One of the best T20 bowlers in the world is currently without a cricketing gig. What does the future hold for Mitchell McClenaghan? It’s telling that out of all of the many shirts worn by cricketer Mitchell McClenaghan, his favourite one is still the black shirt of New Zealand. But he’s been forced to watch … 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 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
Ahead of the Black Caps’ first match in the 2019 World Cup, superfan Simon Day longs for his former leader. Every day I miss Brendon McCullum. Whenever he was on the field as captain I felt an unusual sensation as a longterm Black Caps fan – optimism. No matter what the scoreboard said, I thought “we’re … 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
An international gambling industry source has told The Spinoff that World Cup warm-up matches are prime targets for the vast subcontinental fixing machine. Warm-up games in the Cricket World Cup are a match-fixer’s paradise, a veteran international gambling industry source has told the Spinoff. The combination of big names and high publicity means a lot … Read more
Does New Zealand have any chance of winning the Cricket World Cup? Wood and leather enthusiast Alex Braae casts his eye over where every team stands heading into the tournament, and puts his credibility on the line with some predictions. You might think it’s rugby season, but in fact the greatest summer sporting event on … Read more
Cricketer James Faulkner ‘came out’ on social media this week, except it all turned out to be a joke. Jack Cottrel responds. It must have been a surreal experience. One dumb in-joke and the next morning, you’ve come out as gay. Or not. Australian cricketer James Faulkner yesterday trotted out what, in context, is some … Read more
On every occasion that the Black Caps have come up against a top quality opponent this home season, they’ve lost badly, and lost the same way every time. Is it time for a change of plan? To win an ODI game of cricket, you need to put some runs on the board. That’s a crushingly … Read more
Nothing that happens in Friday’s big celebrity cricket game will ever be as good as Paul Vautin’s catch in the 1993 Allan Border testimonial, argues Calum Henderson. This Friday afternoon at Hagley Park in Christchurch, a team of famous cricketers are playing a team of famous rugby players in a game of celebrity T20 that … Read more
When cricketer Scott Kuggeleijn took to the pitch for the Black Caps last Friday there was no mention of his two trials for raping a woman in 2016, for which he was ultimately found not guilty. Asks Jessie Dennis, is silence really the best NZ Cricket can do? Content warning: details of sexual violence. On … Read more
Someone had to do it. First published 13 January 2018. In 2015, around the time of the World Cup, the New Zealand Cricket Museum started selling this stunningly attractive poster. Designed by Into the White Press, it details the evolution of the New Zealand one day international cricket uniform, from its beige beginnings to years … Read more
You hate the breaks in play that come with video technology in sport. But what if we got rid of it altogether? Alex Braae ponders the possibility. I used to play a lot of park cricket, never at a remotely high standard. Club cricket organisations wouldn’t bother giving us umpires. Players on the batting team … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Simon Day on why cricket is the best sport in the world (and rugby sucks). Today is officially the first day of summer. December … Read more
Short answer? No. Long answer? Well, maybe. Cricket tragic Alex Braae assesses whether the White Ferns could go all the way in the West Indies. Ah, cricket. Even in that most ugly form of the game – T20 – there’s nothing like a Cricket World Cup to stir up passion and patriotism. And even though … Read more
Black Caps devotee Michael Appleton assesses the chances of cricketing glory as the side begins its season in the United Arab Emirates. The Black Caps’ new season starts in the UAE tomorrow morning. Between now and late March, they’ll play eight test matches, 14 ODIs and seven T20s against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government moves to address construction worker shortage, data on regressiveness of fuel tax released, and Sir John Key pops up as a lobbyist. It’s been a big 24 hours of news about the logistics of the Kiwibuild programme, in which the government intends to build 100,000 … Read more
The number of South African born cricketers contracted in New Zealand has now cracked the required number for a full team. So if they were put up against the Black Caps, who would win? The number of South African born sportspeople who have left their country to pursue their dreams continues to increase, and cricket … Read more
After talking to author and scholar Damon Salesa, Madeleine Chapman wonders why we don’t see more Pacific players in New Zealand cricket. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. It doesn’t make sense. Rugby, league, netball, basketball. All have a large number of Pacific athletes representing New Zealand at the highest level and all have … Read more
Look at him. Just look at him. This is amazing. Former New Zealand cricket player Chris Zinzan Harris is going to be on Dancing With the Stars. To me, an avowed fan of both the legendary all-rounder and the harmlessly stupid celebrity dancing show, this could just about be the greatest thing that has ever … Read more
Podcast host, comedian and big-brained Brit Andy Zaltzman will be coming to New Zealand later this year for the comedy festival. He spoke to Alex Braae about politics, satire, and the game he can’t get enough of. “Half an hour later, the entire foundation of English civilisation had collapsed. It was the lowest point in … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin, in today’s edition: Activists are blockading an oil industry conference today, nurses are set to strike, and 20,000 cows are getting culled. Environmental activists are blockading the New Zealand Petroleum Conference in Wellington today. Spokesperson for Oil Free Wellington James Barber told the NZ Herald his expectation was that the protest at … Read more
Yesterday, Kane Williamson became the first New Zealand batsman to score 18 test centuries. But is he New Zealand’s greatest ever batsman? Cricket is built on statistics. It’s the backbone by which one era can be compared to another. It’s Bradman’s average, Stephen Fleming’s conversion rate, and for a very long time Martin Crowe’s 17 … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Former health minister Jonathan Coleman quits politics, a hospital is riddled with rot and mould, and letting fees could be banned. National’s Northcote MP and Health spokesman Jonathan Coleman is leaving politics. He’s off to be the CEO of Acurity Health Group, an owner and operator of private … Read more
Today New Zealand’s first day/night test match starts at Eden Park – part of a scheme to cure test cricket of its apparent terminal illness. Simon Day argues test cricket will never die. I’ve watched test cricket lie lifeless on its deathbed, just a few hundred people gathered at a rugby field to mark its … Read more
Ross Taylor scored an unbeaten 181 runs in yesterday’s ODI victory against the England men’s team. Madeleine ChapMAN accurately reports. After his heroic innings, Ross Taylor stood on the boundary rope at University Oval and stared adoringly at his wife, Victoria Brown. She was largely to thank for this moment, having also been a top … Read more
With Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum among its founders, CricHQ capitalised on global interest in both cricket and cloud-based internet startups. It attracted a star-studded lineup of investors and seemed hugely successful, at one point boasting that it could bring in as much as US $10 billion. Then, in October, it went into receivership. Rebecca … Read more
Someone had to do it. In 2015, around the time of the World Cup, the New Zealand Cricket Museum started selling this stunningly attractive poster. Designed by Into the White Press, it details the evolution of the New Zealand one day international cricket uniform, from its beige beginnings to years of glorious grey, the teal … Read more