The New Zealand quick on his road ahead, learning from the likes of Shami and Joseph, bowling to Buttler in the IPL, and more
Interview by Deivarayan Muthu09-Jul-2022You had a bit of a break after winning the IPL and then tuned up at Headingley in the lead-up to the Ireland trip. What’s your rhythm like?
Yeah, Yorkshire got through to the [Vitality T20 Blast] finals. Been watching them and it’s been exciting. A good mate of mine, Finn [Allen] played for them this year and he absolutely loved it. I certainly had a good time there last year and it was nice to get a break from cricket obviously and then get my bowling in and go to see the Black Caps boys at Headingley. But yeah, it [the rhythm] is good. I’ve had a month off without playing cricket, but I’ve been training through and enjoying some time away with my girlfriend, which has been great. But, yeah, definitely back into work mode now and nice to be here in Ireland for the first time before we start on Sunday.The last ODI you played was at the start of the pandemic in Australia in 2020, when you had a Covid-19 scare
It wasn’t really a Covid scare. It was just the process and the protocols… I didn’t have it then, but have got it twice since. Obviously, we haven’t played a lot of one-day cricket [in the recent past], but having said that I played most of the Ford Trophy in New Zealand and yeah, we had a great tournament and got across the line with a win.It was nice to bowl with the new ball there, so I [personally] feel like it hasn’t been too long since I played some one-day cricket. And then I had quite a big stint at the IPL. So, yeah, just feels nice to come after this break and we have a pretty young, exciting squad, with a lot of the Test players going home. And this Ireland team is incredibly strong at home and there’s no doubt that they will be firing on all cylinders.Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips are among those exciting players in your side. Having closely followed their progress, what is your assessment of the two potential ODI debutants?
Those two boys have played all around the world and they have done well. So, I’m sure coming to Ireland – although it’s probably a new place to play – they are pretty settled in their cricket. I guess they’re excited at the opportunity to potentially play some one-day cricket for New Zealand, but looking across the whole squad perhaps, it’s not the exact faces you remember, but as a group, we haven’t played a huge amount of one-day cricket for a couple of years. So it’s quite hard to nail down what the team might be, but it’s a great opportunity for some young batters to put their hands up as we go into more one-day cricket and then the [ODI] World Cup next year that they’ll be aiming for, just as much as me, to try and be part of that squad.Ferguson on missing the T20 World Cup last year: “But such is life, and I have good motivation going forward to keep myself fit”•Getty ImagesCan you recall your way back after sustaining the calf injury in the UAE?
Probably one of the tough injuries, mostly because it was only a small tear that somewhat healed quickly – I played the India series straight after the T20 World Cup. It pretty much put me out for two-three weeks of that. But, such is life, and I have good motivation going forward to keep myself as fit as possible because I obviously want to play as many World Cups as possible.But, at the time it was exciting for the Black Caps to go all the way and have a chance to raise a trophy. It wasn’t our day in the final, but it was nice to be along the journey.As for rehab, to be honest, because it was a small tear, it kind of came back pretty quick and then you have so much experience in Tommy Simsek (physio) and Chris Donaldson (trainer) and they give you a lot of faith in coming back to playing quickly. Of course, they didn’t push me, but, yeah, the rehab process went well and I’m very well looked after by the Black Caps set-up – one of the best in the world for sure. It was nice to come back into the T20I squad for India [tour] and then back home [for domestic cricket] after quite a big stint away.You were bowling rockets during the Ford Trophy. How much will that stint help you get into the groove for the upcoming ODIs?
As much as any. Potentially, my biggest development was probably leadership within that group. Going back and actually having an extended period with the Auckland side. Obviously, you’ve got a lot of young bowlers and young players who are part of that squad and we had a tough Super Smash. But, having said that, I thought the bowling attack was very good throughout the Super Smash. Probably, it was one of those tournaments, where we couldn’t quite get the runs, which happens.But, yeah, I guess the leadership part of the squad and trying to lead from the front actually helped develop my game a lot more because it made me think in depth about my role going forward. So, if anything, I developed my game even more and it gave me an opportunity to reflect on where I was with my T20 cricket and one-day cricket and also to try out some new things. Bowling with the new ball was great fun with Ben Lister who, I think, is knocking on the doors for higher honours the way he’s been bowling; so, yeah, it was a good couple of months [with Auckland]. Obviously, with Covid being what it was last year, I was away from home for about eight months, so was just having some time in my own bed (laughs). It’s always nice to see family and friends and things like that.It was disappointing that there wasn’t much one-day cricket for Black Caps, but such is life, and the benefit of it was more time at home.Related
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Can you elaborate on the leadership role at Auckland?
Look, I have very close ties with the Auckland side. Every time I’m back [from New Zealand duties], I try to play for them, if I can. Even if I’m back for a few days, I can watch or go out there and chat with them. Even in the previous year, when I had a big injury, I was spending a lot of time with the younger bowlers.Certainly, when I was coming up through the ranks, people like Mitch McClenaghan and Michael Bates and Andrew Adams were super helpful for me. It wasn’t always about giving off the perfect advice, it was about just rebounding ideas and giving them someone to talk to about their bowling. It can be a tough job at times, particularly white-ball cricket, but, if anything, I was just trying to talk to the players and make them realise that when things don’t go your way, it’s not always because of how you’re bowling. It’s just the way the game rolls sometimes and the most important thing is, of course, [focusing] on the next ball or the next game and it was just nice to work with the team.Of course, we had great success in the one-dayers and they took that through to the four-day cricket as well and won the Plunket Shield. So, it’s going to be another exciting season for the Auckland team. With a new coach Doug Watson and with Luke Wright around – he’s now here with the Black Caps – we’re going from strength to strength. So, I can say, [it is] worth keeping an eye on some of those players. I think some of them will be playing in Black Caps colours not too far away.Lockie Ferguson has thrived in a leadership role at Auckland•Getty ImagesFormer Auckland coach Heinrich Malan is now in charge of the Ireland side. He’s currently down with Covid-19, but how exciting is the prospect of going against him at some point on this tour?
Yeah, it’s great for him to coach an international side. I’m sure he’s very excited at the prospect, but he will say a few words at the ground. But as I said, it’s going to be an exciting few weeks for us playing against Ireland and they’ve played some amazing cricket up till now, with a reasonably settled team. They have the home-team advantage and I’m sure, they will all be fizzing and ready to go.It is a new beginning of sorts for Adam Milne as well, having recovered from the injury he sustained at the IPL. You’ve played just two white-ball internationals together for New Zealand. Are you looking forward to bowling in tandem with another genuine quick?
Milne has had a tough career with injuries – he’ll explain it better. That’s part of the job and unfortunately, these things happen, but his attitude and the positivity he brings into the team each time is…there’s no better. Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of fast bowling, so getting one of our fastest bowlers in the country back in the mix and jumping onto the field with him is going to be great.I think he did so well at the T20 World Cup [in the UAE]. With my injury, although it’s tough to watch from the sidelines, I was very happy for him for how well he did. It’s exciting for New Zealand cricket that we’ve got the depth for someone like Milne to come back into the squad and he’s absolutely chomping to get out there and perform. I’ve got no doubts he’ll do exactly that.It’s going to be a good few weeks. We’ve got a decent stint now as a squad together for Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands tour. I’m sure you will see some special stuff from him and definitely, yeah, great to have him back in the mix.