December 4, 2024 • 10 mins
David Gower is a cricketing great who played 117 test matches for England - many of them as captain of the side.
He's in Wellington to commentate the second test between England and the Blackcaps at the Basin Reserve. He joined Nick Mills to discuss what to expect, the side's best performers, and the controversial decision to fine players for the slow over rate in the first test.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
At b We've got a very very special guest. We
have been chasing around trying to get someone from the
English team or the organization to have a little bit
of a chat because it's Test Match week in Wellington
and doesn't ever ever get any bigger than England versus
New Zealand at the Basin Reserve. It's the pinnacle of
cricket for cricket lovers. England visiting us at the base
(00:35):
In Reserve. We think the Basin Reserve, Wellingtonians think the
Basin Reserve's the best ground in the world. I love it.
Spent many, many many an hour there. Former test great
from England we have got online David Gower.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Good morning, David, very good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Well thank you for joining us. First impressions of the
Basin when you first arrived into Wellington, Well.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm not there yet to be honest, but I have
been before. I love the base.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
No, the Basin is one of those grounds that I
played there. That's three thousand years ago, nineteen eighty four.
I think I didn't have a great time, but I
love the base and for his character, because there are
so few grounds in the world left now which have
that sort of history character position. The only thing, of course,
we all hate about it is the wind, but that
adds to the interest.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So now I will be there.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
I've been well into this afternoon and we'll look forward
to a good game.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Okay, tell us about the welded conditions, because I haven't
made a few England internationals over the years, and they
all moan and grown that they have to take two
jerseys just in case it's cold and suddenly comes through
your bowlers moan and the bedars can't see the ball.
We all heard it all before. Isn't that bigger deal?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Well, it's I mean, there are other grounds in the
world where conditions vary. I mean, I suppose one of
the most famous is the Whacker and Perth, the old
Whacker where the Fremantle doctor would come in and change
things around. And the story is this you just adopt.
Obviously the black Caps know all about it. England will
know from we've got a key we coach, haven't so
we've got Brent mcculluch and tell them all about it,
(02:04):
and who himself of course has done for Well, they're
in the past, so they will be prepared. If someone's
got a ball into a strong win, so be it.
But I think the key thing is that England know
that they've got off to a great start. They know
that they have a team that can compete and they
will just be hoping that New Zealand continues to drop catches.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
We won't talk about the drop catches right now. As
a traditionalist, as what I would call an English traditionalist,
I'm a self proclaimed England fan of cricket. How did
you feel when Brendan mcallum was first given the job?
I mean, I understand one day as in twenty twenty,
but actual test match coach, what did you think yourself?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
It was one of those things that took a lot
of people by surprise. Rockie, who runs the England team
back in ECB headquarters in London, was the man responsible
and obviously with hindsight we're delighted because he's brought a
culture to the England team which is absolutely lovely.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
He knows it's.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
The atmosphere in the dressing but it's the culture in
the dressingroo that I think is the thing where people
feel comfortable valued. All these sorts of things you know
they are. They are relaxed.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I won't say that don't care.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
If they win all whose that have been an exaggeration,
but they take failure as easy as success. They obviously
aim for success, and I think that culture has been very,
very important. I think they love playing under random and
under Ben Stokes, who's equally part of that. So it
gives them a really, really good cabescure edge.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Okay, I want to ask you one pacific question about betting,
because I've fallen in love over one game of the Sky,
Ben Ducket. I mean, to me, here England always seems
to have one of those guys, and I think that
you were later in your career that guy as well,
where they become the character the I don't know the
persona of it. And this guy with his bleach blonde here,
(03:58):
he's going to be it, doesn't he?
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Well, Ben, there's a free spirit for sure, there's an
extraordinary stroke player. I mean he's changed the rules of
opening bassing for sure. I mean I appreciate that understand
that there is a certain element of risk and reward,
but his figures show that that's kind of worked out. Okay,
it makes it exciting. I mean, he's one of these
players at the modern era where they try and put
(04:23):
the pressure back on opening bowlers straight away.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
There's no sort of playing yourself when.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
There's no sort of gentle reconnaissance, you know, trying to
blunt the new ball detensively for an hour and a half.
