December 20, 2024 • 18 mins
This year's domestic Twenty20 Super Smash cricket event will feature a set final venue - Wellington's Basin Reserve - for both the women's and men's competitions.
To preview the season ahead, Adam Cooper was joined by Kate Chandler and Logan van Beek from the Blaze and Firebirds.
The Wellington teams begin their season in Hamilton on January 1, before hosting their first matches at the Basin Reserve on January 9.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well The show piece of ents of the domestic summer
of cricket is the twenty twenty Super Smash competition. The
Blaze come into the women's events reigning champions after winning
their eighth title at the end of last season, more
than any other team. Such an impressive recent record. The
Blaze have a bit of abrupt news out of the
Blaze camp yesterday though, with coach Lance Dry stepping down
(00:22):
suddenly and moving to a men's role with Cricket Wellington
Now the vacant position is unappointed as of yet for
the Firebirds. They head in after being beaten semi finalists
last season, so the comp starts on Boxing Day. The
Blaze and Firebirds first are in action on New Year's
Day against Northern Districts in Hamilton. All the season again
(00:43):
as double headers men's and women's games together right through
the competition. So to look ahead. Great to welcome in
this morning members of both the Blaze and Firebirds, Kate
Chandler and Logan Van Beek to preview their campaigns. Morning
to both of you, thanks for coming in.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Awesome to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Good to have you both. It'll be nice that we've
would have had a little bit more cricket, a little
bit more weather and there's these last couple of days
that was a bit more handy to cricket. But cap firstly,
just we've got the White Ferns in town at the moment.
How cool is that just for the whole cricket scene
here to hopefully have a couple of games today and Monday.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, so I mean the basin especially Wellington loves loves
one's cricket, loves watching them play. So it's cool to
get the White fans here for all three games. So
hopefully they can get on for at least at least
a couple.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
And your Blaze teammates have you know, a lot of
them are a big part of the White Ferns set up.
You know, how much do you benefit from having them,
you know, have some international success like this year and
come back into the Blaze environment.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, it's huge. I mean, like that's literally what you do,
especially as one of the younger ones in the Blaze environment.
It's just like trying to learn all the time, Like
you just in the net to be like okay, like
merely what would you do now? Like that is pumping you,
Like what would you do what would you bowl? Like,
what's you have the field? So it's literally like them
coming back with all of this knowledge and literally just
passing it through and then from there I can get
(01:59):
it and then filter it. I don't know whoever, I'm
playing with under nine teams or something amazing Logan.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I feel like every year we drag you in from
prefab to come and do the slot here and they
look ahead to the season and every year we talk
about how great your form's been in the early part
of the season plunket shielded most particularly some fifers centuries
won against Auckland in the same game early season four.
You seem to love it well.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Actually, going into the season, I've never had a five
for or one hundred at the basin in first class
cricket and so it was a bit of a monkey
on the back really, and I kind of thought about
it at the start of the season.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I said, well, that'll be nice if.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
I could actually take that off, and yeah, thankfully to
do it in one game early in the season, tick
that goal off, get the monkey off the back.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It was a nice feeling.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
And compared to doing it at other places around the
country in different provincial colors as well. How nice doing
it four Wellings and at the Basin.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Yeah, the Basin's become my home. It's my favorite ground
that I play at all around the world. And yeah,
there's no bitter feeling than to do it there. I
just you know, it's great that has We've had a
lot of success on. We've had some bad memories on
as well, but it's such a wonderful ground. I love
it hads in the city. You know, you even just
(03:08):
get passer by is going off to work or coming
home from work, sitting down for five ten minutes. It's
just a really cool ground, the cool atmosphere. I love
playing there.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Okay, you probably not as much cricket as you would
have liked at this point of the season. Bit of
an injury. Can you tell us a bit more about
that and sort of what you're targeting, what kind of
work you're going through to get that under control.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, so I've sort of had a little shoulder problems
for a while, went over with the New Zealand development
girls over to play in the tri series in Australia
and dove on it. That just sort of popped in
and out and tore which wasn't great news, but good
thing is you can hold off for surgery until hopefully
aiming to try and get picked for the World Cup,
(03:48):
the Under nineteen twelve Cup in Malaysia and Jan So yeah,
I've just been working towards that. So you're a little
bit gutting to not play any Crackett leading up, but
you'll hopefully maybe get on for a Super Smash game
and then your fingers cross get picked in that team
to go.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Yeah, all the best with that news obviously just dropping
in the last twenty four hours or so, but of
a change of coach right right on the cusp of
Super Smash, Lance Dry moving to a wider role with
with Cricket Wellington and leaving the Blaze. Tell us a
bit about that. I guess how the team's responded to
that news.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yeah, obviously we've had like a lot of success with
Lance in the last three years or so. It's been
awesome for us. But it's exciting for him new role
and the team's ready for new challenge coming into the
Supersmash looking to go back to back. I mean, yeah,
we always do pretty well in the Super Smash, so
be exciting to see how the team goes with a
new new coach.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
I mean, you've been part of the setup for many
years now, despite you know, being such a young age,
still at school and everything like that until this year.
