1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,427 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:15,467 Speaker 1: from Newstalks EDB Voice of Sport on your home of Sport. 3 00:00:15,627 --> 00:00:19,547 Speaker 1: Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and GJ. Gunner homes New 4 00:00:19,627 --> 00:00:22,867 Speaker 1: Zealand's most trusted own builder, newstalksbb. 5 00:00:22,467 --> 00:00:25,147 Speaker 2: SO New Zealand Cricket this week revealed the upcoming summer 6 00:00:25,227 --> 00:00:27,827 Speaker 2: schedule for both the Black Caps and the White Ferns 7 00:00:27,987 --> 00:00:32,627 Speaker 2: and white Ball cricket again dominates all up are combined, 8 00:00:32,907 --> 00:00:37,467 Speaker 2: fifty nine internationals will be played by the New Zealand 9 00:00:37,507 --> 00:00:41,507 Speaker 2: men's and women's sides respectively, fifty nine all up. Three 10 00:00:41,547 --> 00:00:44,907 Speaker 2: of those are Test matches. They're all against the West 11 00:00:44,907 --> 00:00:47,707 Speaker 2: and these currently ranked eighth of the twelve nations that 12 00:00:47,787 --> 00:00:51,587 Speaker 2: play Test cricket, and all three are scheduled before Christmas. 13 00:00:51,867 --> 00:00:54,387 Speaker 2: New Zealand's last time some aer also featured just three 14 00:00:54,387 --> 00:00:58,627 Speaker 2: Test matches against England, again all before Christmas. So how 15 00:00:58,627 --> 00:01:03,107 Speaker 2: will this land with cricket fans, particularly those who enjoy 16 00:01:03,667 --> 00:01:07,827 Speaker 2: watching Test cricket in January and feur as we pretty 17 00:01:07,907 --> 00:01:11,627 Speaker 2: much have always done up until last summer. Well, the 18 00:01:11,627 --> 00:01:14,467 Speaker 2: biggest cricket fan I know is Paul Ford, co founder 19 00:01:14,507 --> 00:01:17,467 Speaker 2: of the Beige Brigade, co founder and co host of 20 00:01:17,507 --> 00:01:21,387 Speaker 2: The BYC Podcast, New Zealand's longest running sports podcast. He 21 00:01:21,467 --> 00:01:23,507 Speaker 2: joins us now, Paul, thanks for your time. You've seen 22 00:01:23,547 --> 00:01:25,347 Speaker 2: the schedule. How do you feel about the fact that 23 00:01:25,387 --> 00:01:29,547 Speaker 2: for a second straight summer there's no international red ball 24 00:01:29,587 --> 00:01:31,187 Speaker 2: cricket after Christmas? 25 00:01:32,587 --> 00:01:32,787 Speaker 1: Oh? 26 00:01:32,907 --> 00:01:36,107 Speaker 3: Look, it's it's frustrating, Piney, no doubt about it. 27 00:01:36,107 --> 00:01:39,107 Speaker 4: I mean, I guess the fact that there's a beautiful 28 00:01:39,347 --> 00:01:42,747 Speaker 4: little window ahead of the two World Cups, the champions 29 00:01:42,787 --> 00:01:44,667 Speaker 4: Trophy last year and then the Tea twenty World Cup 30 00:01:44,707 --> 00:01:46,827 Speaker 4: this year, it's kind of asking for trouble. 31 00:01:46,867 --> 00:01:49,307 Speaker 3: I guess teams want to be out and about and. 32 00:01:49,507 --> 00:01:53,987 Speaker 4: Yeah, look, but from a Kiwi cricket fans perspective, very 33 00:01:54,067 --> 00:01:54,787 Speaker 4: very frustrating. 34 00:01:54,787 --> 00:01:56,667 Speaker 3: And I guess a reminder that we are. 35 00:01:56,827 --> 00:01:58,867 Speaker 4: We are something of a cork on the ocean, floating 36 00:01:58,907 --> 00:02:02,227 Speaker 4: in the raging global tides of cricket. 