Sometimes it works. When it works, it's spectacularly good. When
it doesn't, then someone else comes in. It's that that's again,
that's the culture where they don't they don't worry about
someone having a bad day or an unproductive day. They say, right,
(04:47):
the next amoan will do it. And of course when
you've got a batting lineup that goes down to pretty
much number ten. We saw at Hagley, Atkinson and cast
you know, the two bowlers. We're very very capable, dyed
with the bat. So that's what length the batting lineup
is equally important. So they can bat deep, they can
take so they can score quickly. Most of the time
(05:09):
it seems to work for them sometimes, you know, the
last two or three years of this new ragion there
have been blowouts, but they bounced back so overall it
makes it exciting to watch. Actually, one of the great
points about the greatest picture is that test cricket is
und so much pressure from a short form of the
game around the world that someone has to make it
(05:32):
interesting to watch. And it's not obviously just Esland part
from it. I mean, it's some very good sides out there,
including New Zealand, but everyone has to play according to
their strengths. So I think the more close games we have,
the more exciting games we have, the more chance we
have of preserving what people like me absolutely adore, which
is the highest form of the game, which is test cricket.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
The same same here. Now a couple of quick guns
before I let you go, and I really appreciate you're
having a time with this. David Gower English great cricket.
I want. I was an absolute fan of this guy.
For me to actually even interview might feel pretty goofy
about it. Joe Root, how good is he?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Very good? Brilliant? The figures are extraordinary.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
He is one of those people that proves you can
be a nice guy and succeed in high level sport.
He's flirted with some of the worst parts of bastball,
but he's also worked out that he has. The way
Joe Route plays is as good as anyone. And it's
a lovely contest in the sense within a contest when
you have roots against Williamson. Two of the absolute best
(06:33):
players in the world today have been for the last decade.
You know, they are people who understand the game, love
the game, love batting. They look good, you know, they
are great to watch, and yeah, I think you'll find
that the world at mars them as much as I
do should.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Both teams have been fined for slow over rate, you know,
not doing the overs. When the tist Mitch finished in
three and a half days.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Well, it's one of the bug bears the modern game.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
It's a it's half a defense, it's it's a it's
a weak defense to say, you know, they won the
game in three and a half days and all the
rest of it, because there is a sort of a
reality behind it, or that if you've paid, you paid
for days tickets and it's quite expensive nowadays around the
world to watch, says Cricket, and you're being short changed.
You are entitled to be a little bit disappointed. No
(07:23):
one seems to bowl ninety goers in the day, even
with the extra half hour. People dawdle. There's has to
been no penalty that seems to work on captions and
you've been deducted points in the World Test Championship. Means
nothing to England because they're well out of it, so
they can pretend it doesn't matter, but it's it's just
one of those impossibilities to try and persuade people to
(07:43):
bowlder overs more quickly. It's in the same time. And
I also side which you know, if it's entertaining and
you have a good day out and someone puts on
a show, well that's that's actually more important.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
You would know both of these people pretty damn well.
Graham thought in Martin Crow and then trophy that England
and New Zealand are playing for. I knew Martin personally,
what an amazing he was an amazing, amazing cricket. Tell
me about Graham thought as a person.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Well, I mean both of them. You know, I was
a great admirer of admirer of Martin's as a friend,
as an as an adversary. I as a friend had
some very good times with him and Jeff brother. Jeff
Sorby was described by all his teammates as one of
the best and you know, a lovely man to have
in the dressing room. Obviously different reasons why they're no
longer with us. You know, Martin caught shorts, caught out
(08:33):
by cancer, Graham caught out by severe mental problems. The
fact they're on the trophy is special. So they are
remembered and will be remembered. And I think, you know,
as we look at look back at their careers, we
can look they can both look back on their own
careers with from wherever they are now with a lot
of pride, and of course others can take inspiration.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Well said last quick quick question, were you disappointed with
New Zealand's performance after what you saw in India?
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Well, it's not my problem.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, as was your proper bise asking you.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Let me put it this way.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
I am an amra New Zealand sports. You know, for
the ever since I've started playing against some forty years ago,
I've been a fan of New Zealand sports. We know
how competitive they normally are.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
They had I joke about drop catches.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
That's one of the things I've never seen from a
New Zealand cricket team is so many catches going down
because whatever else their strengths are, the shielding has always
been superb so I'm sure they'll be back on former
I hope they will because it makes for a better
contests if they are. You know, I don't have I
don't worry about partisanship national pride. If we have a
good game, that'll that'll suit me. I'll be delighted.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Thank you so much for joining us on news Talk
to here b Wellington Mornings. Really really do appreciate it.
