Sluggers & Buzzkills
Sluggers & Buzzkills
Blackcaps lose the T20WC Final, Lydia Ko, David Nyika, and some National League footy yarns
Podcast
The Niche Cast: Handful of Syllables (Blackcaps T20WC Semi-Final Reaction)
Reading Menu
Aotearoa Warriors Re-Jig Their Redcliffe Dolphins Collab With Fresh Aotearoa Juniors (NRL)
The Sky Blue Connection: Cronulla Sharks Love Otahuhu Leopards (Semisi Sikei/Salesi Ataata) (NRL)
The 2020 Aotearoa Warriors SG Ball Team Was Really Good (NRL)
The Kiwi-NRL Juniors Who Helped Australian Teams Make Finals (NRL)
Kiwi Steve in the NBA #2: On The Big Screen (Basketball)
2021/2 Plunket Shield: Sneaky Otago Defeat Central Districts (Cricket)
2021/22 Plunket Shield: Canterbury Defeat Wellington Again (Cricket)
2021 T20 World Cup: Defeating England Again In 2021 (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
Blackcaps lose to Australia…
Throughout a busy Monday morning it’s been tricky to nail down some Blackcaps insights after their T20 World Cup Final loss to Australia. One thing that has stuck is how little I care about the T20I series vs India starting … Thursday! Then we have the Test series that is part of the World Test Championship and not many teams will take results with them from India, so these Tests will be fun for an eager Blackcaps team.
It sucks to lose and I’m not even mad at Australia. David Warner was getting blasted throughout the Indian Premier League and Australia got blasted in T20Is prior to the tournament. Justin Langer was front and centre of media niggle. Somehow Australia fell into ‘dark horse/underdoggy/smokey’ territory. Australia’s turmoil became T20 World Cup success and I’m curious to see what England’s never-ending turmoil looks like on the pitch moving forward throughout this summer.
I keep coming back to gratitude for a good Blackcaps team. Our lifetimes have had many more years of a meh Blackcaps team than what we experience now. Whether the team wins finals or not, Aotearoa is undisputedly among the best all-round cricket nations in the world. A kiwi like me would suggest that Aotearoa is the best all-round cricket nation in the world. Not winning as many championship as we all want is off-set by making finals of major tournaments in all three different formats.
Check where fellow finalists in these tournaments finished in other formats…
India: WTC Final | T20WC Pool Exit | ODIWC Semi-Final.
Australia: WTC 3rd | T20WC Winner | ODIWC Semi-Final.
England: WTC 4th | T20WC Semi-Final | ODIWC Winner.
Aotearoa: WTC Winner | T20WC Final | ODIWC Final.
Big ups Aotearoa.
Lydia Ko is on fire…
Lydia Ko just lost a playoff hole to finish tied-2nd at the Pelican Women’s Championship. Ko continues an epic second half of 2021 with six top-five finishes in her last nine tournaments, seven top-10 finishes as well.
Prior to this tournament Ko was 6th in prize-money, 3rd in CME Globe Season Rankings and 4th in Rolex Player of the Year. How this looks post-tournament will be interesting, while this being Ko’s best year for a while is for certain. For context Ko was 9th in prize-money, 11th in CME Globe Season Rankings and 16th in Rolex Rankings last year. The big thing about Ko this season is consistency and I’ll reinforce the idea that wins are nice for headlines, but Ko’s is stacking up good results.
That consistency flows around the world, Ko is always good and she’s always good in any conditions. Remember that Ko won an Olympic medal in sweltering Tokyo conditions, then went to Scotland where beanies were the swag.
Wildcard’s Notebook
Blackcaps T20 Elegy...
Pretty confident I’ll never get over the 2019 ODI World Cup final and how that ended. But gotta say I’m dealing with the Blackcaps losing the T20 World Cup final rather well. In 2015, when the Caps got mashed up by Aussie in the ODI WC final, it felt like they’d been exposed. In 2019 it felt like they’d been robbed. But in the wake of actually winning something – the 2021 World Test Championship which is of course the most prestigious of all trophies as Test match cricket is the most prestigious of all formats – defeat here is more bearable.
For one thing, this Blackcaps team has made the most recent final of each of the major format ICC tournaments. They’ve proven that they’re always gonna be competitive at these things as long as this core group is together and there are a few more tourneys left in this era, don’t worry. It doesn’t feel like a one-off wasted opportunity that won’t come again. The Blackcaps are legit. They’ve also got that Test Championship in the bag so they can’t be accused of bottling it on the big occasion.
And ultimately as far as this game went... the Caps were beaten by a better team. Australia don’t always take the T20 stuff very seriously but they amassed the big guns for this tournament and in hindsight should have been bigger contenders from day one. Or... day two because they lost to England in their first game which is another reason why they were underestimated. Honestly, if Aussie cared enough to prioritise T20 cricket then they’d be the dominant side on the planet. The Big Bash League is easily my favourite of the overseas franchise leagues.
