Simon Day and Alex Braae, co-hosts of The Offspin podcast, look back at the 10-year evolution of the Black Caps. The last 10 years have been a bizarre time for Black Caps supporters, because the team has been consistently good. The true joy of being a millennial New Zealand cricket fan is built on the team’s … Read more
The Offspin podcast tries to make sense of the greatest cricket game of all time, at the same time as not seeing the Black Caps win it. Perhaps our guest Sam Flynn Scott has the right approach to this one – immediately upon arrival at the studio he decided to focus on how the Black … Read more
It’s final time. The Offspin team are joined by actor, Lotto host and passionate cricket fan Sonia Gray – do we dare to believe in a Black Caps World Cup victory? It’s still hard to fathom, but we’re in the final again. And it’s against the English, who overcame the sandpaper canaries. Ahead of that … Read more
In today’s episode of The Offspin podcast, Simon Day and Alex Braae go absolutely berserk over the semi-final win that put the Black Caps into the Cricket World Cup final. It took 29 hours and two nights, but the Black Caps have somehow managed to beat the mighty India to advance to the Cricket World … Read more
In the latest episode of The Offspin, cricketer, commentator, activist and aspiring local board rep Peter McGlashan joins the show to mix sport and politics. The game was utterly frustrating. It was slow, things went wrong at key moments, it made people at home angry and now requires confusing calculations to figure out who will … Read more
On this episode of The Offspin, legendary all-rounder Dion Nash joins the show after a Black Caps performance that felt like a throwback to New Zealand cricket’s dark days of teal. Once upon a time, the stereotype of New Zealand cricket was of freezing in the big games, fragile batting and despair, while still finding … Read more
For the latest episode of The Offspin podcast, we’re joined by writer, musician and cricket tragic Samuel Flynn Scott, to process the utterly insipid Black Caps loss against Australia. Well, that was rubbish. The Black Caps utterly failed to show any spine against Australia, leaving their Cricket World Cup campaign dangling precariously as we approach … Read more
In this episode of The Offspin podcast, we’re joined by writer and broadcaster Ali Ikram, and his dad Hamid Ikram, to discuss their role in Pakistan’s success at the 1992 Cricket World Cup and their team’s potential in 2019. The parallels are becoming harder and harder to ignore. A round-robin World Cup, with Pakistan needing … Read more
In this bonus episode of The Offspin podcast, Simon Day takes a walk around Eden Park with one of the most unlikely legends of New Zealand sporting history. He probably shouldn’t have even been there. In the year before the 2015 Cricket World Cup, South African born Grant Elliott was a relatively obscure figure, in … Read more
In this bonus episode of The Offspin podcast, Labour’s Kieran McAnulty and National’s Chris Bishop join the show to talk about the Parliamentary World Cup, and attempt to prove their cricket fanatic credentials. To coincide with the business end of the Cricket World Cup, MPs from all over the world will be flying to England … Read more
In episode nine of The Offspin, we’re joined by Black Caps test spinner Mark Craig to explore the crueller side of cricket in the wake of the Black Caps victory over the West Indies in both thrilling and devastating circumstances. There are few things in life more cruel than being blessed with spin bowling talent, … Read more
In episode eight of The Offspin, we break down the best game of the tournament so far, and talk about the shattered dreams of South African cricket. Writer and journalist James Borrowdale grew up with dreams of South African cricket running through his brain, but they’re long gone now, traded in for a Black Caps … Read more
In episode seven of The Offspin, with more bad weather in England and not a lot of cricket being played, we took the opportunity to reminisce on our personal journeys in the sport. And spend some quality time dissing Australian cricketers. We are joined in the studio by a passionate cricketer who had little choice … Read more
White Ferns superstar Suzie Bates joins The Offspin to discuss the development of the women’s game, pay inequality, and provide her expert tips for the Black Caps on English playing conditions. Suzie Bates is one of the greatest cricketers New Zealand has ever produced. She’s scored more than 4300 runs in 121 ODIs at an … Read more
In the fifth episode of The Offspin, we’re joined by Basir Safi and Ismail Wardak, two Kiwi-Afghan cricket lovers who talk about learning the game in refugee camps, the incredible story of Afghanistan’s ascent and the high expectations the world now holds for them. Another day, another win at the Cricket World Cup for the Black Caps. … Read more
In a special edition of The Offspin, Mohammad Isam, ESPN Cricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent, spoke to the podcast about his experience of the Christchurch terror attack, and the effect it had on him and the team. On March 15, the day before the final match of Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand, at 1:52pm on Mohammad Isam … Read more
In the third episode of The Offspin, globetrotting freelance cricketer and muscleman Mitchell McClenaghan joins the podcast to discuss winning the IPL, the changing patterns of cricketing analytics and a nervy Black Caps win over Bangladesh. You’d better believe it – the Black Caps are at the top of the Cricket World Cup table after a nervy … Read more
In the second episode of The Offspin, esteemed uniform ranker Calum Henderson joins the podcast to discuss the Black Caps’ comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka, uniform fashion trends and Simon Doull’s glorious goatee from 1999. It’s 2.30am on Sunday, Simon has driven back from the beach to be here, Alex has come from a wedding, … Read more
The first ball in the 2019 Cricket World Cup is about to be bowled and to celebrate we’ve launched a new podcast, The Offspin, where our resident cricket tragics (in the truest sense of the word) fill the hole of not being in England with the sound of banter. For the next six weeks join hosts … Read more