David Gower, former England captain. Obviously the English cricket team
has arrived in Wellington. Dis matched outs tomorrow, one hundred
and twelve tists he played, he was superstar and his day.
David Gower, thank you, appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to News Talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
At b We've got a very very special guest. We
have been chasing around trying to get someone from the
English team or the organization to have a little bit
of a chat because it's Test Match week in Wellington
and doesn't ever ever get any bigger than England versus
New Zealand at the Basin Reserve. It's the pinnacle of
cricket for cricket lovers. England visiting us at the base
(00:35):
In Reserve. We think the Basin Reserve, Wellingtonians think the
Basin Reserve's the best ground in the world. I love it.
Spent many, many many an hour there. Former test great
from England we have got online David Gower.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Good morning, David, very good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Well thank you for joining us. First impressions of the
Basin when you first arrived into Wellington, Well.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm not there yet to be honest, but I have
been before. I love the base.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
No, the Basin is one of those grounds that I
played there. That's three thousand years ago, nineteen eighty four.
I think I didn't have a great time, but I
love the base and for his character, because there are
so few grounds in the world left now which have
that sort of history character position. The only thing, of course,
we all hate about it is the wind, but that
adds to the interest.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So now I will be there.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
I've been well into this afternoon and we'll look forward
to a good game.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Okay, tell us about the welded conditions, because I haven't
made a few England internationals over the years, and they
all moan and grown that they have to take two
jerseys just in case it's cold and suddenly comes through
your bowlers moan and the bedars can't see the ball.
We all heard it all before. Isn't that bigger deal?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Well, it's I mean, there are other grounds in the
world where conditions vary. I mean, I suppose one of
the most famous is the Whacker and Perth, the old
Whacker where the Fremantle doctor would come in and change
things around. And the story is this you just adopt.
Obviously the black Caps know all about it. England will
know from we've got a key we coach, haven't so
we've got Brent mcculluch and tell them all about it,
(02:04):
and who himself of course has done for Well, they're
in the past, so they will be prepared. If someone's
got a ball into a strong win, so be it.
But I think the key thing is that England know
that they've got off to a great start. They know
that they have a team that can compete and they
will just be hoping that New Zealand continues to drop catches.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
We won't talk about the drop catches right now. As
a traditionalist, as what I would call an English traditionalist,
I'm a self proclaimed England fan of cricket. How did
you feel when Brendan mcallum was first given the job?
I mean, I understand one day as in twenty twenty,
but actual test match coach, what did you think yourself?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
It was one of those things that took a lot
of people by surprise. Rockie, who runs the England team
back in ECB headquarters in London, was the man responsible
and obviously with hindsight we're delighted because he's brought a
culture to the England team which is absolutely lovely.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
He knows it's.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
The atmosphere in the dressing but it's the culture in
the dressingroo that I think is the thing where people
feel comfortable valued. All these sorts of things you know
they are. They are relaxed.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I won't say that don't care.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
If they win all whose that have been an exaggeration,
but they take failure as easy as success. They obviously
aim for success, and I think that culture has been very,
very important. I think they love playing under random and
under Ben Stokes, who's equally part of that. So it
gives them a really, really good cabescure edge.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Okay, I want to ask you one pacific question about betting,
because I've fallen in love over one game of the Sky,
Ben Ducket. I mean, to me, here England always seems
to have one of those guys, and I think that
you were later in your career that guy as well,
where they become the character the I don't know the
persona of it. And this guy with his bleach blonde here,
(03:58):
he's going to be it, doesn't he?
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Well, Ben, there's a free spirit for sure, there's an
extraordinary stroke player. I mean he's changed the rules of
opening bassing for sure. I mean I appreciate that understand
that there is a certain element of risk and reward,
but his figures show that that's kind of worked out. Okay,
it makes it exciting. I mean, he's one of these
players at the modern era where they try and put
(04:23):
the pressure back on opening bowlers straight away.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
There's no sort of playing yourself when.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
There's no sort of gentle reconnaissance, you know, trying to
blunt the new ball detensively for an hour and a half.