Tell us just what he's meet to you as a coach.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, it huge.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Lance is one of those one I think we've had
so much success with. I think the biggest thing with
the Blazer is everyone's like focusing on doing their own role.
Like when I go out to play, I'm not worrying
about like what Merely's doing, and I'm not trying to
be merely either when I go there. It's not my
role to score all the runs and take all the
work out site. It's just about everyone on the team
trying to be as best and execute their role as
(05:08):
best they can. And Lance has been huge on that.
Not worrying about the other team or worrying about anything else.
You worry on what you can do and what you're
trying to execute. So that's what's been super successful for
us over the last couple of seasons.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And Logan he has spent time with the Firebirds in
the past, you know, and to just to know that
he'll still be part of cricket Wellington. I guess there's
a lot to be learned from someone that's been a
stalwart of cricket here for so many years.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It is I just firstly, I love hearing what Kate's
talking about around her understanding her role and you know,
talking about the white fans coming back and it's just
so cool to hear a young player talk like that
and come into environment.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So that's awesome Kate.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
But for Lance, like he is a competitive guy and
one thing that I love about Lance is that as
soon as he comes into that environment, he wants to win.
He did it for a long time at East and
he brought that into the Firebirds when he was an
assistant coach before going with the Blaze. And it's cool
to hear that he's going to be kind of instilling
that competitiveness to a wider ranger guys under nineteen's wider
(06:07):
squad hopefully you know with us of the Byebirds as well.
But that's his number one strength is providing that competitive
edge and finding ways to win matches.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Kate obviously winning the trophy last year in Auckland was amazing.
A shame that it couldn't be in Wellington in front
of home fans. It was a pretty empty Eden Park
unfortunate least so to know firstly the approaching the season
finals are going.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
To be at the base in Reserve regardless.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
How exciting is that.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah, it's so cool. I mean, like the Basin is
by far my favorite place, and I think the whole
Blazer's favorite place to play, and we always get a
big crowded Yea, it was a bit weird playing at
eden Park, like big massive stadium with not many people
in it. But yeah, it's cool to know that no
matter and even if we're not playing in the final,
that we can all get down and Wellington will get
(06:55):
around whoever's playing. We know that it's going to be
a full back no matter what when it comes to finals. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Now, Poney on his show later today are debating where
the home of cricket in New Zealanders And I don't
think there'll be many people and this this whole region
that would say anything other than the Basin logan, but
you'd have a few Canterbury mates that might start to
say otherwise.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Now.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yeah, the thing is I grew up with Lancaster Park
and that was the home of cricket for me. Growing up,
I saw the development of Hagley Oval. I played on
Hagley Oval for Canterbury before it was the banks were up.
We played at Ring Europe for a long time in
Queen Kibi two for a while, but having played in
(07:34):
the Basin for the last eight years, it's been it's
had you know, fifty or nearly sixty tests there. It's
been one of the kind of the grounds that you know,
New Zealand always goes to. I think it's hard to
argue that it has to be the home of cricket
in Wellington's got the museum there if that's anything to
go by, but it's it's definitely a ground that steeped
(07:55):
in history. And I know that guys who come from
out of side, out of town, specially the Black Caps guys,
they love playing the Basin And so I think that's
a pretty easy discussion on that front for pining later
on this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Yeah, I hope. So, I'm sure be a few Cantabrians
ringing up and people from around the country. And in
terms of the motivation levels to be wanting to make
that final, how much does it add to I guess,
you know, planning, just seeing that it's going to be
at the Basin no matter who's in this final, and wanting.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
To be there.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
One of my highlights of my career was when the
Blaze and the Firebirds won on the same day. It
was very similar day like this, a gloomy, gloomy day,
but that feeling of both teams winning, both teams in
the same changing room, both celebrating to the kind of
little hours in the morning, it was just an amazing
feeling and something that I'd love to replicate. And when
(08:45):
heard that the finals are going to be the Basin
straight away, you know, the motivation levels went straight up.
