excellent job
with the bat. Having two guys get hundreds always helps, but they just seem really comfortable in those Pakistan conditions. So guys did a good job with the ball. Fielding was good. So yeah, the perfect start and it's one of those ones where you lose a game and you're almost out of the tournament. So it was just what they needed. And I guess now with that went over Pakistan with two matches left to play, destiny is in their own hands and that's what you always want at these tournaments.
As I was saying to you, I was eating a little bit of humble pie because I had reservations about Tom Latham batting at number five. He hadn't been in great form. I'm happy to eat that humble pint it out. What a good way to answer your critics.
Yeah, well, he's a quantity player and has been over a long period of time. I think, if he would say himself, he's probably been a little bit of shorter runs in terms of his high standard over the last season was But I guess what you get with the likes of Tom Latham that when they play well, they win your matches. And that hundred was crucial. Really seventy for three. There was a little bit of a wobble,
wasn't there for New Zealand. But Will Young and Tom Latham really sort of solidified that New Zealand batting performance and allowed the likes of Glen Phillips to come in and put the finishing touches on. So, yeah, we know what a quality player. Tom Latham is one of the experienced players in that side. And I guess that's the other thing from back in two thousand is the experienced players that stand up and lead the way in New Zealand.
Will need that this tournament as well. So that was an excellent start.
Did you ever take a catch like Glenn Thilpe's too, I.
Couldn't move like that was to begin with, so no, no, I don't remember ever taking a catch like that. I remember occasionally the ball would five past you and you'd stick up a hand to the guy on the boundary that it was coming his way. But that's the thing with Glen Phillips. He takes those catches. I've seen him drop some really easy catches as well, which sort of you shake your head and think, how can he take those catches and drop the odd easy one? But he
is electric to hea in the field. He just gives you that energy which everyone feeds off and quite often some of those catches that he pulls off. Have seen it in test matches back home, haven't we. It can be game changing and that's why he's such an important player and expected player in this New Zealand lineup and.
Roll with the White Fans. You celebrated something with them, of course, they won a title and you've continued that involvement in enjoying.
That, loving it was. It's just great to be back in coaching. I had five to six years out of coaching doing the commentary and after finishing up with the men's side as Banning coach, So it's nice to be back in coaching and loving being part of the White Fans coaching set up. The girls did something very special in Dubai last year, winning the T twenty World Cup, which you know, we had gone into that tournament under
a bit of pressure. We've had a number of losses, but I guess as coaching stuff, we saw the improvements that the girls were making and despite not getting the winds on the board, we saw those improvements and then we had a three week period where everything clicked, the stars aligned and the girls just played out of their skin as we knew they could do. So that was a very special three week period that you know, we'll go down to New Zealand history is something very special.
So yeah, I am loving it. It's great to be back involved. We've got Sri Lanka in Australia coming to our shores later in the summer.
Sies.
It's a busy summer ahead in the next week while, so looking forward to that. But yeah, great to be back involved again.
Yeah, lovely memories there from Craig McMillan and a good victory for New Zealand. As we mentioned, they beat two quality sides where a couple more games to go New Zealand can qualify for a semi final that we will be watching with the great anticipation Bangladesh and then the India. So that is all a hitless. You're going to get
some sleep, JC, because we're going to need it. There are a lot, a lot of games to be played in a very short space of time, and I don't want you having an out on the town nightlife.
I've got I've got my brother and his wife coming down once, dear me, and they've they've insisted that we go out.
Look, I promise, I promise.
I'll just drink sort of a sparkling water, of course, and he'll be bringing some of his product, of course.
That's right, he will, he will, mate, you know that.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to Monday's the next game, isn't it Monday Night?
It is, indeed, yep, Yeah, yeah, we'll look forward to that one. And then the game against India will reflect on those two games in our next on the ground foot, shall we.
Yep, absolutely looking forward to it, all right, Take care, jeez, cheer mate, as long as one of us are away.
Summer.
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