37 00:02:01,507 --> 00:02:06,947 Speaker 2: That's a great analogy. What, then, as this bob cork 38 00:02:07,027 --> 00:02:10,587 Speaker 2: should we expect now as far as our home international 39 00:02:10,587 --> 00:02:13,587 Speaker 2: program is concerned, every summer? Is this what we should expect? 40 00:02:13,627 --> 00:02:14,507 Speaker 2: Is this the new normal? 41 00:02:15,467 --> 00:02:15,787 Speaker 3: Well? 42 00:02:16,507 --> 00:02:18,947 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's yes, I guess that's one option. But look, 43 00:02:18,987 --> 00:02:23,467 Speaker 4: I think there's a couple of things. One, it would 44 00:02:23,467 --> 00:02:27,667 Speaker 4: be great to see World Cricket take control of the schedule, 45 00:02:27,867 --> 00:02:30,707 Speaker 4: you know, and it means that individual boards around the 46 00:02:30,707 --> 00:02:32,747 Speaker 4: globe are going to need to let God some fiefdoms 47 00:02:32,747 --> 00:02:34,827 Speaker 4: and do what's right for the global game to flourish. 48 00:02:34,827 --> 00:02:37,467 Speaker 4: You know, They're going to have to relinquish some power 49 00:02:37,547 --> 00:02:40,067 Speaker 4: and push some things into the middle for the greater 50 00:02:40,107 --> 00:02:42,787 Speaker 4: good of the game. And I think that there's this 51 00:02:42,947 --> 00:02:48,467 Speaker 4: real pressure building. I think that that teams around the world, 52 00:02:48,587 --> 00:02:52,547 Speaker 4: the bigger countries and everyone in between, needs to give 53 00:02:52,627 --> 00:02:53,987 Speaker 4: something up for this to work. 54 00:02:54,107 --> 00:02:55,227 Speaker 3: You know, we've seen. 55 00:02:56,507 --> 00:03:01,387 Speaker 4: That there's lots of people absolutely clamoring for this, for 56 00:03:02,147 --> 00:03:04,587 Speaker 4: yes cricket in particular to find its place in the world. 57 00:03:05,147 --> 00:03:09,227 Speaker 4: And I think that, yeah, the ICC need to take 58 00:03:09,267 --> 00:03:12,307 Speaker 4: control of the schedule. How can that happen? I think 59 00:03:12,347 --> 00:03:16,547 Speaker 4: that's the that's the first thing. And you know New 60 00:03:16,627 --> 00:03:18,627 Speaker 4: Zealand Cricket are implicated in. 61 00:03:18,587 --> 00:03:20,747 Speaker 3: That as well. Right, the schedules at least partly of 62 00:03:20,787 --> 00:03:21,467 Speaker 3: our own making. 63 00:03:21,787 --> 00:03:24,667 Speaker 4: A bunch of years ago, when the FTP fell away 64 00:03:25,027 --> 00:03:27,827 Speaker 4: and the Big Three went to break away, New Zealand 65 00:03:28,067 --> 00:03:31,627 Speaker 4: said we'll come with you basically, and that's meant that, sure, 66 00:03:31,667 --> 00:03:33,707 Speaker 4: there's a few there's a list of tours that are 67 00:03:33,707 --> 00:03:37,227 Speaker 4: going to happen and so on, but actually those are 68 00:03:37,347 --> 00:03:40,507 Speaker 4: often you know by that that program is put together 69 00:03:40,507 --> 00:03:44,147 Speaker 4: through bilateral negotiations, right, it's not dictated to by the ICC. 70 00:03:44,427 --> 00:03:47,227 Speaker 4: It used to be if you remember people everyone played 71 00:03:47,227 --> 00:03:49,507 Speaker 4: everyone home and away over X years, there were this 72 00:03:49,587 --> 00:03:51,947 Speaker 4: many games that it was starting to get into the 73 00:03:52,067 --> 00:03:57,787 Speaker 4: much more regulated and you know, there was control around 74 00:03:57,827 --> 