1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Now I tell you what preparations are ramping up for 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: a big dry season of cricket in Darwin. The two 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: drop in wickets have now been installed at TiO Stadium 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: ahead of Australia a versus Sri Lanka A that series 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: is in July and Australia versus South Africa in the 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: T twenty in August and joining us in the studio 7 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: to talk more about it all. He almost needs a 8 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: weekly spot at this stage with all the cricket that's 9 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: going on and t Cricket CEO Gavin Dovey, good morning 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: to you mate. There is so much happening at the moment. 11 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: But how did you feel as those wickets were being 12 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: dropped in? 13 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? Excited, excited. 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 3: We've done it last couple of yearsly building to this moment, 15 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 3: but yeah, really excited to see those go go in 16 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 3: and it makes it feel very real. 17 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 2: Now it's close? Is it like? 18 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,239 Speaker 1: Quite? The logistical task to get them in? 19 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 2: Huge? It's a huge, huge project. 20 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: How does it work? 21 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: What do I have to do? Well? 22 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 3: I mean they live in like a little nursery outside 23 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 3: of at too, and so our curators are sort of 24 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 3: constantly tendering to them. They're like they're garden and then yeah, 25 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 3: we have to get special flooring into too to protect 26 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 3: the grass. And then big cranes come in and pick 27 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 3: them up, and we pull the turf ones out like 28 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 3: a plug, like a bath plug, and then plunk the 29 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 3: cricket wickets in. And I'm making it sound very, very simple, 30 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 3: but our curators sort of work around the clock. 31 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: Come on, mate's a bit more, a bit tougher than that. 32 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 2: That's right, I'm making it sound very simple. 33 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 3: But yeah, yeah, complex projects really important to get right 34 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 3: because if you don't get the cricket wicket right, then 35 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:31,279 Speaker 3: you've got big problems. 36 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: I was going to say, like, how important is it 37 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: that it actually is perfect? 38 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. 39 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 3: It needs to be perfect, and we got some of 40 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 3: the best curators in the country, so we're confident that 41 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 3: we know what we're doing. But yeah, when you've got 42 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 3: the very best athletes in the world playing on it, 43 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 3: and you've got a Mitchell Stark that might be boiling 44 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 3: one hundred and forty ks an hour, it's a sort 45 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 3: of safety yeah, as well as a quality element. But 46 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: you know, we've been, as I said, building to it, 47 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 3: so really confident that the decks as they call them, 48 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 3: that will be ready for all August and for the 49 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 3: four A game that you mentioned with Australia will be. 50 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: Ready to go. 51 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: And is it the first time that they'll be used, 52 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: that's for the like that for that series in July. 53 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: That's the first time they're going to be used this 54 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: year this year? 55 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: Correct? 56 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, but we've we've done it last two years, so 57 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 3: you know, it wasn't since two thousand and eight that 58 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 3: had been done. So when I arrived a couple of 59 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 3: years ago, it was like, right, let's sort of build 60 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 3: to this moment. So we've had two years of building 61 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 3: up to this and being ready, so we feel like 62 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 3: we know what we're doing. And yeah, we're about ten 63 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 3: weeks I think from the T twenty Internationals, which is 64 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 3: just the big stuff and so yeah, head down and 65 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 3: make sure we prepare some good wickets for some exciting 66 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 3: T twenty crickets. 67 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: So remind us what's involved in that multi format series 68 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: in July. 69 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, so three fifty other games at DC Arena or 70 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 3: the old Marara Cricket Ground, people will know it. And 71 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 3: then we've got a four d A game at TOO 72 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 3: Stadium and then another four A game back at DXC, 73 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 3: so three weeks of high quality cricket Australia ver Sri 74 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 3: Lanka A and it'll be you know, the squad's been 75 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 3: announced recently. Obviously pumped that Jake Weatherold has got an opportunity, 76 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 3: a local Darwin, a fellow that sort of played his 77 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 3: junior cricket at Darwin Cricket five at Columba and Tracy 78 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 3: Village has been playing the house down for Tazzi and 79 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 3: the Adelaide Strikers in Big Bash. 80 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: And what did the selectors have to say about him? 81 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 3: Well, to be honest, I was here in twenty seventeen 82 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 3: for an Australian men's camp and we got some of 83 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 3: the best young Territory kids to come along and Jake, 84 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 3: Jake would have been early twenties then. 85 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 2: He came on. 86 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 3: He was the best player in the camp. He played 87 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 3: in the game score to seventy. So I think the 88 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 3: selectors have always known that Jake's had plenty of potential. 89 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 3: Is the all time leading run scorer for the Adelaide 90 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 3: Strikers in Big Bash whatever two thousand runs and then 91 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 3: this last season for Tasmania and Sheffield Shield he was 92 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 3: the leading run score in the competition. So I think 93 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: he's had a huge twelve months that's shown that potential 94 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 3: is there. And ye you know, I think if he 95 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 3: plays really well in this was his series, I mean 96 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 3: he puts himself in the mix, he could be the 97 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 3: first territory to where the baggie. That'd be a good pressure. 98 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: But we're all we're all cheering for you, mate. 99 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: Ran A lot has to go right. 100 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 3: But he's a hell of a player and great that 101 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 3: we've got this series in Darwin and he's playing in it. 102 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 2: Sold is he would be late late twenties. I do 103 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 2: him just service here. I'm going to say late twenties. 