Matt Henry: Black Caps and Canterbury Kings bowler on his career

Matt Henry is in the form of his life. 

He’s bowling for the Black Caps and the Canterbury Kings, gaining more continuity and playtime at the international level. 

Henry joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about his career. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, what a treat for us. This morning we are
chatting with the inform quick bowler for our Black Caps
and Canterbury Kings. Matt Henry, Good morning, Good morning. Well
you are in the form of your life, aren't you.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Ah, Yeah, and that's nice to be I suppose contributing
and stuff like that, and the ball's coming up nice,
which is great.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
I think you've got one of the best stories for
young people who are desperate to achieve their goals. I
think for a wee while while Trent Bolton tim sal
they were in their pomp, you were having to sit
on the sidelines, but you you perfected your game. Look
what's happening to you now?

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah, I suppose that is a good way to highlight
that everyone's journey slightly different and sometimes timing and sports
is quite important. And I think for me it's probably
just been a focus more on what I can control
and contribute to a team. And yeah, I think obviously
it's great to get more continbility, especially at the international
level at the moment, but yeah, I'm pretty happy with

(00:57):
how I've been going about.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
Is that what it's all about? Because sometimes you think
you know you're going from different formats, and I know
that you have to be flexible and you're going all
around the world that it's a tough get these days,
being a professional cricketer, it.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Can be tough, and I suppose that outlock on the
way you look at it can probably dictate that as well.
And I think it's still pretty lucky to be doing
what we're doing, and thankfully I do love it. So
I think England's been a huge part of my journey
in terms of not getting as much cricket as i'd
like at home and with opportunities, so kind of being
in the door down through other avenues and I suppose

(01:31):
being busy with different opportunities around the world and pushing
your case through that way.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Oh absolutely, and then having the courage to follow it,
because it's one thing to think that, it's another thing
to do it.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, I think that's the part. I think any athlete
you've got to have that belief in yourself. The most
of it. You're trying to contribute to team ones and
trying to, I suppose have an impact, whether it's through
your skill or whether it's off the field, And I
think that's probably something that I've prided myself on was
making sure that I'm always contributing some aspect, and especially

(02:01):
I suppose I've been in that New Zealand environment for
around ten years now and there has been a little
bit of sit on the sides. But I think you
can still obviously offer so much more than just being
on the field as well, So always looking to add
and just enjoying yourself a long way.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
And it must be so tempting, you know, now with
all the different balls that you can bowl, and depending
on the format that you're playing, what you choose to
bowl on any particular occasion.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
I think that just comes with I suppose time, and
the more you play, you're probably on your craft a
little bit more and you're probably confident in scenarios. And
I think that's the learning process, right You're going around
overseas and you're playing cricket and you get yourself in
some sort of scenario. Then you can recall on that's
the type of surface that was effective, and then you

(02:48):
can kind of call on those scales. So you're never
the finished article and you're always working on things and
trying to I suppose at deception. But for someone like myself,
actreacy is really important just always being I suppose working
on something and always trying to improve has always been
something that I've put a lot of energy.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Into and given that it is your work, I mean,
I guess it's the balance, isn't it between work and
home and your other part of your life.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, definitely, and I think that's a challenge for probably
most people. For me, a lot of it's been time
away from home just with the scenario that I've been
in with not probably getting that game time, a lot
of it has to have to be oc so Luckily,
I've got a very understanding and supportive wife and family
that have traveled a lot with me, and I suppose

(03:36):
they make those sacrifices as well, and it's something that
we've tried to enjoy the journey. You can't do it
forever playing cricket, so it's definitely something we love doing
and we've met some amazing people along the way and
exciting career so far.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
When you're playing at the very top level, whether it
be for the Black Caps in any form and now
in the Super Smash competition, but it's about having that
level being able to enjoy and relax a bit and
have fun.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, it's funny, isn't it. You play the game because
you love it, and then all of a sudden it
gets a little bit serious and there's obviously a lot
more on the line. So it's fine in that balance
of your enjoyment and obviously being I suppose I suppose
professional in that sense as well. But I think that's

(04:20):
the balance as in time and with the mental skills.
I suppose you're always working on those parts of your
game and that gives you confidence and your skill set,
and you do the work behind the scenes so you
can enjoy the game for why you fell in love
with it in the first place, I suppose. So, yeah,
it's not always fun tea twenty cricket, but you've got
to just try and enjoy that as a bowler, and yeah,

(04:44):
it's a great challenge, but you're.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Playing for your country. But then you go into a
franchise scenario, I mean it's possibly a little bit different
in terms of the support networks.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah, they're all different, and I think that's sometimes where
where you go is can be quite important. And I
think I've been very fortunate in the franchise world. I've
always been in really good sides that have a really
good balance of those things, and I've always found myself
in a team that has a good, I suppose a
really healthy team environment, which goes such a long way

(05:17):
when you're spending time away from home and everyone's going
in there with I suppose the main goal is to
win that tournament, but there's obviously a personal growth along
the way and people are working on different things as well,
So finding that balance and I suppose going there with
an intention of becoming a better player or adding to
an environment, whether you're a senior player or whether your

(05:39):
first time being away, there's always things you can add.

Speaker 1 (05:42):
To a group in terms of what you've done already.
This year, you think of that fantastic three nil Test
series against India in India, then it was a bit
tough coming back here playing England and sometimes you know,
with social media and things like that, it's a bit
of an undulating ride.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, I think that's the piece that everyone will have
the opinions that's and that's that's a good thing. We're
representing our country and I think we do it proudly
and we want to represent everyone and and do our
best out there. So that comes with the territory and
I think it's the ability to I suppose trust the
work that you're doing and your game plans is that

(06:18):
things have to change sometimes in terms of your tactics
and whatnot, but usually you're going in with with that
confidence that you know, if you do things right, that
you'll be on the right side of that result and
that continue growth programs. It's quite a there's a lot
of cricket to come, so trying to really nail those
those key things that the team is really important and
going away to India and be able to execute that

(06:39):
and what was an incredible series one and then yeah,
and in England we knew that even though the first
the first game didn't go away and we weren't, we
knew that if we actually do what we're doing, we
will be on the right side of it. And it
was great to show that in the third third game
that when we do get it right, we can we

(07:01):
can do some pretty amazing things.

Speaker 1 (07:03):
Oh no doubt about that. How much faster can you
get or does pace actually matter that much?

Speaker 2 (07:10):
I think pace is important. I think everyone's skill and
role probably dictates it as well. I think if and
in your formats you want to meet for me, making
sure that I'm buying a heavy ball is really important
to me and something that I'm always trying to continue
to work on. I probably not too concerned about buying
one hundred and fifty k's anymore, but as long as

(07:31):
I'm getting up there around that one, for I'm pretty
content that that's a good place for me to be.
So short formats really important to make sure you've still
got a lot of energy on the ball and keeping
the betters on their toes.

Speaker 1 (07:42):
As I said right at the beginning, you are in
the form of your life. Were loving watching you and
just your consistency at the moment, and not only that,
your hands great catching whack the ball as well. And
how long is it before we can actually call you
a genuine all rounder?

Speaker 2 (07:56):
Oh, that'd be a nice tag to have. Yeah, I
don't know about that, but I suppose benning is always
important and you've got to keep working on it.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
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