The Offspin

On this episode of The Offspin, legendary all-rounder Dion Nash joins the show after a Black Caps performance that felt like a throwback to New Zealand cricket's dark days of teal.

Once upon a time, the stereotype of New Zealand cricket was of freezing in the big games, fragile batting and despair – while still finding a way to make the World Cup semifinals. Well, last night the Black Caps rolled back the years in a 119 run loss to the English, to (probably) limp into the final four on the back of three losses.

How bad was it? Simon Day the die-hard couldn't keep going after Kane Williamson got run out and took himself to be – that's how bad it was.

Former Black Cap Dion Nash has seen his fair share of ups and downs in cricket: from the heights of the Lord's honours board, to losing playoffs in the 1996 and 1999 World Cups. We discuss the Bad Boys team culture of the 90s, and ask if it was responsible for the team hardly ever winning? Do players care about what the commentators have to say about them? And what might be going on in the team at the moment which is causing such a collapse in form?

Dion also reflects on the infamous incident in which he, Stephen Fleming and Matthew Hart owned up to blazing up on tour of South Africa, including the shocking revelation that they wandered away from the rest of the group and took the joint with them. How has it changed his views on drugs in sport, and society at large? How do you get rid of beard dandruff? And will he let Simon take out shares in his children? All that and so much more on The Offspin.

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For the latest episode of The Offspin podcast, we're joined by writer, musician and cricket tragic Samuel Flynn Scott, to process the utterly insipid Black Caps loss against Australia. 

Well, that was rubbish. The Black Caps have utterly failed to show any spine against Australia, leaving their Cricket World Cup campaign dangling slightly precariously as we approach the semi-finals. Fortunately, we're saved from the absolute despair that threatened to overwhelm us by the insights and asides of Samuel Flynn Scott, noted cricket tragic and wordsmith.

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We're joined by writer and broadcaster Ali Ikram, and his dad Hamid Ikram, to discuss their role in Pakistan's success at the 1992 Cricket World Cup and their potential in 2019.

The parallels are becoming harder and harder to ignore. A round-robin World Cup, with Pakistan needing a win against New Zealand to survive. Their order of results lines up, there's an ul-Haq in the team, and young left-arm quick bowlers are tearing into batsmen. The Disney musical Alladin was released in 1992, and the remake is being released this year. Shit is spooky.

So to get a grasp on whether the 2019 Cricket World Cup is actually playing out exactly the same as the 1992 World Cup, we decided to speak to a couple of people who had a first-hand role in Pakistan's famous victory. Hamid Ikram, cardiologist, passionate Pakistani cricket fan and legend of the Christchurch community, was the liaison officer for the Pakistan team when they came to New Zealand through the 80s and 90s. He had a history in the game too, including playing alongside Hanif Mohammed as a schoolboy, who went on to become a legendary test cricketer and Pakistan's first test triple centurion.

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In this bonus episode of The Offspin podcast, Simon Day takes a walk around Eden Park with one of the most unlikely legends of New Zealand sporting history.

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In this bonus episode of The Offspin podcast, Labour's Kieran McAnulty and National's Chris Bishop join the show to talk about the Parliamentary World Cup, and attempt to prove they're cricket fanatic credentials. 

To coincide with the business end of the Cricket World Cup, MPs from all over the world will be flying to England to play some games of their own – and maybe catch a playoff match or two.

It sounds like the ultimate junket, but the NZ Parliamentary cricket team co-captains Kieran McAnulty and Chris Bishop insist they'll be paying their own way. The pair are part of the New Zealand squad travelling to take part in an eight-team Parliamentary World Cup, next month in England. The former schoolboy 1st XI reps are set to compete against the likes of Pakistan's President Imran Khan, and recently retired Indian MP, Sachin Tendulkar, if rumours are true.

Somehow, McAnulty and Bishop will have to wrangle a cross-party team, which will include the likes of Kiritapu Allan and Greg O'Connor from Labour, Ian McKelvie from National and Mark Patterson from NZ First.

But are they really true cricket nuffies? Can they prove it by sharing some of their more brutal moments on the cricket field? And what would a Black Caps win mean for the wider political landscape of New Zealand? All that and more on this bonus episode of The Offspin.

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In episode nine of The Offspin, we're joined by Black Caps test spinner Mark Craig to explore the crueller side of cricket in the wake of the Black Caps victory over the West Indies in both thrilling and devastating circumstances.

There are few things in life more cruel than being blessed with spin bowling talent, but having to use it in New Zealand.

Such is the fate of Mark Craig, a veteran of the domestic game who has played 15 tests for the Black Caps. He could have played more, and might still do so, were it not for injuries and local conditions robbing him of chances. However, he will always be the first and only person to hit their very first ball in test cricket for six.

But is that anything on the cruelty suffered by the West Indies in their Cricket World Cup loss to the Black Caps? Carlos Braithwaite had scored a century, and needed just one more big hit to keep his team's chances alive at the World Cup. Had he hit it just one metre further, Trent Boult wouldn't have been able to pull off the match-winning catch. But such is cricket.

Also in this episode, The Offspin gets into the aura of Universe Boss Chris Gayle and what it's like to bowl to such a fearsome batsman, Alex shares a conspiracy theory about the commentary of Brendon McCullum, and Mark Craig shares his thoughts on the missing pieces in the Black Caps puzzle.

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In episode eight of The Offspin, we break down the best game of the tournament so far and talk about the shattered dreams of South African cricket with writer and journalist James Borrowdale.

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In episode seven of The Offspin, with the weather continuing to be very bad in England, and not a lot of cricket being played, we took the opportunity to reminisce on our personal journeys in the sport. And spend some quality time hating Australian cricketers.

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With much of the Cricket World Cup rained off this week, White Ferns superstar Suzie Bates joins The Offspin to discuss the growth of the women's game, pay equity, and provide her expert tips for the Black Caps on English playing conditions. And there's a chance to win a special White Ferns prize pack – listen to the podcast to find out how to enter.

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In the fifth episode of The Offspin, we're joined by Basir Safi and Ismail Wardak, two Kiwi-Afghan cricket lovers who talk about learning the game in refugee camps, the incredible story of Afghanistan's ascent and the high expectations the world now holds for them. 

Another day, another win at the Cricket World Cup for the Black Caps. So why doesn't this one feel quite so good? Is it because maybe, deep down we all want to see Afghanistan succeed?

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