On The Front Foot Episode 272: Is live cricket getting less accessible?

0:00You're listening to a podcast from NewsTorxidB. Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on I Heart Radio. Take another pad now, but don't you feel good? Get that! It's an entrance! It is out. The test is over. I know my biggest! Don't you smell it! Wow, what about the biojaid is out. I love it! And here he goes, Mr. Leverie has a new user to hold. On the front foot with Brian Wattel and Jeremy Coney, powered by NewsTorxidB and I Heart Radio. Hello, nice to have you on the front foot. Revolving door contracts for the black caps sent in, Chapman out, and the door is open for a paste-balling prospect. Usually, they can clean a successful trip to Australia, their top end at Tournament, BBL privatisation. We might need to find something out about that and Peter Holland, who's one of our guests this morning again.

1:00Will he ashes next year be limited to Ritzlispers? And Bradman, a fraud, says an Indian cricket fan. Interesting, we'll investigate that as well. Election here, no new taxes, guys, and we're all going to be able to own supermarkets very shortly, funded by the taxpayer. If that vote goes that way, so you're into the supermarket business, Moose? No, but some people might refer to me as a heart-crite. But... Yeah, I'm the one who's going back there, Moose, and doing all the moving, all the flour around and things like that, the bags of flour. Hello, Mrs Petty Coat. Hello, Moose. Nurse, what's her name? I'm Daniel, I'm Daniel. You're a proper lady. Well, at a time when international cruecks are having to choose between their clubs or countries, the Black Caps Whiteboard Skipper Mitchell Satner has decided

2:03where his loyalty is lies, so it's said in the paper this week. As one of the world's premier T20 crueckers, he's decided to turn off a offer from the Adelaide strikers, which we are told is, well, six figures for two years. And the reverse was applied, of course, to Mark Chapman deciding he doesn't want to be part of the New Zealand competition. Well, mainly part of it, he probably still wants to play in some of the tournaments, and he's spurned New Zealand cricket for a BBL contract. Interesting choices, but that's the choices players have got these days, Jeremy Cun, isn't it, in terms of there's many options open to them. We only have to look around Europe at the moment to see how many New Zealanders are playing in various tournaments. The County cricket championship, a European league, which I do very little about, but have been able to bow enough on it. But that's where players are at now, aren't they? Yep, they've got plenty of choices, wads, to do things.

3:03And not necessarily a bad thing. I think as certainly as you start your career, you're wanting to base it in New Zealand, where you learn your cricket. And then if you're good enough at it, you get some opportunities and some choices. But I read Sentness then quite quickly, I have to say. And I thought his focus first and most really was, he wanted to play the tests against, he wanted to play international cricket against India and Australia, and some of the white ball stuff too. But and then it was captaincy, you know, of the white ball side. And he likes it. And I thought that was great. So that's how it came across to me. Nothing really to do with NZ 20, I'd have to say. That wasn't mentioned really. And he says, okay, I mean, he may well go to the BBL next year or the year after, he talked about the World Cup, didn't he, as well.

4:05But you know, or optionally, he might want to go to South Africa. And he knows, my general point would be that, you know, as you approach your career and your age, and you'll get it reaching the latter phases of that career, I think as a player, you tend to go for the cash a bit more. Yeah, I just wonder whether, you know, that is part of the whole deal, because you had to have a New Zealand cricket contract and part of the Master Agreement to play in the New Zealand Super Smash. Now that is dead and buried. They're going to have a T20 competition this year, but the dream 11 Super Smash is gone. But will that be part of what players have to sign up for to be the available to play the NZ 20? When and if it gets off the ground moves. And when and if is quite a big word, because we ain't here in much, are we?