I don’t think losing the toss was decisive. Stephen Fleming coached Chennai to the IPL title batting first at the same ground not so long ago. In fact despite a slow start, with a very conservative approach after the first wicket fell (necessary because without Devon Conway the middle order was basically just Kane Williamson... either he or Martin Guptill had to bat at least another ten overs from that point), 172/4 was an excellent total. One made possible by an all-timer of an innings from Kane Williamson.
Yes, another 10-20 runs woulda been nice... but keep it realistic. They did well enough to get what they got and that was more than a defendable total. The Blackcaps’ whole tournament has been built upon their bowling line-up and being able to slow teams down. Against a deep and powerful Aussie batting group, that meant taking early wickets. We got one... but only one.
By the time Trent Boult came back on and got David Warner out the damage had mostly been done. If Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi could’ve come on against fresh batsmen then it was game on but instead they (Sodhi especially, the nature of being a leggie in T20s) got tonked by set dudes. Mitchell Marsh smashing his first ball for six, man. What are you supposed to do against that kinda hitting? We never got that miss-hit that landed in the hands of an outfielder. The aggression and precision from Warner and Marsh was insane.
Sometimes you’ve gotta throw the hands up and acknowledge that another team earned it more. The Blackcaps will be back... there’s another one of these things in a year’s time. Plus they wouldn’t have been able to celebrate anyway because they’ve got a series in India starting in a couple days.
Plus plus we always lose to Aussie in knockout games, the Blackcaps have a really tidy style of diverting pressure back upon the other team with steady, reliable batting and bowling. But Australia don’t feel pressure. Against India it works beautifully… against England it ensures a nice even contest… against Australia we just look timid.
Plus plus plus I’ve seen those clips of the Australians celebrating in the changing room and it’s thoroughly embarrassing for them. So shame on those jokers after all.
The Boxing Lads...
David Nyika has latched himself onto the Joseph Parker camp in order to add a second pro fight to his record on the undercard of the Derek Chisora rematch and you’ve gotta wonder if he’s asking himself what he’s gotten into right about now. From being a dude who used to train himself to now doing planks on a mountain while Tyson Fury films dead rodents. Got himself a free ticket to the Galahad-Martinez fight too – another Matchroom/DAZN card and therefore a chance for some cross-fight promotion.
The undercard was announced recently for Parker-Chisora 2. David Nyika, the only other kiwi on show that night in what is very much an Eddie Hearn showcase. Nyika will enter the ring pretty early on in a four round cruiserweight contest – doesn’t seem to be a confirmed opponent yet but in a four-rounder you’d imagine it’d be someone he’s favoured to beat. It’ll be slow and steady steps for Nyika early in his pro career, especially because if he paces himself then he’ll still be eligible to fight at the Commonwealth Games next year.
“I feel very privileged to be here, I’m in the heart of professional boxing here so this is a massive opportunity for me. I’m looking to put myself on notice in the Cruiserweight division. I think there’s a lot more to professional boxing than I initially thought, I feel like I’m rebuilding Rome starting to work with Andy Lee. I’m in great company with the likes of Joseph Parker, the Fury’s are in camp, I’m a sponge right now and this is a great opportunity for me to grow, learn and develop as a boxer – also as a person.”
As for the main event, it’s a relief to hear Joseph Parker and Andy Lee both emphasising how much longer they’ve had to work together this time and all the improvements they believe that Parker has made in that time. Lee reckons a win here and he’s... except for Tyson Fury “because they’re as close to brothers”.
Meanwhile Derek Chisora spent his press conference whinging as usual. About the limited crowds, about all the times he’s been robbed in his career, about how he wants American judges not British ones, about how underrated he is blah blah blah. Great slugger in the ring but geez he’s a buzzkill out of it.
National League Footy Things...
1) Honestly, if you’re not watching Wan Gatkek ball out for Western Suburbs then you’re missing out. Gatkek had a bit of a quieter one on the weekend only to still pop up with a thrilling 89th minute winner. This is a dude who played a lot for Team Wellington a year ago as a deeper central midfielder, holding his position and keeping the ball moving. With Wests he’s got a bit more licence to push forward and thus is showing off some insane close control and the ability to beat players... but within reason. Gatkek’s not a guy to throw in unnecessary stepovers. He only pulls out the funky stuff when he needs to. He’s got the flash and he’s got the cash.