104 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: But so good because sometimes people kind of think you've 105 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: got to be like your early twenties to kind of 106 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: get you know, like I don't know what it's like 107 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: in cricket, but certainly in rugby league and stuff like that, 108 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: it's kind of, you know, you think you've got to 109 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: be in your early twenties to kind of make it 110 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: to that level. But I love seeing you know those 111 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 1: young I mean they're still young, like they are still 112 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: real young. But I love seeing you know them continue 113 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: to follow that path and continue to smash those goals 114 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: and you know, get to where they want to be. 115 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I think that's a real point of difference 116 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 3: with cricket. In those footy cads, you generally think there's 117 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 3: a bit more pressure to make it a bit earlier. 118 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 3: But with cricket, you can have a Sam Constance that 119 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 3: is a nineteen year old wonder kid. But on the 120 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 3: flip side, you can get someone that's performing in their 121 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 3: early mid thirties that deserves an opportunit unity. So Jake 122 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: still got plenty of time and yeah, really excited to 123 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 3: see him player of these next three weeks in. 124 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: Job an he would like. Is he pumped to be 125 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: playing in the Northern Territory. 126 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I. 127 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 3: Mean he played for the territory last year in our 128 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 3: top end T twenty series that was a boom for us. 129 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 3: But yeah, we did an announcement earlier in the week 130 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 3: and yeah, he's really really excited. I think he's going 131 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 3: to have some family around for it. But yeah, you know, 132 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 3: I think, you know, we just want to see him, 133 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 3: you know, do well. 134 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 1: Obviously, now in terms of the T twenty Internationals getting underway, 135 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: I understand that those pre tickets have been launched now 136 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: as well. 137 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, they went on sale on Tuesday. 138 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: Do you know how many you sol. 139 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 3: I'm waiting for an update for us, but creckt Australia 140 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 3: sold three hundred and eleven thousand tickets single day record 141 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 3: on Yes, that was triple their previous record. That's nationally 142 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 3: for cricket across the whole summer, whether it's our series, 143 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: the Ashes India series in there as well. So waiting 144 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 3: to hear some phenomenal results actually, so we'll be part 145 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 3: of that. But we're told that, yeah, tickets is obviously 146 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 3: very very strong. 147 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 2: So have you do you. 148 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,359 Speaker 1: Know, I mean, have you spoken to many people that 149 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: are saying, hey, I'm going to come to the territory 150 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: for it? 151 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I might. I said to you last week. 152 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 3: I've been just inundated, not only like people around the 153 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 3: country that have recollections of when Test cricket was here 154 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 3: in the early two thousands who have always wanted to 155 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 3: come to the territory and watch crickets son even some 156 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 3: of the people we know in South Africa that again 157 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 3: it's on their bucket list. So I think there'll be 158 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 3: a lot of people that travel into state for it. 159 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 3: But yeah, we obviously want territories to get behind it 160 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 3: first time in seventeen years. We obviously hope it's the 161 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,840 Speaker 3: start of lots more cricket, but yeah, really important, as 162 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 3: we've talked about before, when these events come in that 163 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 3: everyone gets behind it. It's going to be a really 164 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 3: strong Australian team, really strong South Africa team. These teams 165 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 3: don't like each other generally very. 166 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: Much, so it's even better to watch. 167 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 3: My love that it's going to be really competitive and 168 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 3: in T twenty is great for families. There's lots happening, 169 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 3: there's a great atmosphere, lots of sixers, and we think 170 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 3: you're going to have players like Mitch marsh Glenn max 171 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 3: Well which'll start. They're building to a World Cup next year, 172 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 3: so they're going to put I think a very very 173 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 3: good team. 174 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: On the part, I'm really loving what we're seeing in 175 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory at the moment, and I know it's 176 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: been a push for a while, but I'm loving seeing 177 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: so many of our sports sort of doing so well 178 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: on you know, that national stage and seeing sport played 179 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: here in the Northern Territory and I think it's like 180 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: it's such a huge part of our culture as a location. 181 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: It's like, it's such a wonderful thing and it's so 182 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: great for our kids to see, right one hundred percent. 183 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 3: We had the EUSY Women's team here the other week 184 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 3: as you know, and we had about two hundred and 185 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 3: fifty women and girls come out to spend an evening 186 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 3: with them at Deex Arena and just seeing the impact 187 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 3: when you say, okay, that's a least perry, there's a 188 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 3: list of heally, like just whether it was our academy 189 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 3: girls or whether it was young girls or even some 190 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 3: of our older sort of cohort participants that love me cricket. 191 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 2: It is. 192 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 3: It's really really cool. So we want to see the 193 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 3: territory get more of these opportunities because we know the 194 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 3: power in it. And yeah, I think it just adds 195 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 3: to adds to the territory. 196 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: So I reckon it does too well. Gavin Dovey NT 197 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: Cricket CEO, Good to catch up. 198 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 3: With You jump onto the Cricket Astralia website or you 199 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 3: can go through the Anti Cricket website. This presale period 200 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 3: started on Tuesday, runs next Friday. Okay, So this is 201 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 3: basically you can register, get a code, log in and 202 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 3: basically get access to tickets early, early, as early as 203 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 3: possible once we hit the thirtieth of June open to 204 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 3: the general public, so getting early security tickets, and it's 205 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 3: going to be an awesome couple of nights here in August. 206 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: Wonderful stuff well gave. Always good to catch up with you, 207 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: Thank you, thanks so much for your time this morning. 208 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 2: Thanks Caddie.