5:05No, it's too well. Thanks, Jerry. One match was set now. He's a guy who's actually sport with choice, and I applaud him for that, because he's made the very most of himself and tune himself into a damn fine cricketer across all formats I might add. And he can choose, I mean, he's played IPL, he's played the 100. He's now in the European league playing for, I think it's the Edinburgh and Edinburgh mob. And if I'm sat down going, well, that's probably enough. And then I'm looking forward to the five day stuff, Red Bull stuff coming up, because I think very useful all rounder bats. Is it more than Andy left out in the spinner as we know? When you put all that together, he said, I don't really need a BBL contract now, because I route the play Australia and the Red Bull stuff. And then he adds coming up, that's pretty attractive stuff. So I applaud him.

6:05And at the meantime, he's over in Europe. He's a plus two golfers, someone who's got his days off, he can play some of the best golf courses in Europe. And I think life's pretty good for all I might match. And in terms of Chapman, listuous, because he's probably not going to play test cricket. So I see, I have no issue with him. I mean, it's actually on my back, Jerry, when you were playing, I mean, you'd leave it this, because he's great opportunities here. I mean, it would have been a great loss for school teaching and all the other things that great things that you've done and the common commentary work on cricket. But it would have been amazing all this choice that you would have. I just think, good luck to the guys, and make the most of it when you can. Yeah, of course. And none of us disagree. I think in any way, with that, I just make the point that I think that he's coming up over specifically this year because of the test matches and the way that the World Test Championship scheduling has gone.

7:06And it merely because he turns down that, which is obviously a reasonable deal. And he said that. But he's probably going to get another opportunity if he wishes to do so. I get your point about its compulsory, but guys do tend to miss it a bit. Don't they? They do miss a few games here and there of that super smash. I mean, are we saying that Fin Allen is going to leave the Perth Scorchens to play for the Canterbury Coolers or whatever they're going to call the Franchises here? In order to play for New Zealand in a World Cup in a year and two times. Is that that basically the choice that they're having to make? That's what it's going to open up to, isn't it? If the reports had to be believed in Fin Allen's being record numbers in the BBL and, and, you know, he's just going to be counting the cash in the back room.

8:07I mean, good luck to him. And when it comes round to the one day of World Cup, he's kind of like an automatic choice probably these days. So he can slightly pick and choose to. And we can't decry this, but it really does mean that the whatever's going to be in New Zealand will be a rather shallow and poor imitation of what else is going on. We've got 10 playing in that European competition, which seems to be quite substantial and have some very good international players. There's a couple in the Caribbean league. There are four, according to my count or last count playing County cricket at the moment. And there are probably other players coming and going in various tournaments because it's the offseason preparing for New Zealand at home. So, you know, those opportunities are going to continue to exist. If we get to the stage of having cricket and winter in New Zealand, what are we going to do?

9:07That's true. That's quite true, Wads. We'll sleep, you and I. We'll pibonise. But a couple of points just leading on from that discussion. I don't know whether any of you saw that David White has resigned from the IELT 20. After three years there, he's coming back to New Zealand. And that I'm just wondering whether he's going to run the competition after running that competition. Is he going to look to run the IELT 20? That's an obvious sort of link there. The other thing that's happened from a point of view of IELT 20 is that they are considering a move from the January, you know, months to October to avoid IPL clashes and so on. And that's having an interesting one with as far as that's concerned, because that's allowed Pakistan, the Pakistan League, to say to themselves,

10:08okay, there's now a vacation in January, we're going to go there. And that means, of course, there are quite a number of new mentioned ten in the European League. Wads, quite a number who are in that Pakistan League, aren't there? I mean, over the years, I know Williamson's been their cyphered, Monroe, Mitchell, Chapman, Phinellon, Bracewell, Jameson has been there, Sears has been there. So, and some of those are still current players, obviously. So, it looks as though there is a chance, it's chance that it'll be New Zealand NZ 20 against SA 20, BBL, the enhanced one, enlarged perhaps, because they're talking about making quite a lot of money to do that, they're going to have to probably have more teams. I like the way Australia are doing it, however, anyway, and then Bangladesh and Pakistan. So, those might be the teams that and the competitions and the leagues that this NZ 20 are up against.