And I think the group that we've got, we've got
a big squad, a big contingent of black Caps kind
of coming in and out, and I'm excited for to
see you who steps up. Especially in these first few
rounds with the black Caps been away, there's opportunities for
guys to step up and put their name into that
(09:07):
twilve because pretty much after round four, most of the
black Caps is going to be available, and so it's
exciting to see who's going to step up, some new
names to come into the fray. But yeah, that cherry
or that carrot at the end of the season to
play at the basin is something that we're all striving for.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Kate for a lot of the younger players in the
Blaze saying, you know, Georgia Plummer burst onto the scene
an international cricket obviously sadly injured right now, but also
the likes of Jess and merely Kerr also stepping up
to international duties through the season. How much of an
opportunity does that present to you and some of the
other players when that opens up key spots in the
Wellington Blaze at points of the season.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, Dore's I mean, cricket's a game of opportunity slightly.
You get a moment and you're sort of like you
can see, see's that chance. So yeah, here it's a
bit of a shame to have g out for a
little while, but it is like exciting. There's especially in
T twenty cricket come out. You can have a day
out and yeah it can put you in selectors, coaches,
eyes and minds and stuff for the future. So yeah,
(10:09):
it's exciting for younger players to be looking at those spots.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
How has it been juggling school and cricket, You know,
at a top level for quite a few years now.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Yeah, it's never sort of been too bad. He's sort
of been able to get stuff in before and after school.
I think this year probably a little bit more going
into my study periods and stuff like that. Probably a
few teachers have maybe missing me a little bit, but
you know, it's been good. It's been good being able
to get my training in sort of in and around
school and still being out of tick, although I've had
a lot of teachers been good to me and help
(10:38):
me out just trying to get everything done.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
But yeah, it's good.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Actually cricket lines up pretty well with the summer holidays,
so I haven't missed too much.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
And what's he planned for next year?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
I'm going to go to UNI here in Wellington, going
to go into the halls. Yeah. With getting surgery early
next year and sort of having a pretty long rehab stint,
I thought I might hang around here and keep getting
all my training and rehaving stuff done because I've got
a huge support network with Cracket, Wellington, the Blaze and
it's been really good.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Well, that's great. Glad you're not moving away for you
UNIUE because you didn't want any other associations pouncing and
trying to get a good player signed on their books.
Logan Red Bull Cricket last year obviously the highlight from
a five minutes perspective, How I guess if you approached U, Ye,
it took a while to get a win and the
Red Bull stuff at the start of the season. But
using that success and translating it into all formats over
the summer, how you kind of going about that.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Yeah, it's really been a mixed start. You know, we
had a meeting before the player shield started going. You know,
we're here to defend the title. We want to use
that momentum we had last season, and we had a
bit of a faulter, you know that first game. We
had the game in our grass and we got a
little bit concerned about the weather. The next on day
four and we try to rush it in the end
of day three and we paid the price for that.
(11:50):
I've just been a little bit cavalier or you know,
loose with our shop making. Then we went into the
next match against Otigo thinking, okay, cool, we'll get back
on the horse here, and again we couldn't quite nail
those crucial moments. The game ends up in a drawer.
We go to CD a similar situation where we just
never really hit our straps, a few crucial moments that
(12:12):
we didn't take advantage of, and so going into that
Auckland match, we were definitely like, all right, it's time
to really nail those moments and recognize those key moments
of Okay, this is the moment that we need to
for the next hour. Let's try and get two or
three wickets here. Well, let's not lose a wicket the
next hour. Kind of cricket cliches that you use in
(12:32):
those moments. But that was the difference in that match
and guys stepping up with Peter taking ten wickets, you know,
Michael Bracewaw coming in with his five wickets, Nick Kelly
just oozing with form right now another one hundred, and
so that is all bodes well going into a super Smash.
It's a bit strange to see they're not playing at
(12:52):
Christmas Eve at the base and a game that I'm
going to miss, and it's the first time that we
haven't really had a game in around Christmas. We don't
play till the first and so you know, with guys
are going away and it's gonna be good to freshen up,
and I think we're all going to be excited getting
back together come the twenty seven, twenty eighth and ready
to kind of go headfirst into this super smash.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Yeah, and what was it just before? I forget asked
about Pete Young Husband, because you know he was sort
of on the fringes in some of the formats only
a couple of seasons ago. But his wicket taking and
I imagine his ability to ease some of the workload
of some of the quicks and the team is really
you know, what's helped make Wellington pretty competitive, especially in
that plunket shield last year.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Pete Young Husband has got a really cool story. You
know he from twenty to thirty. I remember he came
and stayed in my flat in twenty fourteen fifteen. He
was kind of early twenties, really desperate to try and
make the Cannery side, a little bit lost and don't
really know what to do, decides to move to Wellington.
