In this week's On The Sidelines, Scotty dives into a jam-packed weekend of sport discussing the latest in cricket, A-Leagues and EPL.
CRICKET
Blundell resistance bright spot for Black Caps
England by 323 runs — that is the basic accounting of a Test that lasted less than three days. In the end, England claimed a first series win in New Zealand since 2008 — just their second away series win since Brendon McCullum took the reins of the test team and energised the sport with an aggressive philosophy that has been an awful lot of fun to watch, if not always successful.
Test cricket is tough, it’s supposed to be. Winning an away series is still one of the hardest things to do in a format that requires doggedness, determination, and a quick mastery of foreign conditions. Just a couple of weeks ago, New Zealand did what no other side in history has done: sweep India in a three-Test series in India. Over the last two weeks they have been outfoxed and outplayed by a side that on paper is more like their equal than their superior. That they have descended from the Indian summit to a valley of despair is as much illustrative of the vagaries of test match cricket, as it is indicative of the small percentages that can separate sides in these contests.
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In Christchurch, eight dropped catches bore much of the blame for the eight-wicket defeat, but that effort in the field perhaps masked a malady that came back to haunt New Zealand in Wellington: a paucity of partnership batting. Tom Blundell and Nathan Smith were able to cobble together a meritorious 7th wicket stand, the former reaching a 5th century, at home and under immense pressure, but England have dominated the partnership records in this series, and that has been the key difference between the two sides.
It is something of a concerning fact that in New Zealand’s first innings Will O’Rourke faced more deliveries (0 of 26) than all but three of his teammates. He’s the number 11.
New Zealand moves to Hamilton with the series gone, but with an opportunity to salvage something from the only home test series this summer. Captain Tom Latham, in his post-match interview, essentially confirmed Tim Southee will play in what will be his final test. If there is one silver lining to a record runs defeat in Wellington, it is the extra couple of days to reflect and to recharge before sending one of the finest servants of New Zealand cricket into his test twilight.
F1
Lawson in line but future still uncertain
Kiwi driver Liam Lawson’s last chance to impress his Red Bull paymasters would have, by the time Sidelines lands in your inbox, come and gone with Abu Dhabi the last stop on the increasingly insane circus that is Formula One.
That he qualified again behind is Racing Bulls teammate Yuki Tsunoda is not a big deal, and nor would it have reflected poorly on Lawson that the man he is desperate to replace, Sergio Perez, qualified one place higher. All that matters is this: Does Red Ball see in Lawson a driver who can earn points in a car that is capable?
It has been a couple of tough weeks for the young fella, with results in the last two Grands Prix underwhelming. However, even if Abu Dhabi returns a less than desirable result, the odds are that the deal will be done. Unless Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been using Lawson as a red herring. That would be an enormous surprise.
If Lawson does win the seat next year it will be seen as a victory for the talent identification skills of Helmut Marko, the mysterious Doctor who advises the team on drivers. Marko is a shadowy figure, but he also casts a long shadow over the Red Bull racing programme — something that many believe gets under the skin of Horner.
Whatever happens, Lawson will be happy to finally know his fate, and Red Bull need to start thinking about next season after Perez’s inexplicable decline has allowed McLaren and Ferrari to leap ahead on the constructors’ standings.
A-LEAGUES
Italiano spice has Corica salty
The A-League has never had it better in New Zealand but one man who is not enjoying Auckland FC's incredible start to the year is Wellington Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano.
“Chiefy” stirred the pot ahead of the second local derby on Saturday, suggesting the table-topping newcomers had been lucky and had been given a soft entry with five of their first six matches held in New Zealand.
Those comments did not go over well with Auckland coach and A-League veteran Steve Corica, who suggested his old mate should reassess. Auckland had the last laugh on the pitch, claiming another 2-nil victory (just as they did in Wellington in the first derby) again assisted by some less than desirable defensive work from the Phoenix.
Usually, Sidelines would not be drawn into this kind of coaching pecker swinging, but on this occasion it only adds to what is already the most incredible competition debut a New Zealand team has had in an Australasian league. No goals conceded, not a loss to consider, and already the talk of the Auckland sporting landscape. That “Chiefy” has had a gutful of all the hype for the new kids on the block only adds to the drama.
Up until now, it’s been all politeness and respect. But this is football, and those two qualities don’t last long.
If you get sick of boys being boys, there is also the Phoenix women to think about. Back-to-back wins see them back in contention for the playoffs.
EPL
Is there no end to the Chris Wood fairytale?
Chris Wood was already a New Zealand footballing demigod, and now he’s the most successful striker in the history of Nottingham Forest, which is, despite many years in the premier league wilderness, still one of the most storied clubs in England.
Wood is not what one would consider a dashing ball-playing striker, but he is one of the best finishers in the game. In Forest’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United, Wood scored his 10th goal of the season (only Erling Haaland and Mo Salah — two of the game’s biggest global stars sit above him this year) and his 25th career Premier League goal for the club, eclipsing the mark set by former Dutch international Bryan Roy.
Already the recipient of a player of the month honour this season, Wood continues to confound his critics, and keep Forest in touch with the competition frontrunners.
It should be noted he has done all this while still making sure he returns to New Zealand to suit up for the national side. That is something certain other high profile kiwi athletes might want to think about. But then Safety videos are important, too.
In brief
The Premier Hockey League concluded over the weekend after six weeks of incredible action. The Falcons won the women’s title while the men’s crown went to a stacked Alpiners side who were made to work hard by the Falcons in the final match.
If you missed the action or want to catch a replay, you can find that on TVNZ+.
The All Blacks Sevens side failed to progress to the finals of the Cape Town leg of the World Series, fresh from a fourth place finish in Dubai where they were twice-beaten by Spain. The Black Ferns Sevens had, at time of filing made it through to the semifinals thanks to victories over Japan and China.
The Breakers are on the back foot after back-to-back home losses, making it a run of four defeats. After impressing offensively just a few weeks ago, the Auckland team has struggled with defence and transition and now face an uphill battle to stick with the leaders. They now sit fifth on the table with a 7-7 record.
If you missed the action or want to catch a replay, you can find that on TVNZ+.
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