11:14Pakistan replaces the ILT 20. My last point, it's about this season, the Super Smash. We know from Jeff Alex speaking, there are 64 matches scheduled in that Super Smash, of which 24 will be seen on the TV. That's 12 days, double headers, women's and men's matches on the same day, and the cost of the TV truck, the cameras, staff, wages, I guess, the accommodation. It comes to, it's a bit cheaper than running a test day for TV, which is over 100,000 per day. This one probably 50 to 60, and Sky are not paying, the NZ C are paying for that. There's 600 to 700,000 in terms for the NZ C in extra costs with NZ 20 not ready to go. Well, there are enough troubles it is in terms of expenses, and they've got to find 7 million from somewhere, and I'm pleased. I've got exactly two, but I mean the big competition is going to be quite clearly isn't it?

12:21BBL versus NZ 20, whatever title it gets given in due course. And the BBL are going through a program of private investment, but it's not all playing sailing for them. There are issues, most of you, they're obviously raising money to have some of the teams purchased by investment organisations. But the end result is that there are teams that don't want to be part of that, and the players are wanting more money than they're getting now in terms of their percentage of the earnings of the big bash league. Yeah, it was most interesting this week with the Tom Marieberg, the CEO of Phen and Creative coming out and announcing it. But it wasn't, you know, it's across all the states. There's a couple of holdouts, I forget which ones they are. Sydney and Queensland, and that was the interesting point. They announced it all and Sydney.

13:24And one of the things where against it, yeah. Exactly, but I think what that sort of raises in my mind is that they've already gone out and presumably those who are going going, going the private capital way will have already found funders for that. I know also that the opening opening games are going to be played in India clearly to capture the interest of that audience. Now, if capital is already being chewed up, does that leave a bit of a hole with the NZ 20 being asked to the dance, so to speak? Does that cause problems? Or do you end up going to a player like that person like Dennis O'Brien to back roll you? We're going to be rather interesting because if that is the case, and you won't take any prisoners on that. So very interesting. I also wonder, for instance, if T20 doesn't get up, is the back door still open for what I always thought was the better way to go, which was have a couple of teams from New Zealand and the BBL.

14:31Would that still be open with this latest move? I just wonder, could we end up losing both ways? Is my grant concern in New Zealand? The door is shut in BBL, and we get the scraps in terms of capital for the T20 because it's already been consumed in Australia. I don't know, but it just raises more questions than it gives artists. Just talking the costs and the money, the big rash franchises follows on from what England did with the 100, 18, generated 500 million pounds, and the eight franchises apparently valued collectively at more than 975 million pounds. Now that's eye watering stuff, and I don't believe that money is available in New Zealand. Does it, unless I've got some big backer that you talk about? First of all, I want to know how the valuation models are created because it's not on a discount of cash flow.

15:37I'd love to see that by the way, one of the presumptions or the assumption sitting in behind the valuation, but they have big numbers and they did attract the capital regardless. We know the numbers that are being attracted on the new franchises in the IPO, and now that is eye watering stuff. But some little trivial showdown in a small country, the bottom of the world, not so attractive I would have thought. Well, it's going to be paid for by the television, right? Right, it doesn't. But our time frame in terms of that, is it really ideal? I don't like to say South Africa, South time numbers, UK. It doesn't really work for us. Australia is much better in many ways. But anyway, I just say, more questions and answers for me in this rather interesting world as it just keeps moving every week, something that throws something up, doesn't it? Yeah, I guess that New Zealand cricket doesn't want to be in the position of having to fund all this, and it's got to be privately run, set up, doesn't it?