Then he has the next kind of three or four
years as the super sub for the black Caps, and
(13:52):
he was traveling New Zealand as the super subfielder and
became known as the just a good fielder. Always trying
to be you know, try and make the Wellington side
full time. And you know he kind of speaks on
you know, I'm running out of time, running out of time.
But he's such a fit guy. He puts so much
effort into his improving as a player.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
He's he's you know, he's thirty four now.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
But I've told him, I keep repeating this to him,
is that your thirty to forty is your creer career.
That's going to be, you know, the time that you're
going to shine. And you know, he went kind of
head to head with arguably the second miss Leak spinner
in the country with Addie Ashok, a young guy who's
who's probably going to play a lot for New Zealand,
and took you know, ten wickets and showed that you know,
(14:36):
he's he's right up there.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
With the spinners in the country.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
And you know, I wouldn't be surprised if, you know,
he if he continues his form, continues to take wickets,
has Estella super smashed.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Why not play for New.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Zealand And you know, I I am really happy to
have Peter on my team. You know, he's electric in
the field, his ability with the batter is, you know,
amazing to have down the order, and you know his
bowling is now going from stream stream to Trent. So
with him and tandem with Michael Bracewell and rutcham Ravendra,
I'm excited. I'm excited to see how these guys go,
(15:11):
and especially with the likes of Sears coming back, Nathan
Smith is full of confidence at the moment, so you
know we're going to have a very formidable bowling lineup
which I'm excited to join.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, great, Kate. I know New Year's Days, as you
guys have mentioned, first game for both teams trip up
to Hamilton to meet Normal. But I don't know who
is the biggest rival for the Blaze and the domestic scene.
Who do you have those grudge matches with that you
love getting the wins over.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
I don't know. We've had a few, a few over
the Wall obviously. We had that two actually close games
against CD, sort of pretty close and around each other,
and it's that final. I think that'd be they'd be
wanting to next time they play some Super Smash. They
definitely have that in the back of their minds. But yeah,
I mean, I mean, especially in T twenty crack. I
(15:56):
mean when the games can just one performance, you just
sort of get it taken away from you. Especially with
international players coming in for other teams, you know, it
would be cooled. There definitely be some a few Coast
Sons this year.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Yeah, Logan beating Canterbury, I imagine there's always top of
your list.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Exactly right, yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Now Canterbury probably the side that you know, They've got
a deep squad as well, playing of bowling options, plenty
of black Caps that come back into the side. But
now I'm looking forward to my battles with my old
flatmates of meh Henry and Tom Latham. I always like
to get it one up on them. They got one
up on me last year, so you know that those
games have a special place for me. But look, it's
(16:38):
you play long enough, you play against you know. There's
a good thing about New Zealand domestic cricket is that
all the sides can win on a on their day.
There's no real kind of definite front runner. You just
never know. And so every game, if you go add
another cricket cliche, you know, state prison, one game at
a time, YadA, YadA, YadA. But I think the main
(16:58):
thing is just trying to get a moment If we
get some momentum at the right time, I'm sure we'll
be at the basin of the finals day.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And just finally on from your perspective as someone that
plays a lot of cricket around the world, obviously with Netherlands,
with some other franchises and things up in Europe as well,
the future of the domestic New Zealand T twenty competition.
You know, with seeing Deven Conway opt out of a
central contract this year, do you have confidence that you know,
there's just still going to be the say staff hour,
but you know just that the top level of cricketers
(17:27):
that that prioritize a domestic league in New Zealand like this.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
I think it's come into a head. I think there's
got to be something in the next few years in
terms of how do we freshen this comp up. You know,
there's been talks of franchising over my fourteen years I've
been around. Obviously a lot of the T twenty comps
are franchised owned, but you know, there's got to be
something that's got to come where the New Zealand Super
(17:51):
Smash is attractive to overseas players overseas viewing, and you know,
I'd love to see it kind of grow and not
just kind of fizzle out and guys choosing to play elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Obviously it's hard to.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
Compete with the money that they get offered there, but
we've got to do something to make the Super Smash
something that's attractive to the world audience and.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Today well interesting times ahead, but it is an exciting
point of the season, so thanks guys for popping in,
really appreciate it. First game at the Basin is January nine,
so hopefully a lot of people that aren't Luckinness be
getting away from Wellington for the break will be there
at the Basin and cheering you on and all the
very best for the season ahead.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Fantastic cheers, Adam, cheers. Thank you for more from News
Talks d B. Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio.