Sometimes it works. When it works, it's spectacularly good. When
it doesn't, then someone else comes in. It's that that's again,
that's the culture where they don't they don't worry about
someone having a bad day or an unproductive day. They say, right,
(04:47):
the next amoan will do it. And of course when
you've got a batting lineup that goes down to pretty
much number ten. We saw at Hagley, Atkinson and cast
you know, the two bowlers. We're very very capable, dyed
with the bat. So that's what length the batting lineup
is equally important. So they can bat deep, they can
take so they can score quickly. Most of the time
(05:09):
it seems to work for them sometimes, you know, the
last two or three years of this new ragion there
have been blowouts, but they bounced back so overall it
makes it exciting to watch. Actually, one of the great
points about the greatest picture is that test cricket is
und so much pressure from a short form of the
game around the world that someone has to make it
(05:32):
interesting to watch. And it's not obviously just Esland part
from it. I mean, it's some very good sides out there,
including New Zealand, but everyone has to play according to
their strengths. So I think the more close games we have,
the more exciting games we have, the more chance we
have of preserving what people like me absolutely adore, which
is the highest form of the game, which is test cricket.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
The same same here. Now a couple of quick guns
before I let you go, and I really appreciate you're
having a time with this. David Gower English great cricket.
I want. I was an absolute fan of this guy.
For me to actually even interview might feel pretty goofy
about it. Joe Root, how good is he?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Very good? Brilliant? The figures are extraordinary.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
He is one of those people that proves you can
be a nice guy and succeed in high level sport.
He's flirted with some of the worst parts of bastball,
but he's also worked out that he has. The way
Joe Route plays is as good as anyone. And it's
a lovely contest in the sense within a contest when
you have roots against Williamson. Two of the absolute best
(06:33):
players in the world today have been for the last decade.
You know, they are people who understand the game, love
the game, love batting. They look good, you know, they
are great to watch, and yeah, I think you'll find
that the world at mars them as much as I
do should.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Both teams have been fined for slow over rate, you know,
not doing the overs. When the tist Mitch finished in
three and a half days.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Well, it's one of the bug bears the modern game.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
It's a it's half a defense, it's it's a it's
a weak defense to say, you know, they won the
game in three and a half days and all the
rest of it, because there is a sort of a
reality behind it, or that if you've paid, you paid
for days tickets and it's quite expensive nowadays around the
world to watch, says Cricket, and you're being short changed.
You are entitled to be a little bit disappointed. No
(07:23):
one seems to bowl ninety goers in the day, even
with the extra half hour. People dawdle. There's has to
been no penalty that seems to work on captions and
you've been deducted points in the World Test Championship. Means
nothing to England because they're well out of it, so
they can pretend it doesn't matter, but it's it's just
one of those impossibilities to try and persuade people to
(07:43):
bowlder overs more quickly. It's in the same time. And
I also side which you know, if it's entertaining and
you have a good day out and someone puts on
a show, well that's that's actually more important.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
You would know both of these people pretty damn well.
Graham thought in Martin Crow and then trophy that England
and New Zealand are playing for. I knew Martin personally,
what an amazing he was an amazing, amazing cricket. Tell
me about Graham thought as a person.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Well, I mean both of them. You know, I was
a great admirer of admirer of Martin's as a friend,
as an as an adversary. I as a friend had
some very good times with him and Jeff brother. Jeff
Sorby was described by all his teammates as one of
the best and you know, a lovely man to have
in the dressing room. Obviously different reasons why they're no
longer with us. You know, Martin caught shorts, caught out
(08:33):
by cancer, Graham caught out by severe mental problems. The
fact they're on the trophy is special. So they are
remembered and will be remembered. And I think, you know,
as we look at look back at their careers, we
can look they can both look back on their own
careers with from wherever they are now with a lot
of pride, and of course others can take inspiration.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Well said last quick quick question, were you disappointed with
New Zealand's performance after what you saw in India?
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Well, it's not my problem.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, as was your proper bise asking you.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Let me put it this way.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
I am an amra New Zealand sports. You know, for
the ever since I've started playing against some forty years ago,
I've been a fan of New Zealand sports. We know
how competitive they normally are.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
They had I joke about drop catches.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
That's one of the things I've never seen from a
New Zealand cricket team is so many catches going down
because whatever else their strengths are, the shielding has always
been superb so I'm sure they'll be back on former
I hope they will because it makes for a better
contests if they are. You know, I don't have I
don't worry about partisanship national pride. If we have a
good game, that'll that'll suit me. I'll be delighted.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Thank you so much for joining us on news Talk
to here b Wellington Mornings. Really really do appreciate it.
David Gower, former England captain. Obviously the English cricket team
has arrived in Wellington. Dis matched outs tomorrow, one hundred
and twelve tists he played, he was superstar and his day.
David Gower, thank you, appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to News Talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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