00:04:00,387 Speaker 4: the competition. We've got this really weird situation where at 75 00:04:00,387 --> 00:04:03,427 Speaker 4: the moment for something around the World Test Championship, you've 76 00:04:03,427 --> 00:04:04,867 Speaker 4: got the actual teams that. 77 00:04:04,867 --> 00:04:08,227 Speaker 3: Are playing dictating how and when they play. Well, that 78 00:04:08,307 --> 00:04:11,467 Speaker 3: doesn't happen. That's not how the NBA runs. 79 00:04:11,467 --> 00:04:13,667 Speaker 4: It's not like the Chicago Bulls decide that they'll play 80 00:04:13,667 --> 00:04:15,427 Speaker 4: them three times and then once and we'll play those 81 00:04:15,467 --> 00:04:17,667 Speaker 4: guys over there twice and we're not playing them in 82 00:04:17,667 --> 00:04:18,147 Speaker 4: that country. 83 00:04:18,147 --> 00:04:20,587 Speaker 3: You know, I think that that's a really big part 84 00:04:20,587 --> 00:04:22,387 Speaker 3: of it. And you know, as I say, New Zealand 85 00:04:22,747 --> 00:04:24,347 Speaker 3: cricket is implicated in that. 86 00:04:24,707 --> 00:04:27,027 Speaker 4: And I guess the third point, and I've been crapping 87 00:04:27,067 --> 00:04:29,067 Speaker 4: on it's a very long answer but I think the 88 00:04:29,187 --> 00:04:32,827 Speaker 4: third point is, if the new world is that there's 89 00:04:32,867 --> 00:04:35,907 Speaker 4: a window in January, let's take it. Let's make that 90 00:04:36,027 --> 00:04:39,947 Speaker 4: January window sensational from a domestic cricket point of view. 91 00:04:40,027 --> 00:04:42,787 Speaker 4: Let's take control of our own summer. Let's take control 92 00:04:42,867 --> 00:04:45,987 Speaker 4: of our game, and let's make our domestic competition a 93 00:04:46,027 --> 00:04:49,227 Speaker 4: hell of a lot better, much more magnetic for international players, 94 00:04:49,267 --> 00:04:52,547 Speaker 4: and just frankly, let's get put something together that fans 95 00:04:52,547 --> 00:04:53,227 Speaker 4: can care about. 96 00:04:53,627 --> 00:04:54,907 Speaker 3: Think about what it could be. 97 00:04:54,947 --> 00:04:57,827 Speaker 4: The Black Clash on tour over the whole summer that 98 00:04:57,827 --> 00:04:58,467 Speaker 4: would work for me. 99 00:04:59,387 --> 00:05:01,467 Speaker 2: That's out of the box thinking. I don't mind it. 100 00:05:01,507 --> 00:05:02,867 Speaker 2: I don't mind it. You look at the teams that 101 00:05:02,907 --> 00:05:04,627 Speaker 2: are coming, Paul On. On the face of it, when 102 00:05:04,667 --> 00:05:08,067 Speaker 2: you say, okay, Australia are coming, coming, the West Indies coming, 103 00:05:08,107 --> 00:05:11,227 Speaker 2: South Africa are coming, that looks fantastic, you know, four 104 00:05:11,227 --> 00:05:13,667 Speaker 2: big teams. But then you say, well, Australia are only 105 00:05:13,667 --> 00:05:17,267 Speaker 2: here for four days effectively England as well for a 106 00:05:17,307 --> 00:05:19,987 Speaker 2: short time, and both of those series are before the Ashes, 107 00:05:20,307 --> 00:05:22,187 Speaker 2: So who's coming, We're not sure. The West Indies and 108 00:05:22,187 --> 00:05:25,387 Speaker 2: then South Africa don't arrive until sort of mid March, 109 00:05:25,467 --> 00:05:28,147 Speaker 2: probably around about the time we're thinking about changing the 110 00:05:28,187 --> 00:05:31,507 Speaker 2: clocks again. What are your thoughts on the schedule as 111 00:05:31,507 --> 00:05:31,947 Speaker 2: a whole. 