Well The show piece of ents of the domestic summer
of cricket is the twenty twenty Super Smash competition. The
Blaze come into the women's events reigning champions after winning
their eighth title at the end of last season, more
than any other team. Such an impressive recent record. The
Blaze have a bit of abrupt news out of the
Blaze camp yesterday though, with coach Lance Dry stepping down
(00:22):
suddenly and moving to a men's role with Cricket Wellington
Now the vacant position is unappointed as of yet for
the Firebirds. They head in after being beaten semi finalists
last season, so the comp starts on Boxing Day. The
Blaze and Firebirds first are in action on New Year's
Day against Northern Districts in Hamilton. All the season again
(00:43):
as double headers men's and women's games together right through
the competition. So to look ahead. Great to welcome in
this morning members of both the Blaze and Firebirds, Kate
Chandler and Logan Van Beek to preview their campaigns. Morning
to both of you, thanks for coming in.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Awesome to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Good to have you both. It'll be nice that we've
would have had a little bit more cricket, a little
bit more weather and there's these last couple of days
that was a bit more handy to cricket. But cap firstly,
just we've got the White Ferns in town at the moment.
How cool is that just for the whole cricket scene
here to hopefully have a couple of games today and Monday.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, so I mean the basin especially Wellington loves loves
one's cricket, loves watching them play. So it's cool to
get the White fans here for all three games. So
hopefully they can get on for at least at least
a couple.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
And your Blaze teammates have you know, a lot of
them are a big part of the White Ferns set up.
You know, how much do you benefit from having them,
you know, have some international success like this year and
come back into the Blaze environment.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, it's huge. I mean, like that's literally what you do,
especially as one of the younger ones in the Blaze environment.
It's just like trying to learn all the time, Like
you just in the net to be like okay, like
merely what would you do now? Like that is pumping you,
Like what would you do what would you bowl? Like,
what's you have the field? So it's literally like them
coming back with all of this knowledge and literally just
passing it through and then from there I can get
(01:59):
it and then filter it. I don't know whoever, I'm
playing with under nine teams or something amazing Logan.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I feel like every year we drag you in from
prefab to come and do the slot here and they
look ahead to the season and every year we talk
about how great your form's been in the early part
of the season plunket shielded most particularly some fifers centuries
won against Auckland in the same game early season four.
You seem to love it well.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Actually, going into the season, I've never had a five
for or one hundred at the basin in first class
cricket and so it was a bit of a monkey
on the back really, and I kind of thought about
it at the start of the season.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I said, well, that'll be nice if.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
I could actually take that off, and yeah, thankfully to
do it in one game early in the season, tick
that goal off, get the monkey off the back.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It was a nice feeling.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
And compared to doing it at other places around the
country in different provincial colors as well. How nice doing
it four Wellings and at the Basin.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Yeah, the Basin's become my home. It's my favorite ground
that I play at all around the world. And yeah,
there's no bitter feeling than to do it there. I
just you know, it's great that has We've had a
lot of success on. We've had some bad memories on
as well, but it's such a wonderful ground. I love
it hads in the city. You know, you even just
(03:08):
get passer by is going off to work or coming
home from work, sitting down for five ten minutes. It's
just a really cool ground, the cool atmosphere. I love
playing there.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Okay, you probably not as much cricket as you would
have liked at this point of the season. Bit of
an injury. Can you tell us a bit more about
that and sort of what you're targeting, what kind of
work you're going through to get that under control.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, so I've sort of had a little shoulder problems
for a while, went over with the New Zealand development
girls over to play in the tri series in Australia
and dove on it. That just sort of popped in
and out and tore which wasn't great news, but good
thing is you can hold off for surgery until hopefully
aiming to try and get picked for the World Cup,
(03:48):
the Under nineteen twelve Cup in Malaysia and Jan So yeah,
I've just been working towards that. So you're a little
bit gutting to not play any Crackett leading up, but
you'll hopefully maybe get on for a Super Smash game
and then your fingers cross get picked in that team
to go.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Yeah, all the best with that news obviously just dropping
in the last twenty four hours or so, but of
a change of coach right right on the cusp of
Super Smash, Lance Dry moving to a wider role with
with Cricket Wellington and leaving the Blaze. Tell us a
bit about that. I guess how the team's responded to
that news.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yeah, obviously we've had like a lot of success with
Lance in the last three years or so. It's been
awesome for us. But it's exciting for him new role
and the team's ready for new challenge coming into the
Supersmash looking to go back to back. I mean, yeah,
we always do pretty well in the Super Smash, so
be exciting to see how the team goes with a
new new coach.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
I mean, you've been part of the setup for many
years now, despite you know, being such a young age,
still at school and everything like that until this year.
