Is watching cricket at the pub a thing of the past?

With venues slow to pick up Spark Sport, New Zealand cricket fans might have trouble finding places showing the games. Alex Braae reports. For decades, any sports bar worth the name will have had a Sky Sports subscription. Long hazy days at the pub could be spent watching a test match slowly unfold, punctuated by … Read more

Everything you need to know about the very different 2020/21 summer of cricket

This year, a whole lot of the traditional summer of cricket will be very different. What’s changing, and what’s staying the same? Alex Braae explains. It’s that time of year again, when we all mercifully forget the All Blacks and spend long, hazy days watching grown adults gently strolling around a park. A time of … Read more

The Bulletin: School closed after student tests positive for Covid-19, others staying open

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Dunedin school to close and clean after positive Covid-19 test, massive economic rescue package announced, and tourists who didn’t self-isolate facing deportation. There are now 12 confirmed Covid-19 patients in New Zealand. The latest confirmed case is a student at Logan Park High School in Dunedin, … Read more

Sky’s huge rugby rights win: everything you need to know

A unique deal saw Sky buy the rugby rights and sell some of itself to NZ Rugby. Trevor McKewen breaks down what it all means. The news came thick and fast over a remarkable five-day corporate slugfest, starting last Thursday. First, Spark Sport struck, gobbling up New Zealand Cricket’s domestic broadcasting rights for the next … Read more

Spark just swiped the cricket rights. What does that mean for Sky – and you?

Even bigger than the Rugby World Cup, Spark’s acquisition of six years of local cricket signals the end of a sporting era – and that the telco giant is deadly serious about sports, writes Duncan Greive. Subterfuge is a time-honoured sporting technique, present in all codes from one degree to another. The dummy and side-step … Read more

The Bulletin: Recycling rejected by Indonesia coming straight back

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Indonesia to send contaminated recycling back to NZ, LAWA report shows water quality dropping at more sites than not, and Spark Sport suffers harsh weekend. Shipping containers full of contaminated recycling could be shipped back to New Zealand, Anna Whyte from One News reported near the end of … Read more

The Bulletin: Fresh footage revelations around Operation Burnham

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: More revealed about aftermath of Hit and Run raid, police delete social posts glorifying tactics to catch kids, and regional airports may be bailed out. Politicians were shown edited footage of the Hit and Run raid which throws into question the NZDF version of events, reports … Read more

Spark Sport’s blunt message to Sky: get in the ring

After a truce as both sorted out new corporate bosses, the Sky v Spark sports war has suddenly hotted up again. Trevor McKewen had a ringside seat. Earlier this year, the live sports viewing landscape in New Zealand suddenly got very interesting. Then it took a twist. Then it went quiet. On Monday open warfare … Read more