112 00:05:33,267 --> 00:05:36,707 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I think again, I think yeah, starting 113 00:05:36,707 --> 00:05:40,827 Speaker 4: in October. I like the I guess I like the 114 00:05:40,827 --> 00:05:42,787 Speaker 4: fact that we're trying to get it in and yes, 115 00:05:43,387 --> 00:05:45,307 Speaker 4: it's great that Australia is coming here, but it does 116 00:05:45,347 --> 00:05:46,987 Speaker 4: feel like an afterthought. Is that going to be the 117 00:05:47,027 --> 00:05:50,107 Speaker 4: top Australia team? Are we really making the most of it? 118 00:05:50,227 --> 00:05:52,027 Speaker 4: Is this going to help build the next generation of 119 00:05:52,067 --> 00:05:55,627 Speaker 4: cricket fans. Playing three games in one place over four 120 00:05:55,707 --> 00:06:00,307 Speaker 4: days in early October. I'm not sure that it's really 121 00:06:00,307 --> 00:06:02,827 Speaker 4: going to do the biggest job that we need it 122 00:06:02,867 --> 00:06:06,547 Speaker 4: to do. And so yeah, I think it's you know, 123 00:06:06,587 --> 00:06:09,627 Speaker 4: the West Indies, I think they're going to be interesting. 124 00:06:09,627 --> 00:06:11,587 Speaker 3: They've obviously got some fantastic. 125 00:06:11,107 --> 00:06:14,227 Speaker 4: Players, but they are like us, like New Zealand, they 126 00:06:14,227 --> 00:06:16,627 Speaker 4: are at the whims of the big cricket and gods 127 00:06:16,627 --> 00:06:24,427 Speaker 4: and they are part of the fragmentation of cricket is 128 00:06:24,427 --> 00:06:26,947 Speaker 4: happening to the West Indies just like it's happening to 129 00:06:27,867 --> 00:06:30,587 Speaker 4: New Zealand, and so it's pretty hard for them to 130 00:06:30,587 --> 00:06:36,027 Speaker 4: put to put together a fantastic International Test Cricket Program. 131 00:06:36,147 --> 00:06:38,907 Speaker 4: So yeah, I'm a bit concerned about how much of 132 00:06:38,947 --> 00:06:41,267 Speaker 4: a draw card they will be. The good news is, 133 00:06:41,267 --> 00:06:44,307 Speaker 4: I guess there are three tests, and people test cricket fans, 134 00:06:45,027 --> 00:06:47,427 Speaker 4: you know, old blokes like us, Jase, everyone over the 135 00:06:47,467 --> 00:06:49,307 Speaker 4: age of thirty that loves test cricket. They'll be getting 136 00:06:49,307 --> 00:06:51,067 Speaker 4: along to those games because we don't really care. We 137 00:06:51,107 --> 00:06:53,827 Speaker 4: just love going to the games. What I do worry 138 00:06:53,867 --> 00:06:56,747 Speaker 4: about is that what helped guys like us or our 139 00:06:56,747 --> 00:06:59,587 Speaker 4: generation and older fall in love with the game is 140 00:06:59,867 --> 00:07:03,267 Speaker 4: these incredible test series that happened in and around all 141 00:07:03,267 --> 00:07:05,147 Speaker 4: of our major grounds over the summers. 142 00:07:05,227 --> 00:07:07,707 Speaker 3: And you know that does feel like that is falling away. 143 00:07:07,827 --> 00:07:10,987 Speaker 2: That is so true, Paul, that is so true. That's 144 00:07:11,027 --> 00:07:12,827 Speaker 2: how I fell in love with test cricket like you did. 145 00:07:12,867 --> 00:07:15,307 Speaker 2: And yes we're of a certain generation, but those test 146 00:07:15,347 --> 00:07:19,667 Speaker 2: matches in the eighties and nineties, those wonderful contests across 147 00:07:19,707 --> 00:07:22,827 Speaker 2: all the grounds, as you say of New Zealand. So 148 00:07:23,467 --> 00:07:26,987 Speaker 2: how will today's youngsters fall in love with cricket? Are 149 00:07:26,987 --> 00:07:29,267 Speaker 2: they really going to fall in love with the game 150 00:07:29,307 --> 00:07:32,747 Speaker 2: through watching I don't know, T twenty franchise cricket. 