Tell us just what he's meet to you as a coach.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, it huge.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Lance is one of those one I think we've had
so much success with. I think the biggest thing with
the Blazer is everyone's like focusing on doing their own role.
Like when I go out to play, I'm not worrying
about like what Merely's doing, and I'm not trying to
be merely either when I go there. It's not my
role to score all the runs and take all the
work out site. It's just about everyone on the team
trying to be as best and execute their role as
(05:08):
best they can. And Lance has been huge on that.
Not worrying about the other team or worrying about anything else.
You worry on what you can do and what you're
trying to execute. So that's what's been super successful for
us over the last couple of seasons.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And Logan he has spent time with the Firebirds in
the past, you know, and to just to know that
he'll still be part of cricket Wellington. I guess there's
a lot to be learned from someone that's been a
stalwart of cricket here for so many years.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It is I just firstly, I love hearing what Kate's
talking about around her understanding her role and you know,
talking about the white fans coming back and it's just
so cool to hear a young player talk like that
and come into environment.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So that's awesome Kate.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
But for Lance, like he is a competitive guy and
one thing that I love about Lance is that as
soon as he comes into that environment, he wants to win.
He did it for a long time at East and
he brought that into the Firebirds when he was an
assistant coach before going with the Blaze. And it's cool
to hear that he's going to be kind of instilling
that competitiveness to a wider ranger guys under nineteen's wider
(06:07):
squad hopefully you know with us of the Byebirds as well.
But that's his number one strength is providing that competitive
edge and finding ways to win matches.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Kate obviously winning the trophy last year in Auckland was amazing.
A shame that it couldn't be in Wellington in front
of home fans. It was a pretty empty Eden Park
unfortunate least so to know firstly the approaching the season
finals are going.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
To be at the base in Reserve regardless.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
How exciting is that.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah, it's so cool. I mean, like the Basin is
by far my favorite place, and I think the whole
Blazer's favorite place to play, and we always get a
big crowded Yea, it was a bit weird playing at
eden Park, like big massive stadium with not many people
in it. But yeah, it's cool to know that no
matter and even if we're not playing in the final,
that we can all get down and Wellington will get
(06:55):
around whoever's playing. We know that it's going to be
a full back no matter what when it comes to finals. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Now, Poney on his show later today are debating where
the home of cricket in New Zealanders And I don't
think there'll be many people and this this whole region
that would say anything other than the Basin logan, but
you'd have a few Canterbury mates that might start to
say otherwise.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Now.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yeah, the thing is I grew up with Lancaster Park
and that was the home of cricket for me. Growing up,
I saw the development of Hagley Oval. I played on
Hagley Oval for Canterbury before it was the banks were up.
We played at Ring Europe for a long time in
Queen Kibi two for a while, but having played in
(07:34):
the Basin for the last eight years, it's been it's
had you know, fifty or nearly sixty tests there. It's
been one of the kind of the grounds that you know,
New Zealand always goes to. I think it's hard to
argue that it has to be the home of cricket
in Wellington's got the museum there if that's anything to
go by, but it's it's definitely a ground that steeped
(07:55):
in history. And I know that guys who come from
out of side, out of town, specially the Black Caps guys,
they love playing the Basin And so I think that's
a pretty easy discussion on that front for pining later
on this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Yeah, I hope. So, I'm sure be a few Cantabrians
ringing up and people from around the country. And in
terms of the motivation levels to be wanting to make
that final, how much does it add to I guess,
you know, planning, just seeing that it's going to be
at the Basin no matter who's in this final, and wanting.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
To be there.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
One of my highlights of my career was when the
Blaze and the Firebirds won on the same day. It
was very similar day like this, a gloomy, gloomy day,
but that feeling of both teams winning, both teams in
the same changing room, both celebrating to the kind of
little hours in the morning, it was just an amazing
feeling and something that I'd love to replicate. And when
(08:45):
heard that the finals are going to be the Basin
straight away, you know, the motivation levels went straight up.
