The All Sport Breakfast

I'm almost done. Almost. Cricket has taken clear aim at its foot with a loaded shotgun. The trigger finger is itchy. And it's starting to piss me off.   

I love cricket; it was one of the few sports I was vaguely good at. Vaguely. I played for years at a low level with varying degrees of success. The team Dave Lambie and I started, Team Boon, always looked to finish mid-table. Win some, lose some, fight manfully, and play like clowns from time to time. We set up camp before every game: picket fences, chilly bins full of frothies, score board, ezy up, you know, the joyous extras. We wore beige long before the Beige Brigade, we had an elaborate and brutal fines system. We even had donkey rides once, provided by the Burnside club who played in the same spirit as Boon did, and I believe still do.   

In short, we were cricket. We represented (in an odd way sure) the heart of the community game. Took it seriously enough, but never so seriously that it deteriorated into a 40 over event in the Octagon. It was about fun, comradery, banter, failure, success, heartache, joy, and a touch of exercise – an event that we all looked forward to every Saturday throughout the season.   

The core of the game. Where most cricketers sit. The beating heart.  

It's like this up and down the motu. Men, women, kids. These are the players that are being left in confusion by the antics of the power brokers at the top of the game here.   

New Zealand Cricket. Their board. The NZ20 league hierarchy. The disgruntled former players and administrators. 

I must commend NZC for putting up their President and Chair for interviews, but really, where the hell was that six months ago?  

NZ20? Crickets. The ex-admin and players? The odd sternly worded email and a spokesperson. Love you Richard Petrie, but is that all?  

This extended pie fight between these clowns has left them covered in custard. Did anyone take any notes during the Netball NZ no-comment circus? Plainly not.  

You're losing the faith of the people that really matter – the great cricket playing unwashed from schools and clubs up and down New Zealand.  

Sadly, it's been a demonstrable case of my favourite inverted saying.  

Don't just do something, stand there.   

We all deserve better.   

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Northern Kahu have had a mixed start to the Tauihi Basketball season. 

They're currently sitting 1-1 after a loss to the Whai in their opening match followed by a win over the Queens on Sunday. 

Tomorrow afternoon they're taking on the Southern Hoiho, with the hopes of continuing their upwards momentum. 

Megan 'Mo' Mullings is a forward for the side, and joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland Storm are out for revenge as we head into the semifinals of the Farah Palmer Cup. 

They're up for a rematch against Waikato, who knocked them out of last year's tournament. 

Halfback Melanie Reid joined D'Arcy to preview the clash. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major snow sport event is taking place this weekend – the Cardrona Freestyle Australia New Zealand Cup.  

Points are up for grabs in Halfpipe, Big Air, and Slopestyle, which contribute towards FIS World Cup and Winter Olympic Games qualification. 

Kiwi Olympian Rocco Jamieson is competing in the event, and joined D'Arcy to discuss it. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Sheppard Cup winners Eastern Suburbs started their Women's National League campaign off strong last weekend, claiming victory over the West Coast Rangers. 

They're back in action tomorrow afternoon with a second round match up against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves. 

Midfielder TJ Anderson joined D'Arcy to preview the clash. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week a colleague and a friend passed away. Death is a constant for us all, and as I age, existence feels more and more like a dash through sniper's alley. I accept mortality for the most part, but in some cases, the death of someone can have an unexpected effect on you. I sound cold I know, but I have a fairly calm acknowledgement of the inevitable.   

Phil Gifford was a titan of sports broadcasting, of sports journalism. He also crushed commercial music radio. Phil's passing punched me on the nose when I woke up to the news. He wasn't a dear friend, a family member, or a part of my close inner circle, so the state of flux I found myself in that day was a little unexpected to say the least. I contemplated and questioned it all, all day. Why?   

Phil was a constant in my life. A comfortable pair of jeans, a weathered pair of sneakers, an inviting and satisfying pint to be looked forward to and savoured. He was Loosehead Len. He was a music critic, a writer, a biographer, a warm and joyous voice on the wireless and a constantly uplifted and uplifting presence in the New Zealand media landscape.  Even as he slowed down his vast contribution across media platforms, we still spoke every couple of months, for what was invariably a healthy length of time. Giff loved a yarn. He willingly shared a bottomless pit of crazy stories from his decade's long engagement in sport. I loved those chats  

He was almost paternal to me as I staggered through the vagaries of sport broadcasting. As the years passed, I came to know him as a mate and I'm grateful to know he felt the same about me.   

His life was a positive force for so many people. He felt like family, as was his perpetual presence across NZ's media spectrum.   

I'll always remember him as a guy who loved sport, but he loved the people in sport the most.   

I'm going to doff my cap to him every year by taking up his tradition of putting 100 bucks on the Crusaders at the start of the Super Rugby season.  

Rest easy big fella, you'll be missed. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last weekend Counties Manukau achieved what many thought was impossible, wrestling the Ranfurly Shield from Northland's grasp. 

Now the only thing stopping them from holding it for the summer is Hawke's Bay, who they face tonight in Pukekohe.  

Prop for Counties, Ezekiel Lindenmuth joined D'Arcy to discuss last week's win and preview tonight's clash. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa is underway, the Tauranga Whai opening the tournament with a 81-60 victory over the Northern Kahu last night. 

The Tokomanawa Queens are kicking off their own campaign tomorrow afternoon, taking on the Kahu at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua. 

Coach Tania Tapu joined D'Arcy to preview the tournament. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've arrived at the penultimate round of the NPC. 

Northland has just one last opponent in the way of their quest to lock up the Ranfurly Shield for the summer.  

Counties Manukau are making their way up north this afternoon with the aim of wrestling the Shield from their grasp and beginning their own reign. 

Captain Jimmy Tupou joined D'Arcy to preview the clash. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National League is upon us. 

The first fixtures between the country's top clubs are taking place – Auckland FC's reserve side is beginning their campaign with a clash against the Wellington Olympic, hoping to start on a high note. 

Captain of the side, Jimmy Mitchell joined D'Arcy to preview the season. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.