Clear Path
Blackcaps vs Pakistan, All Whites squad depth, NZ NBL begins, Kiwi-NRL, White Ferns vs Sri Lanka, Steven Adams, and more
Scotty’s Word
Blackcaps vs Pakistan...
We have five T20Is coming up as part of a massive phase of kiwi cricket with all five games forming a double-header with White Ferns. There could have been a few younger lads selected with a bunch of established Blackcaps unavailable, this is a showcase of New Zealand cricket though and it's important to put out the best group of players possible.
Although fans weren't too fussed about who was selected because apparently the first two double-headers in Christchurch and Dunedin were already on their way to being 'sold out' on February 14. I've observed that kiwi cricket fans love to watch Blackcaps regardless of format or opposition and it seems as though they're not bothered about who is playing for Aotearoa either. Kiwis just love cricket.
It's also hard to complain about fewer youngsters or emerging players when the likes of Zak Foulkes (22yrs), Mitch Hay (24yrs) and Tim Robinson (22yrs) are all selected and all three have played at least five T20Is. Add in Will O'Rourke (23yrs) who is selected for the first three T20Is and there are four lads who are younger than 25 years old.
Blackcaps have already integrated a wave of youngsters across all three formats and there are many more waiting for an opportunity. There are still a few rounds of Plunket Shield cricket remaining this summer and as a reminder of the buffet of cricket on offer, there are men's and women's 'A' games scheduled, along with regional representative games and North vs South women's games later in the summer ... well almost autumn.
Super duper deep cut: a young lad named Xavier Bell is scoring centuries for fun below the radar. All that comes up in a search about Bell is more centuries. This is another example of the comprehensive NZC pipeline working well, and there are a few others who are dominating their tier below domestic cricket as well.
Reminder that blokes can play for Blackcaps without a NZC contract, which is exactly the same in the NRL where one can play NRL without a top-30 contract. The Blackcaps T20I squad has Finn Allen, Jimmy Neesham and Tim Seifert who have all shifted to the T20 circuit in recent years. Perhaps they are 'contract rebels' or maybe they are just kiwi cricketers who weren't in the Test mix and unlikely to be selected for ODIs (Blackcaps are awesome without them), but remain excellent T20 cricketers who command great opportunities around the world.
Given the players who are unavailable, and that these three are elite T20 lads in Aotearoa, they deserve to be selected. Most notably, all three opted to play domestic cricket when available even though they don't appear to be contractually obliged to without Blackcaps/domestic contracts.
All three played at least five Ford Trophy games with Allen (seven games) captaining Auckland in the final. Neesham played the most games of the three with nine. Seifert played six games. Allen was solid but Neesham and Seifert went bonkers...
Finn Allen: 168 runs @ 24avg/131sr
Jimmy Neesham: 295 runs @ 42avg/129sr | 16w @ 16avg/4.8rpo
Tim Seifert: 240 runs @ 48avg/122sr
Blackcaps who played throughout the Champions Trophy were probably given the choice to play these T20Is or rest up. O'Rourke and Matt Henry have space for a rest, while the other lads want to play for Aotearoa in the same way that Allen/Neesham/Seifert still love to represent Aotearoa. Mark Chapman and Jacob Duffy didn't get game time at the Champions Trophy so they are ready to rip in.
This Blackcaps T20I squad sums up kiwi cricket nicely at the perfect time as we enter the double-header bender. There are a exciting youngsters, lads on the T20 circuit who still love playing cricket in New Zealand and for New Zealand as well as ODI Blackcaps who are keen to keep representing.
White Ferns vs Sri Lanka...
Izzy Gaze has been added to the list of White Ferns who are unavailable for selection: Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Hayley Jensen, Lauren Down, Molly Penfold, Bella James, Izzy Gaze.
Polly Inglis and Bree Illing were only in the ODI squad initially but have been added to the T20I squad because Jensen and James are still injured. Flora Devonshire is the funkiest addition to the T20I squad. After years of very few lefties in Aotearoa cricket, White Ferns now have a lefty seamer in Illing, two lefty spinners in Jonas/Devonshire, and two lefty batters in Halliday/Devonshire.