And I think the group that we've got, we've got
a big squad, a big contingent of black Caps kind
of coming in and out, and I'm excited for to
see you who steps up. Especially in these first few
rounds with the black Caps been away, there's opportunities for
guys to step up and put their name into that
(09:07):
twilve because pretty much after round four, most of the
black Caps is going to be available, and so it's
exciting to see who's going to step up, some new
names to come into the fray. But yeah, that cherry
or that carrot at the end of the season to
play at the basin is something that we're all striving for.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Kate for a lot of the younger players in the
Blaze saying, you know, Georgia Plummer burst onto the scene
an international cricket obviously sadly injured right now, but also
the likes of Jess and merely Kerr also stepping up
to international duties through the season. How much of an
opportunity does that present to you and some of the
other players when that opens up key spots in the
Wellington Blaze at points of the season.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, Dore's I mean, cricket's a game of opportunity slightly.
You get a moment and you're sort of like you
can see, see's that chance. So yeah, here it's a
bit of a shame to have g out for a
little while, but it is like exciting. There's especially in
T twenty cricket come out. You can have a day
out and yeah it can put you in selectors, coaches,
eyes and minds and stuff for the future. So yeah,
(10:09):
it's exciting for younger players to be looking at those spots.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
How has it been juggling school and cricket, You know,
at a top level for quite a few years now.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Yeah, it's never sort of been too bad. He's sort
of been able to get stuff in before and after school.
I think this year probably a little bit more going
into my study periods and stuff like that. Probably a
few teachers have maybe missing me a little bit, but
you know, it's been good. It's been good being able
to get my training in sort of in and around
school and still being out of tick, although I've had
a lot of teachers been good to me and help
(10:38):
me out just trying to get everything done.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
But yeah, it's good.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Actually cricket lines up pretty well with the summer holidays,
so I haven't missed too much.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
And what's he planned for next year?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
I'm going to go to UNI here in Wellington, going
to go into the halls. Yeah. With getting surgery early
next year and sort of having a pretty long rehab stint,
I thought I might hang around here and keep getting
all my training and rehaving stuff done because I've got
a huge support network with Cracket, Wellington, the Blaze and
it's been really good.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Well, that's great. Glad you're not moving away for you
UNIUE because you didn't want any other associations pouncing and
trying to get a good player signed on their books.
Logan Red Bull Cricket last year obviously the highlight from
a five minutes perspective, How I guess if you approached U, Ye,
it took a while to get a win and the
Red Bull stuff at the start of the season. But
using that success and translating it into all formats over
the summer, how you kind of going about that.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Yeah, it's really been a mixed start. You know, we
had a meeting before the player shield started going. You know,
we're here to defend the title. We want to use
that momentum we had last season, and we had a
bit of a faulter, you know that first game. We
had the game in our grass and we got a
little bit concerned about the weather. The next on day
four and we try to rush it in the end
of day three and we paid the price for that.
(11:50):
I've just been a little bit cavalier or you know,
loose with our shop making. Then we went into the
next match against Otigo thinking, okay, cool, we'll get back
on the horse here, and again we couldn't quite nail
those crucial moments. The game ends up in a drawer.
We go to CD a similar situation where we just
never really hit our straps, a few crucial moments that
(12:12):
we didn't take advantage of, and so going into that
Auckland match, we were definitely like, all right, it's time
to really nail those moments and recognize those key moments
of Okay, this is the moment that we need to
for the next hour. Let's try and get two or
three wickets here. Well, let's not lose a wicket the
next hour. Kind of cricket cliches that you use in
(12:32):
those moments. But that was the difference in that match
and guys stepping up with Peter taking ten wickets, you know,
Michael Bracewaw coming in with his five wickets, Nick Kelly
just oozing with form right now another one hundred, and
so that is all bodes well going into a super Smash.
It's a bit strange to see they're not playing at
(12:52):
Christmas Eve at the base and a game that I'm
going to miss, and it's the first time that we
haven't really had a game in around Christmas. We don't
play till the first and so you know, with guys
are going away and it's gonna be good to freshen up,
and I think we're all going to be excited getting
back together come the twenty seven, twenty eighth and ready
to kind of go headfirst into this super smash.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Yeah, and what was it just before? I forget asked
about Pete Young Husband, because you know he was sort
of on the fringes in some of the formats only
a couple of seasons ago. But his wicket taking and
I imagine his ability to ease some of the workload
of some of the quicks and the team is really
you know, what's helped make Wellington pretty competitive, especially in
that plunket shield last year.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Pete Young Husband has got a really cool story. You
know he from twenty to thirty. I remember he came
and stayed in my flat in twenty fourteen fifteen. He
was kind of early twenties, really desperate to try and
make the Cannery side, a little bit lost and don't
really know what to do, decides to move to Wellington.
Then he has the next kind of three or four
years as the super sub for the black Caps, and
(13:52):
he was traveling New Zealand as the super subfielder and
became known as the just a good fielder. Always trying
to be you know, try and make the Wellington side
full time. And you know he kind of speaks on
you know, I'm running out of time, running out of time.
But he's such a fit guy. He puts so much
effort into his improving as a player.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
He's he's you know, he's thirty four now.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
But I've told him, I keep repeating this to him,
is that your thirty to forty is your creer career.
That's going to be, you know, the time that you're
going to shine. And you know, he went kind of
head to head with arguably the second miss Leak spinner
in the country with Addie Ashok, a young guy who's
who's probably going to play a lot for New Zealand,
and took you know, ten wickets and showed that you know,
(14:36):
he's he's right up there.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
With the spinners in the country.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
And you know, I wouldn't be surprised if, you know,
he if he continues his form, continues to take wickets,
has Estella super smashed.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Why not play for New.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Zealand And you know, I I am really happy to
have Peter on my team. You know, he's electric in
the field, his ability with the batter is, you know,
amazing to have down the order, and you know his
bowling is now going from stream stream to Trent. So
with him and tandem with Michael Bracewell and rutcham Ravendra,
I'm excited. I'm excited to see how these guys go,
(15:11):
and especially with the likes of Sears coming back, Nathan
Smith is full of confidence at the moment, so you
know we're going to have a very formidable bowling lineup
which I'm excited to join.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, great, Kate. I know New Year's Days, as you
guys have mentioned, first game for both teams trip up
to Hamilton to meet Normal. But I don't know who
is the biggest rival for the Blaze and the domestic scene.
Who do you have those grudge matches with that you
love getting the wins over.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
I don't know. We've had a few, a few over
the Wall obviously. We had that two actually close games
against CD, sort of pretty close and around each other,
and it's that final. I think that'd be they'd be
wanting to next time they play some Super Smash. They
definitely have that in the back of their minds. But yeah,
I mean, I mean, especially in T twenty crack. I
(15:56):
mean when the games can just one performance, you just
sort of get it taken away from you. Especially with
international players coming in for other teams, you know, it
would be cooled. There definitely be some a few Coast
Sons this year.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Yeah, Logan beating Canterbury, I imagine there's always top of
your list.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Exactly right, yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Now Canterbury probably the side that you know, They've got
a deep squad as well, playing of bowling options, plenty
of black Caps that come back into the side. But
now I'm looking forward to my battles with my old
flatmates of meh Henry and Tom Latham. I always like
to get it one up on them. They got one
up on me last year, so you know that those
games have a special place for me. But look, it's
(16:38):
you play long enough, you play against you know. There's
a good thing about New Zealand domestic cricket is that
all the sides can win on a on their day.
There's no real kind of definite front runner. You just
never know. And so every game, if you go add
another cricket cliche, you know, state prison, one game at
a time, YadA, YadA, YadA. But I think the main
(16:58):
thing is just trying to get a moment If we
get some momentum at the right time, I'm sure we'll
be at the basin of the finals day.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And just finally on from your perspective as someone that
plays a lot of cricket around the world, obviously with Netherlands,
with some other franchises and things up in Europe as well,
the future of the domestic New Zealand T twenty competition.
You know, with seeing Deven Conway opt out of a
central contract this year, do you have confidence that you know,
there's just still going to be the say staff hour,
but you know just that the top level of cricketers
(17:27):
that that prioritize a domestic league in New Zealand like this.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
I think it's come into a head. I think there's
got to be something in the next few years in
terms of how do we freshen this comp up. You know,
there's been talks of franchising over my fourteen years I've
been around. Obviously a lot of the T twenty comps
are franchised owned, but you know, there's got to be
something that's got to come where the New Zealand Super
(17:51):
Smash is attractive to overseas players overseas viewing, and you know,
I'd love to see it kind of grow and not
just kind of fizzle out and guys choosing to play elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Obviously it's hard to.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
Compete with the money that they get offered there, but
we've got to do something to make the Super Smash
something that's attractive to the world audience and.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Today well interesting times ahead, but it is an exciting
point of the season, so thanks guys for popping in,
really appreciate it. First game at the Basin is January nine,
so hopefully a lot of people that aren't Luckinness be
getting away from Wellington for the break will be there
at the Basin and cheering you on and all the
very best for the season ahead.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Fantastic cheers, Adam, cheers. Thank you for more from News
Talks d B. Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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