2) So... the Canterbury Pride have lost both games so far. The reigning dynasty of domestic women’s football having been dropped 2-1 by Southern and 3-1 by Capital in consecutive weeks. Obviously the dynasty ain’t under threat in an unofficial competition, they’ll still be defending champs next year, but this is not what we’ve come to expect from them. Why is it happening? For starters they don’t have that Gabi Rennie level striker to bang the goals away and a lack of goals tends to expose other issues. Britney-Lee Nicholson was named in the squad but hasn’t featured yet, guessing that’s an injury thing. The sooner she’s back the better. Then on top of that there are quite a new young players pushing in. Freya Lodge, Ellena Firth, Jasmine Donald and the likes. Plus more experienced players like Kate Loye and Kate Guildford coming in from other teams. That requires a bit of adjustment. They’re definitely not dominating the ball like you’d expect but also they’ve come up against two well-drilled teams with more continuity than themselves and both games have in fairness been pretty competitive. Two teams who they’ll get to play again in return fixtures to potentially make amends. Expect the Cantabs to get better each week.
3) Three games on Saturday (more Saturday footy please) and all three took place within torrential downpour at some stage. She was a wet and windy day up and down the nation, that one. From the Southern United subs crowding the dugout with blankets to Wellington Olympic lads having to Charlie Brown a free kick to keep the ball still enough to strike a free kick in the Welly breeze to the cameras at the Capital-Canterbury game getting covered in rain drops that made it tricky to tell exactly what was happening. And just so you know I was watching these games from Whangarei where it was also stormy. The entire breadth of the country. Those three Saturday games all took part on turf pitches which ordinarily I absolutely hate – surely we can do better? - though I will admit that the turfos are a bit better in the rain where the excessive bounce is balanced out. They won’t puddle and muddy-up like the all-naturals either. Still a slog to run through them in that state, but.
4) Nuts how many young keepers there are across the board this season. Zac Jones (20yo) is well and truly the top choice at Miramar Rangers and looks so good these days. He had the odd avoidable error in his game back in the WeeNix days and didn’t always look as strong as he needed to be but he’s bulked up and ironed out his fundamentals since and is playing superb. Speaking of the WeeNix, they’ve split the two starts between Henry Gray (16yo) and Alby Kelly-Heald (also 16yo) and neither looked out of place. Gray made some lovely saves against Olympic while Kelly-Heald has a fantastic frame for a keeper and didn’t put a foot wrong against Miramar (albeit with fewer saves to make). They’ve both been elevated because 19yo Alex Paulsen is now the backup for the A-League team after an outrageously good 2020 term. And Paulsen’s WeeNix backup last season has returend to Wests where he’s showing off an extremely well-rounded goalkeeping skill set. Kees Sims with the saves, sure, but also the ability with his feet. And Olympic have given Toby Hunt both starts with Scott Basalaj currently out. Not sure how old Hunt is but he’d be in that 18-19 range. Generally speaking goalies take longer to develop. It’s a singular position where game time is limited and coaches are often hesitant to allow guys to play through their mistakes on that traditional learning curve because those mistakes tend to be punished by goals. And yet here we are.
5) In a short season, you expect there to be a bit of a crowd in the golden boot ranks as players don’t really have the games available to stretch it out. But after two weeks there are two guys way out in front in the men’s comp. Kailan Gould, on the back of a hatty vs Selwyn, and Oskar van Hattum with a couple doubles. Each have four goals. Joao Moreira is the only other player with two. OVH has done that arguably against the two best teams, while Gould plays for Olympic so the chances will follow every game he plays. As for the ladies, there’s no looking past Kaley Ward right now. Didn’t score in week one but was influential after she came on. Then got a double against Canterbury week two. The only player with multiple goals so far in that competition coming off the regular season golden boot in 2020 (though Rennie’s double in the final took her past Ward overall, the awards were decided pre-final).
6) Unless, that is, you count Dayna Crawford who has been credited with an own goal in each of Central’s two games. First one, fair enough. Second... I reckon Hannah Mackay-Wright’s been absolutely robbed there. I had it in the write-up as a HMW goal only to see now that someone from that officiating crew reckons that a failed clearance off the line equals an oggie? Madness. Check the video at around 44:00 to see what I’m talking about. If the shot was already headed in then a deflection is merely a deflection. Might as well give Kaley Ward’s second goal as an OG too in that case.
7) A year ago, Southern made the excellent signing of Macey Fraser to bolster their midfield, offering the Canterbury product more game time in a crucial role. Fraser responded by being their player of the season as far as I was concerned. Fraser’s now apparently targeting overseas pro gigs but in her place the Southerners have signed another Cantab prospect: Margi Dias. Down in Otago for uni, she’s given them a bit of spice in attack to go with their sturdy structured system. Scored one goal on the weekend, sort of set up another (depending on your definition of an own goal). Great technical player who isn’t afraid to take a risk. The Pride probably want her back about now. Excellent signing.
8) Quick shout out to Cashmere Technical for embodying the up one day, down the next nature of football. A 90th minute winner against Selwyn in week one and then they concede an 89th minute winner against Wests the following game. Still, you’d rather a win and a loss than two draws from those situations. Three points is better than two.
9) Shontelle Smith banger goal to finish...