151 00:07:34,747 --> 00:07:36,507 Speaker 3: No, I think they're not falling in love. 152 00:07:36,587 --> 00:07:38,587 Speaker 4: I think there's a I think that people will go 153 00:07:38,667 --> 00:07:42,147 Speaker 4: along and keep it. There'll be a hardcore audience, absolutely, 154 00:07:42,187 --> 00:07:44,347 Speaker 4: But if we're looking to grow the game, we've got 155 00:07:44,347 --> 00:07:46,267 Speaker 4: to look at what we're actually competing with here, and 156 00:07:46,307 --> 00:07:48,507 Speaker 4: what we're competing with from a cricket point of view 157 00:07:48,627 --> 00:07:55,827 Speaker 4: is the NBA. It's those big American sports where absolute 158 00:07:55,907 --> 00:08:01,787 Speaker 4: saturation across social media, incredible storylines and the best players 159 00:08:01,827 --> 00:08:03,987 Speaker 4: are playing against the best players with regularity in a 160 00:08:04,027 --> 00:08:05,227 Speaker 4: schedule that is fixed. 161 00:08:05,307 --> 00:08:06,347 Speaker 3: You know when the games are going to be. 162 00:08:07,107 --> 00:08:10,067 Speaker 4: Once you start putting guaranteed content in front of people 163 00:08:10,147 --> 00:08:13,387 Speaker 4: at guaranteed times, you can really really start to build something. 164 00:08:13,667 --> 00:08:16,627 Speaker 4: I think that's a piece that's really missing for New 165 00:08:16,707 --> 00:08:17,907 Speaker 4: Zealand cricket fans. 166 00:08:17,947 --> 00:08:18,707 Speaker 3: You know, if I want to. 167 00:08:18,627 --> 00:08:24,787 Speaker 4: Make my son to a Test match next year, when 168 00:08:24,827 --> 00:08:26,027 Speaker 4: am I going to go and do that in New 169 00:08:26,107 --> 00:08:28,147 Speaker 4: Zealand the schedule's not out, I don't know, but I 170 00:08:28,147 --> 00:08:32,467 Speaker 4: can go and do it. If cricket is being prioritized 171 00:08:32,507 --> 00:08:34,067 Speaker 4: like it is in Australia, I know the Boxing Day 172 00:08:34,067 --> 00:08:34,787 Speaker 4: Test is going to be on. 173 00:08:35,027 --> 00:08:36,707 Speaker 3: Start to lock that in. If I'm going to go 174 00:08:36,787 --> 00:08:37,987 Speaker 3: to an NBA game or whatever. 175 00:08:38,067 --> 00:08:39,747 Speaker 4: You know, you know that that schedule is going to 176 00:08:39,747 --> 00:08:42,827 Speaker 4: be locked in and NFL the same, and so you 177 00:08:42,827 --> 00:08:45,267 Speaker 4: can start to build this monster around that because you've 178 00:08:45,267 --> 00:08:47,347 Speaker 4: got this guaranteed stream of content. We don't know what 179 00:08:47,387 --> 00:08:49,667 Speaker 4: the hell's happening until, you know, a couple of months before. 180 00:08:49,947 --> 00:08:52,307 Speaker 2: It's such a good point. He just while I've got you. 181 00:08:52,587 --> 00:08:54,467 Speaker 2: As I mentioned at the top of the chat, you're 182 00:08:54,507 --> 00:08:58,787 Speaker 2: the co founder and co host of the BYC podcast, 183 00:08:58,907 --> 00:09:02,507 Speaker 2: which in the last little while has celebrated twenty years 184 00:09:02,507 --> 00:09:06,307 Speaker 2: in existence. It's New Zealand's longest running sporting podcast. Can 185 00:09:06,667 --> 00:09:08,507 Speaker 2: on that What is the secret? 