16:46I mean, New Zealand cricket and Australian cricket deserve their share of the cash, but the money's got to be bankrolled from outsiders. And I think the most important thing is that the players also are going to want their cut apparently the Australian players association, their players are wanting an increase of 6% on their share of the taking 27% to 33% of the cut for the players playing in the contracted legs. So, you know, those are the sorts of things that New Zealand cricket administration want to be well clear on, don't they? I mean, I think that's unreasonable from the Australian players association. Not at all. That looks like a third to me. And the talent is the product. The third is being not unreasonable, frankly, at all. And indeed, you know, okay, the balance of that teleghost of the owners and they're putting capital at risk, get that.

17:53So they should therefore get the returns. But I don't think it's unreasonable for the players to be put in the handout for that at all. So no, but yeah, I guess they'll get it too. New Zealand cricket will want something as well. Of course. Apart from this competition, surely they sold January. They've given them January. One of our best and our most important DNA parts of our DNA. And what I would like to know, very simple question is the NZC commercially liable for a percentage of the losses as well as the wins made by NZ20. Yeah, that's going to be interesting too because none of these competition start off making a profit do they care of being league went through a lot of losses before it started making money. And the setup costs, I guess, are going to be quite exorbitant, aren't they?

18:57Oh, yeah, I mean, I would have thought that when you're selling something, typically you warrant it's in good condition. Those are called sellers warranties. If I'm using cricket, I wouldn't be warranting anything to like that at all because that stuff you just don't want to be out for. You want to come and do it with selling it to you in the fact that I hope you're selling to it. I hope they're getting cash for it. And it's a good at us. But ultimately, you're making the investment and you're taking the risk whoever the investors are. I know the thought that by the way, it's an ongoing story and we're going to have to follow it fairly closely when we hear a bit about what's going on in the NZ competition. We won't hear anything words. It's been one of the fronters of this whole operation and it's been silence. Silence has been the future. And that's why we end up talking about it, trying to work out what it's about.

20:01They clearly feel it's the best option or the better option. But it's all a bit baffling, isn't it? I mean, really, to be honest, I mean, if it's such a good and they let's be fair, they clearly feel it is. The better option. But if it is such a good story and a good idea and a good thing to do, why aren't they telling us that? Why aren't they saying it? Surely we can understand words and it would become clear and obvious to all of us it was the better option. And so far, for me anyway, it's just a story that's been told in shadows and an obscurity. You know, and conversation enclosed rooms with the curtains pulled. You know, the Deloitte's report was supposed to be an important component of this, assessing the two options. Bach described that in his article, didn't he? He described the cough of it. He called us why Deloitte were invited to undertake the task.

21:03And, you know, about assessing the shortest format options for us. He tells us this report has arrived in New Zealand. And to my knowledge, it has not been shared with all the MA chairman at all. And it came written in NDA, a non-disclosure agreement. Don't talk about it. Bach, you know, tells the board completely disregarded the Deloitte's report after paying 600,000 for it. Ratings of the two options. I've been told it was 72 favouring the BBL. Now hardly anyone has seen this report. You know, the district association, the DA's, the heart of our game, haven't seen it. And that community base where most of our players come from, are about to receive that district associations right throughout the country, are going to receive less.

22:05You know, to work with now. So I see that as a pretty bad way of going about starting this thing. Yeah, I see two guys getting their CVs out and putting them forward for the New Zealand cricket board. We've got no chance. We put our names forward. We would have no chance. I don't think anybody else has actually. It is a fake election. When you got on the panel, three MAs, all, you know, favouring the NZ, NZ 20 option. Right. And then you've got Maloy in the board. And you've got a sport, you know, sport, New Zealand sport representative as well. So that's a done deal, guys. I'm sorry. They need to have independent people on that panel.

23:06If there's going to be any decent change about this product, what you see these away boys in will get on with what we do. And so. Mr should, if there was good news to be told, it would have been leaked out by now, because that's the way of the world, isn't it? Not so good at going with all this, not much to say right here. Because that only begs more questions, so therefore we be quiet. But if it was all guns blazing, I know we'd be having press releases up the proverbial wa'zoo, wouldn't we? Yes and do. All right. Well, we'll watch the newspapers and the leaks that may come out over a period of time. And of course, there's plenty of time between now, the decision-making process. Coming up, we're going to be talking about the New Zealand A side. And what it's going to cost to go to an Ashes test match in England next year. The New Zealand A men's side has had what would be regarded, I think, as a fairly successful trip to Australia.

24:11They played a T20 tournament and I think they had seven games in that T20. And they also played three ODI games and one all three fairly tight. But Jerry has been made up of many of the players who are the next crop of our players. We've talked about them before in our A side. Have done well in many of their events that they've been part of. Just look at the likes of Abass, Ashok, Mario, Boyle, Robinson, Clarkson, Go on and on and on. And another one who's emerged and who's got a contract and I think is going to be a big addition to the New Zealand is Matt Fisher, the pace-bola who's got a contract with the New Zealand cricket, which just adds to our fast-bollying resources, doesn't it? Yeah, it's good words. I mean, these players have had more chance to play at a decent level overseas against decent teams than some of the other players prior to them.

25:22And that's a good thing. So well done. Australia, in this case, up in Darwin, is a good close by place to play. As you know, they had three wins. They got to the semis, lost to the side that they actually beat first up in that semi. The runs seemed hard to get in the tournament, 150 in the T20s at 7.5 would have won most games. Lennox got most of the wickets and there's a name that we've heard of recently. He captained also in the Series 5 of the 7 games. Chu was the other captain twice. Jacob scored the most runs, then Boyle, then Chu. Jacob's 166 runs, won the 39 strike rate and so on. Bole's, Lennox, and then as you say, Matt Fisher with 11, Lennox with 13, Passhop 9.

26:22And then as you say, the 3 ODI's wads, a solid win against South Australia, Boyle getting a 100, a basket, 66 and so on. Even Ashok, 23 not out. We like bowlers who can bat, don't we? And then Tasmania, it was a one sided affair in New Zealand, 283 Tasmania, 80. And everybody getting a few runs again, Fisher, 30 off 30. We like bowlers who can bat. And then Fisher, 2 for 9, Clarkson, 2 for 13, Lennox, 3 for 10. So that's good. And then a good game, a tight game to finish against Nepal. 211 Nepal got off their 50 overs, Fisher, 4 wickets. And then New Zealand, 212 for 8 of 1 ball remaining, 49.5. Mario, 137 off 134 of the 212, not a bad knock.

27:22A partnership with Abbas who made 21, but a partnership with 50. And then a partnership with, Matt Fisher, 23 not out. Off 61 balls. This is a better format, more variety, more interesting, greater range of skills to play. So, you know, he obviously knocked it around while Mario got the rest. And so, two dominant wins and a tight one to finish. Moussa, I was going to invite an NCAA player to join us this week. And, you know, they've got a good story to tell some of those guys because they're getting good value out of playing for NCAA. And that's one thing New Zealand cricket is doing well. They're releasing these players into the top level environment, New Zealand A. Unfortunately, they're not doing well in terms of PR for the game because they're not releasing players. They couldn't find somebody to spare 10 minutes to talk about his experience on that trip.

28:22And I would have thought that they would be glowing in what they were able to achieve. And also, the upcoming New Zealand A series against India and Christchurch in October. It is baffling, isn't it? When you've got this and it's, and again, I mean, New Zealand C needs good news for heaven's sake. And what have we got? We've got, what are, you know, if you listen to a jury's extremely articulate and detailed overview, what comes across to you there is the number of players who are contributing and they're playing at a decent level against good size, good quality opposition. This is fantastic stuff. And if all it's doing is promoting and we're seeing these emerging players, which we need. And in terms of bolstering it because, you know, we've got a few, a few gray hairs in the New Zealand, New Zealand side. But this was just such a good new story. And I love what New Zealand cricket is doing here.

29:23You think you'd be out there trumpeting it because it's wonderful. And I listen to the players who are getting all these runs and it's not one or two. It's across the board. It's fantastic. And I'm so excited about that India ray stuff. That India are also participating in that and cooperating. It's only good for their players and ours. Well, they're bringing players out here to New Zealand while their test team is here. You never know where somebody might be needed to play. But, you know, it's making sure that in October, even though the weather is not generally the greatest, we are going to have some quality cricket to look at. And one thing that I'm interested in, I just put down a list of first bowlers now that Fisher is part of that setup. And New Zealand, and I may have even left a name out here somewhere, but I've got up to about 10 or 11. Henry, Jamison, Duffy, Smith, O'Rourke, Tickner, Sears, Fisher, folks, Randall is bowling in County cricket in England.

30:30At the moment, I'm doing pretty well. Christian Clark, we've had Ray and Lister. And there's another guy, a candy guy playing County cricket at the moment getting work at Treguli for nodding him. So a guy called Fraser Sheet. So we're doing pretty well during terms of pace bowling options, aren't we? We are. And we need it once, don't we? I mean, that's one of the things we learned really from that recent series in England that we were down, you know, various people were in and out. And as age does creep up in you for particularly for bowlers, you know, you do develop little strains here and there. I mean, Matt Henry, I'm not picking him out at all, but he developed the calf strain, didn't he? And he couldn't play in the last series. He had to come out of the second. He came back in as well in that second test at the Oble. But we needed all those resources and it's good that we're developing those. It's actually as counterpoint to the Australians.

31:35Isn't it? You think of their attack and you think of the ages of their attack, particularly 35, 36, 39, 38, those kind of ages. And not much because the replacement, bowling, is 37 and Nesus 35 or 36. So there are gyre Richardson's the only one there at around about 30. And he's had injuries as well. So there are not many the next generation down. There's hardly any. You tell me a batsman that all the Australians have agreed on will take the place of either the top three. They have got literally no one that they could all agree on. They've all got a little idea. Of course they have. But they aren't settled and saying, here's a guy that I've just chosen the new lead cooper Connolly. Haven't they to go to South Africa, but he's a left hander from the middle order. They say they can make him into a number three. That's quite a jump.

32:42That's quite a jump. So I just feel I mean they have got me sweet McSweeney. He's over in England at the moment and they haven't got constus. But he hasn't he hasn't quite convinced any of us. I don't think that he's really there for the long term yet. He might, but not many 20, 22 year olds take over the test cricket. They don't dominate test cricket. Test cricket is dominated by 26, 27, 20, then you're starting to get an Aussie. Don't have many there of that age in my opinion. And I just wonder what they're going to do. I think over this next 20 tests in the next year. They are going to hang on to the ones they've got. Because they're batsman are getting older too. Yeah. Smith's living by I've is so so I'm saying what I'm saying by comparison. We have got some options at the moment and we have to because we've got such a small community of frigates. We have to look after the next ones beneath our top level.

33:43Yeah, most definitely and we're going to see signs of that against the send in side because they will be sending a full strength side out in terms of their A team and that is going to really test those players who have been in Australia. And there are other players of course that have played for New Zealand. Nick Kelly is playing County cricket for for less less. And some of those players will be coming home and that will be an ideal step up for them. You talk about the Australians and most I don't know whether you're likely to go to the ashes next year and see this aging Australian side there. But I think you're going to have to put in a claim on your international investments. If you want to buy a ticket to day one at large if you can get a ticket to day one. It's only going to cost you 190 pounds. Now is that about 380 or nearly 400 New Zealand dollars. Michael Vaughan on the podcast that he does said the prices for the ashes next year is taking the piss out of the fence.

34:50Oh, excuse me. I shouldn't drop that word in there. But that's basically what the word fans are. Oh, that's OK. I said, oh, right. But 190 for Lords 185 for the oval. And oh, a discount rate for the Holly standard, Edgerton for the third test. 165 pounds, which at the moment is going in this test match against Pakistan, which we've been costing too many people much 82 pounds. So they've doubled the price for the ashes. But how long can it go on people paying that sort of money? They're filling the grounds. But boy, the hefty price you couldn't go to New Zealand cricket paying the equivalent of 190 pounds could it? Well, it's very interesting point because I just happen to have a dinner last when I was in Melbourne last week with a good friend Glenn from Ivanhoe. And we were covering that off and he says he's quite keen to go to the Lord's test match. But his wife has absolutely no interest whatsoever. And so he said to me, most they wanted to come and join me.

35:55Wow. Yeah. But I'm slowly sponsoring on the numbers involved. You certainly want to be given the state of the wicked on days one or two. And I'll get that get through to three. Did I see somewhere that the average in the test matches at Lord's has been something like 16 or 17 per bet. That's the batting average. It is that bad. And you just go, well, gee, I'm paying that much. Yeah, I wouldn't want to be buying day day three tickets. Would you? That sort of number. You said I want to be organizing lunch. Wouldn't you? And they're talking about they're talking about it. That's why it's three years to get this to get the ground back up to the order that it should be in because they play only on three pitches. Don't they all three or four pitches. Yeah, test matches. But I remember Jerry, weren't you supposed to be meeting Moose at the last Lord's test and he came along and crutches or he couldn't get along because the crutches wouldn't get in there.

37:00By car. Was a bike miss happened in the Netherlands. There were two wheels this bike. No, it wasn't a three wheeler. Yeah, but the pilot wasn't very good. And by the way, that ticket cost me 110 quid. Well, maybe doubling up the price because it only lasts two days. Yeah, it is expensive isn't it, Lads? I mean, cricket's just basically a game for who wants to play isn't it? Really it starts in the back out of the beach with the family. And you know, you have a drive way to have special rules. And then there's a community that's, you know, got a club nearby and now off you go. And it allows different people and heights and weights and ages and you know, people play at a level they're comfortable with. And then there's a social aspect to the game. And then that interest includes watching better players and going to games doesn't it?

38:05And that informs the lower grades how to go about their games as well. It helps them. You know, there's nothing better really than watching a top close test or a tight ODI, you know, a battle between two seasoned practitioners. But how can you say to your 16 year old son who's keen and who's showing promise. Sorry, son 165 quid. I can't take you. That's 330. I'll have to go on my own. And where would we go? Where would we eat? Where would we stay? How would we get there? Because those are extra costs as well. So it is. It was what was what was the increase from the year before that 190 or whatever you said? Oh, well, I suppose that's the difference between where most was at in terms of 110 quid. So that must be it.

39:0880 quid more. Yeah, that's nearly 100% incredible. You know, you can't keep going up at that rate. Can you? Cricket is inaccessible for a growing number of people who love the game. That relation doesn't work. Does it? If you keep doing that. They have a cost of living crisis in England as well too, don't they? And you know, there's only so much money that can go around to these tournaments and these events as such. You know, and bearing in mind that lords is the traditional ground, but the issue is that it's not delivering as a pitch. And you saw that during the New Zealand Test, didn't you? What? The expectation that people are going to play 190 quid. Oh, yeah, they knew it very, very clearly too. I mean, when I say day, people in charge of the pitch coming from lords up to the media area and they were sheepish, you know, they explained and they, you know,

40:20they were irritated and they did all sorts of forms. Just a final quick word this week. And sometimes I wonder what some social media fanatics have been on. Some perhaps medication hasn't stood well with the most, the most outrageous this week was hooked up in India and his contention leaves me God smacked. What does it? Don Bradman is the most overrated crooketer of all time he or she said his technique was worse than tail enders. In today's era, he would have been a walking wicket. He wouldn't survive even one ball in the present time. Don Bradman is the greatest fraud ever. Where's this guy come from or this person come from? Well, he handled the body line series. Okay. And that was a lot. Yeah, I would those bows.

41:21Gubby Allen was in there to attack too, but he refused to bowl short, didn't he? But it was a tactic devised to stop Bradman and it did. I mean, his average plummeted to just over 50 odd. So like any player, you know, he might get out first ball mate. Yeah, that all whoever it is sending that, but not every time he had a debt pretty quickly, I think. And we don't need to answer. Accentrix wads in the future, please. Thank you. And the other thing about Brahman, of course, and and Hobbes and cyclifer those times is they played on uncovered wickets. And and and for those who probably a little wherever uncovered wickets, that's when left out of spinners would just go through you like you can't believe. So that was one thing that said Bradman was a rather device of individual, not universally liked. Yeah, got booted out of his golf club in in Adelaide from from from from all Adelaide.

42:24He had a well on battle amongst amongst his players. Um, though, more than the Catholic Mafia of the time, the capes and thingleton and so on. So he said he's a rather interesting character. That's not disputing. He was an extraordinary cricketer, but he was an interesting character from his own right. And there's a say, um, there were divided opinions opinions on on Sir Donald. Thank you very much, uh, Prakash for your comments. Oh, Peter, I'm sorry. I'm not a Prakash. But I've got to say one of the interesting stories I heard about Bradman and there were so many great Bradman stories was told by Mike Coward, you know, Mike Coward, the Australian journalist. And he wanted wanted Bradman to attend a photo shoot at Adelaide over alongside. I think it might be now on board or something along those to celebrate some major achievement. And, uh, Coward, he didn't turn up and he wasn't able to make it.

43:25And on the first day of the test, Mike Coward was walking down the stairs with the sonora Bradman of the ground. And he basically said, I said, I'm disappointed you weren't able to make it yesterday. Sir Donald, I'm sorry it would have been nice to have had you a part of the photo with Alan Borden. And Bradman's response was, you'll get over it. He was a comagenally character. What was that story where it was, was it, was it, was it Coward again who rang up and his wife answered the telephone? That was, that was that was that was that was Robert Craddock. Oh, Robert, bring him up and lady Jesse answered the phone. And he had been in the death of Ray Lindwell, I think it was. Robert Craddock asked, he just said she wanted to, he wanted to speak to it. So Donald about the death of Ray Lindwell and she called across the room to him, you know, uh, Don, you know, it's somebody from the newspaper wanting to hear from you or talk to you about the death of Ray Lindwell.

44:32And without even getting up, he just called across the room so that the credit could hear on the phone. I think Ray Lindwell was one of the greatest violence of his time. You could give him the ball and he'd do anything you wanted to do. And that was supposed to be his tribute to, to, um, Ray Lindwell. Um, such was the character. I mean, he was a character when he's throwing right to some degree. Bradman, there are so many stories about him. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, we end this week with a thought from, um, a character of real husband. Did you like Dolly Patton either of you? Do you enjoy Dolly Patton? It's, it's, it's had the dispute of phenomenal career. Yeah. And, and, and, and actually a lot of the unsung things that none of us know about that she did for the community and her people. So, um, yeah, Ristam Peast Dolly. A true, yeah, absolutely true true true. Yeah. Truly one of the human beings. Well, let me give you, uh, an interesting piece of, uh, her wisdom.

45:35I'm just looking through a few of the quotes and one of them was, after Mama gave birth to 12 of us kids, we put her up on a pedestal. It was mostly to keep Daddy away from her. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Fantastic. No more room, no more room than once. Right? There you go. Yeah, Dad, you're going to go out into the shed. There's no room in the house. You did right. Thanks guys. Lovely to talk to you. We'll be able to, uh, have another chat next week and hopefully we might get some more news about NZL20. But don't hold your breath. Don't think so. On the best. All right. All right. All right. All right. For the wonderful days of summer singing. Do I do I do I do? For more from News Talks at B, listen live, on air or online and keep our shows with you wherever you go without podcasts on I Hard Radio.