Devonshire was better in HBJ Shield than Super Smash but that's in tune with how Central Districts performed this season and the skills she showed in HBJ Shield can be parlayed into T20 cricket. Here's her mahi this summer...
HBJ Shied: 266 runs @ 33.2avg/79sr, 3 x 50 | 18w @ 17.5avg/4.4rpo
Super Smash: 78 runs @ 9.7avg/84sr | 4w @ 49.2avg/6.3rpo
Just like Blackcaps, White Ferns have added fresh youngsters to their group. Devonshire's 22yrs, Illing is 21yrs, Izzy Sharp is 20yrs, Emma McLeod is 18yrs. Inglis made her debut and is a bit older at 28yrs, while there are established White Ferns like Georgia Plimmer (21yrs), Eden Carson (23yrs) and Jonas (20yrs) in the T20I squad.
For the paid subscribers we recorded the Bonus Pod this morning. I have also done an update on the kiwis who will play County Championship cricket this winter and notes for each Plunket Shield team selected today. In the rugby league section I have got lots of Kiwi-NRL deep cuts across Queensland Cup, NSW Cup and Under 21 Jersey Flegg Cup.
White Ferns Notebook After ODI Series Win vs Sri Lanka
New Zealand Warriors Return To The Temple Of Mt Smart vs Manly Sea Eagles
Two rounds of NRL footy and we are set to have two Kiwi-NRL debutants. Kawakawa's Bayleigh Bentley-Hape is named on the wing for Rabbitohs after initially being recruited by Roosters and then shuffling out of the Roosters system in recent years like many other Kiwi-NRL juniors ... except for Salesi Foketi who made his debut in round one.
You may have seen the news about Dylan Brown's move to Newcastle Knights. As we tend to do, I don't care about the headlines around this deal and am more interested in how Knights operate as a Kiwi-NRL organisation.
Knights invest heavily in recruiting youngsters from Aotearoa. The best way to find value in an NRL salary cap is to develop youngsters who play NRL footy on their first or second contracts. Knights are a bit goofy though as they had previously recruited Starford To'a and Simi Sasagi from Aotearoa, investing in shifting them to Newcastle and brewing them towards NRL footy.
To'a and Sasagi both departed as soon as they started to settle in the Knights NRL mix with To'a moving to Tigers and Sasagi moving to Raiders. Knights recruited Leo Thompson from Raiders (Raiders initially signed Thompson from rugby union in Aotearoa) and while Thompson needed to be lured to Knights with an NRL contract, he still offered fabulous value as a starting prop playing big minutes on his first major NRL contract.
Thompson's off to Bulldogs next season. For all their excellent Kiwi-NRL recruitment, Knights don't fill me with confidence that their Kiwi-NRL lads will thrive in their NRL team. They are still recruiting heavily from Aotearoa though and along with the lads listed below who have played in Knights teams this season, Cullen Gray suddenly appeared in their U21 team as a half.
Gray is from Northland as a Hikurangi junior (same club as Brown) and played 1st 15 for Auckland Grammar. He dabbled in rugby union around Wellington before moving to Australia where he had time in the Brumbies system and now he's with Knights.
NSW Cup
Sebastian Sua (Mt Albert), Tyrone Thompson (Maraenui), Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana (Mangere East)
Jersey Flegg Cup
Cullen Gray (Hikurangi), Bailey Carmichael (Rotorua Boys High School), Te Kaio Cranwell (Linwood), Tamakaimoana Whareaorere (Rotorua Boys High School)
SG Ball Cup
Sosaia Latu (Mangere East), Haami Loza (De La Salle College), Xavier Lynch (Halswell), Ezekiel Faga-Ieti (Hornby), Ryder Crosswell (Palmerston North Boys High School), Austyn Ah Toon-Hotene (Papatoetoe)
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
Here’s An Alternative All Whites Selection From Outside The Current Squad
GK – Kees Sims, Nik Tzanev, Zac Jones
CB – Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma, George Stanger, Isaac Hughes
FB – Dalton Wilkins, Sam Sutton, James McGarry (inj), Niko Kirwan
CM – Ryan Thomas, Matt Dibley-Dias, Cam Howieson, Fin Roa Conchie
AM – Ben Old (inj), Marco Rojas, Andre De Jong, Oskar Van Hattum
FW – Max Mata (inj), Moses Dyer, Oscar Faulds, Alex Greive
The (inj) is for the fellas who weren’t picked for the current All Whites squad due to injury... not that they’d have all made it anyway – only Ben Old could have expected that. A couple others were unavailable, like Finn Surman for club reasons and Ryan Thomas for long-term fitness reasons. Just check out that depth, mate. In fact, bugger it, I might just whip up a third squad based on all the rest of the leftovers because there are some pretty handy dudes outside this squad too. That one will be after the paywall jump for you hearty subscribers.
Let us assume, hypothetically, that the All Whites do indeed qualify for the 2026 World Cup. That tournament will be held in around 16 months - after the next club season. The fact that there were only two players who dropped out of the last All Whites squad (November 2024) and this one (March 2025) tells us that Darren Bazeley is pretty settled on who his best players are... but a lot can happen in a full season of footy. One year ago, there was no Auckland FC and thus the likes of Francis De Vries, Logan Rogerson, and Jesse Randall weren’t in the mix. Now there is and they are.
A year and a half from now, Tyler Bindon might be a Premier League and Champions League player. Marko Stamenic could join him at Nottingham Forest (shout out to Agent Woodsman), depending on what their plans are for him – Stamenic’s contract is one year longer than Bindon’s which could be a clue. Alex Paulsen might also have taken the next step, probably not at Bournemouth yet but maybe a loan elsewhere in Britain. If so then that might nudge Max Crocombe out of starter’s duty and, in turn, would potentially bring Michael Woud into the hunt if he takes over as AFC’s gloveman.
All those Nix youngsters will be one year older and more experienced. Guys like Matt Sheridan, the Kelly-Healds, Nathan Walker, and even Luke Brooke-Smith could break through. Isaac Hughes definitely feels like someone on the cusp... though it’d probably need to wait until after the World Cup or if/when Boxall and Smith retire. Same deal for George Stanger, who’d benefit massively if Ayr United can get promoted to the Scottish Premiership this season.
Stipe Ukich hasn’t been involved with the NK Istra first team yet since moving to Croatia (outside of friendlies). Give him a year and a half and see where he’s at. Oscar Faulds has similar rising potential. There’ll be an U17 and U20 World Cup this year for the men so that always announces a few more top prospects. Jay Herdman was the guy at the last U20s... if he leverages a good season in Canada into a progressive transfer then he might find himself moving up the list.
Matt Dibley-Dias with some better loan luck. Ronan Wynne breaking into MLS between now and then. We hope and pray for a clean bill of Ryan Thomas health, enough to make him feel comfortable adding to his workload with international football again. Dalton Wilkins might already be amongst it if he could stop getting injured at the least convenient times. And most gloriously of all, Chris Wood could be scoring goals against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich by then... as well as pretty soon becoming New Zealand’s most-capped men’s international.
Most Caps For All Whites
Ivan Vicelich – 88
Chris Wood - 80
Simon Elliott – 69
Kosta Barbarouses - 65
Vaughan Coveny – 64
Ricki Herbert - 61
Chris Jackson - 60
Brian Turner - 59
Steve Sumner - 58
Shane Smeltz - 58
Duncan Cole - 58
Chris Zorocich - 58
Leo Bertos – 56
Ceri Evans – 56
Tommy Smith - 56
Michael McGlinchey - 55
Michael McGarry - 54
Adrian Elrick - 53
Michael Boxall - 53
Jeremy Brockie – 51
(As for the most goals... that’s for the member’s lounge)
The NZ NBL tipped off last night with the Hawke’s Bay Hawks crushing the Indian Panthers 112-78. It was actually pretty close in the first quarter but then the reality of the Panthers having brought together a team of ring-ins over the past few days sunk in and they capitulated. Very strange situation there – yet to see any evidence that Indian basketball actually values this development at all. Scheduling a national team training camp to clash with week one doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence, nor does the fact that all we know about them has come from the vested interests of the NBL’s own media crew.
To be fair, the Hawks were also without a couple of their imports. Most teams will be in the early stages of the season. But the HB Hawks did have Jackson Ball, who turned 17 years old on Monday and dropped a stat line of 40 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in 34 minutes while shooting 15/19 from the field and 5/7 from three-pointers. Made 5/6 free throws as well. Astonishing stuff. Sure, it was against a team that barely qualifies for NBL reserve status... but how many other just-turned-17-year-olds could have done what Jackson Ball did?
This is the same bloke who became one of the youngest-ever Tall Blacks a few weeks ago. He also played 30+ minutes in both Preseason Blitz games including dropping 29 points on the Canterbury Rams. Needless to say he was part of the U17 World Cup squad that took New Zealand to fourth at that tournament last year. The convenience of the match-up against the Panthers was one thing but there’s a wider trend emerging around J.Ball (who has already committed to Wisconsin University for 2026 where he’ll team up, once again, with his U17 WC buddy Hayden Jones). Ball was out there at his age knocking down threes and barging dudes out of his way in the paint. Great size for a guard, already standing 6’4 and he might not be finished growing, with a strong frame and genuine athleticism. Multi-level scorer. All indications suggest he’s a switched-on dude with a great work ethic. Now we wait to see what he can produce against an actual NBL team.
Also, over in the Aussie NBL the Illawarra Hawks have tied things up with a narrow win away to Melbourne United. Tyler Harvey nailed a three-pointer with six seconds to go for a 102-100 victory. Series tied at 1-1, Hawks regain homecourt advantage. And how did they do it? Probably something to do with Shea Ili only playing about 12 minutes before he copped an elbow to the head from Will Hickey in the second quarter. He passed his concussion check but coach Dean Vickerman opted to keep him out of the rest of the game anyway given Ili’s history of head knocks. Understandable. Rob Loe also only played nine minutes, in his case it was foul trouble that foiled him. At least that did clear the path for Flynn Cameron to make his finals debut with seven points in six minutes off the bench. Game three is on Sunday in Illawarra. Then it’s back to Melbourne on Wednesday. And if needed game five will be Illawarra on the following Sunday.
Steven Adams Per 36-Minute Stats In Recent Seasons
2024-25 | HOU | 10.2 PTS | 15.0 REB (7.8 ORB) | 3.4 AST | +6.1 +/-
2022-23 | MEM | 11.5 PTS | 15.4 REB (6.8 ORB) | 3.1 AST | +7.7 +/-
2021-22 | MEM | 9.5 PTS | 13.7 REB (6.3 ORB) | 4.6 AST | +6.4 +/-
2020-21 | NOP | 9.8 PTS | 11.5 REB (4.8 ORB) | 2.5 AST | +0.3 +/-
2019-20 | OKC | 14.7 PTS | 12.5 REB (4.4 ORB) | 3.1 AST | +3.2 +/-
Let alone when we get into some of the deeper stats, like his Net Rating of 7.0 this season which tracks beautifully with the previous four seasons, in descending order, of: 9.7, 8.3, -0.1, and 4.4 (that Pelicans year sucked, man). Offensive ratings of at least 111 in every year since 2017-18. An offensive rebounding percentage of 18.1% this season for the best mark of his career. Field goal percentage is down slightly and there’s no fixing his free throws which are about to be sub-50% for the third time in his last four seasons (keep in mind he missed last season entirely so that one’s not counted).
Basically, he’s the same player in Houston as he was in Memphis before the knee injury, he’s just not getting the same opportunities to show it. He didn’t do much in today’s game, only 11 minutes in a win over Phoenix, but prior to that he’d gotten at least 15 in four straight so hopefully things are changing a bit now that the Adams/Sengun double big man line-ups are emerging.
Musical Jam...