186 00:09:09,107 --> 00:09:13,067 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I don't know. Really, it's a miracle, let's 187 00:09:13,067 --> 00:09:13,507 Speaker 3: be honest. 188 00:09:13,707 --> 00:09:17,067 Speaker 4: I feel very humbled about it actually, And I guess 189 00:09:16,667 --> 00:09:19,347 Speaker 4: the secret is that people are involved for the love 190 00:09:19,347 --> 00:09:20,787 Speaker 4: of it. You know, we're not no one's doing it 191 00:09:20,827 --> 00:09:23,347 Speaker 4: to make lots of money. Everyone's just doing it because 192 00:09:23,347 --> 00:09:25,427 Speaker 4: they love talking about the game. And I think that 193 00:09:25,427 --> 00:09:28,827 Speaker 4: twenty years ago when we started doing it, we spotted 194 00:09:28,907 --> 00:09:31,427 Speaker 4: you know, base Regade did this too, spotted this niche 195 00:09:31,467 --> 00:09:34,827 Speaker 4: of people that love cricket but they don't necessarily need 196 00:09:34,867 --> 00:09:35,427 Speaker 4: to be talking. 197 00:09:35,267 --> 00:09:36,867 Speaker 3: About it in a deadly serious way. 198 00:09:36,987 --> 00:09:39,467 Speaker 4: They're not trying to be sports journalists like yourself pointing 199 00:09:39,507 --> 00:09:42,027 Speaker 4: you know, and we love all of that stuff, don't 200 00:09:42,027 --> 00:09:44,587 Speaker 4: get us wrong, But there's this window. There's a bunch 201 00:09:44,627 --> 00:09:46,787 Speaker 4: of people that just want to sit around effectively, have 202 00:09:46,827 --> 00:09:48,267 Speaker 4: a couple of beers and talk to their mates. And 203 00:09:48,307 --> 00:09:50,067 Speaker 4: I guess we put that into podcast form and it 204 00:09:50,067 --> 00:09:52,667 Speaker 4: seems to be going, you know, gangbusters, but I still 205 00:09:52,707 --> 00:09:53,507 Speaker 4: can't believe that it's. 206 00:09:53,387 --> 00:09:55,147 Speaker 3: Been going for twenty years. It makes me feel very old. 207 00:09:55,187 --> 00:09:58,227 Speaker 2: Well, what it should do is make you feel very 208 00:09:58,267 --> 00:10:00,907 Speaker 2: proud because it's a terrifica team and it may there 209 00:10:00,947 --> 00:10:04,147 Speaker 2: be twenty more years and maybe twenty more years beyond that. 210 00:10:04,147 --> 00:10:06,027 Speaker 2: The niche was found, as you say, a little while ago, 211 00:10:06,067 --> 00:10:08,387 Speaker 2: and you I have well and truly owned that niche 212 00:10:08,387 --> 00:10:10,667 Speaker 2: over the last two decades. Lots to get stuck in 213 00:10:10,667 --> 00:10:12,907 Speaker 2: to with our listeners. Paul, thanks for kicking the conversation off. 214 00:10:12,907 --> 00:10:15,427 Speaker 2: We'll catch up again soon. Thanks Pliny, cheers mate, Thank 215 00:10:15,467 --> 00:10:19,467 Speaker 2: you mate. That is Paul Ford byc podcast and as 216 00:10:19,467 --> 00:10:22,267 Speaker 2: you can tell, their cricket fan knows a lot about 217 00:10:22,267 --> 00:10:24,307 Speaker 2: the game, has followed it for a long time. 218 00:10:24,387 --> 00:10:27,947 Speaker 1: Your for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen 219 00:10:28,027 --> 00:10:31,267 Speaker 1: live to news Talk zed B weekends from midday, or 220 00:10:31,347 --> 00:10:33,227 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio