Smith on air from Havelock North
Aiden McLaughlin sat down for a coffee and a chat with former Black Cap and commentator Ian Smith about reigniting his passion for cricket commentary, the most complete sports team he has ever seen, and his unabashed bias toward the Hawke’s Bay Magpies.
It’s been quite the year for Ian Smith. Smith turned 65 in February this year. Technically, that’s retirement age. But he’s showing no sign of slowing down.
Last July he started a new job, as host of a morning radio show on new sports station SENZ.
Although the station operates primarily from its Auckland base, Smith presents each morning from his home in Havelock North.
“It’s been interesting. It’s not anything I ever envisaged doing at this age. To do it [a radio show] every day, by yourself for three hours at home, or your own, when you’re so used to being along with someone, like a cocommentator.”
Wicketkeeper and batter Smith played 63 tests and 98 one-day internationals for New Zealand between 1980 and 1992, but for younger generations, he is best known around the world for his iconic cricket commentary.
When Spark Sport won the rights to broadcast New Zealand cricket for six years in 2020, Smith remained with Sky Sport but there was a gap in his work life.
“When Sky lost the rights and I knew that I didn’t have a job over summer for cricket, I said: ‘Thank God for that, I’ll be able to do what other guys do at Christmas. I’ll be able to go to the pub, I can play golf, I can go to the beach and I don’t have to have it mapped out.’ “Priorities change.
“You look at life in a slightly different way because once you get to that point, you actually do realise that you’re closer to the end than you are to the beginning and the things that matter most matter more to you.
“But after three or four weeks I started to miss it a wee bit. There was something not quite right. ”
Earlier this year, the Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in New Zealand and with that came an opportunity to re-enter the commentary box.
“It reignited my passion for what I love doing the most, and that’s talking about cricket.
“Having a taste of it recently, I realise I still want to do more of it. The next big thing I’d quite like to do is the Men’s T20 World Cup [played in Australia this October and November] so it would be really cool if I could be involved in that.”
Despite his vast experience, Smith admitted to some nerves beforehand.
“I entered the Women’s World Cup with a little bit of trepidation because I hadn’t done a lot of women’s cricket and having not done cricket commentary for quite a while, I actually got quite nervous about the whole thing.
“A lot of the people I was working with, I hadn’t worked with before and it took me a little while to get back into the groove. But everyone was
really welcoming. I ended up doing 14 games [out of 31] including the final and it was really cool. I loved the whole experience.”
Although the vast majority of Smith’s cricket commentary over the years has been on the men’s game, he was really impressed by what he saw.
“One of the things that impressed me was the skill level and professionalism. These women have worked really, really hard to achieve the standards that they have.
“I don’t honestly think in all the World Cups I’ve done, cricket, rugby, male, female, I’ve ever seen a more
professional, cover-all-bases unit like the Australian women’s team.
“I’ve covered some All Black World Cups and they don’t leave too many stones unturned, they’re a solid unit, but this Australian women’s cricket team, I think they had every base covered three times.
“It was just not an issue for them. The way that they dismantled everyone that came along bit by bit really, on a daily basis, was ruthless.”
Away from the women’s game, Smith is confident men’s cricket in New Zealand is in good shape.
“I think we’re developing players. You only have to look at some of the players that are producing big runs, but they’re not even close [to selection].
“If you look at our world rankings, you can’t argue with them. Rankings are generally based on a relatively long period of time. Who would have envisaged we’d become the world test champions? Of course, with that comes expectation.
“I mean, you just don’t lose to Bangladesh at home when you’re world test champions, but we did. So there’s a levelling process about that.
“Ross Taylor [who retired earlier this year] will be missed.
“Kane Williamson [who has missed a lot of cricket recently due to injury] is severely missed and hopefully this ongoing elbow problem will allow him to play the volume of cricket we need him to play for us.”
The recent high-profile struggles of two of his former teammates, father and son Lance and Chris Cairns, have seen Smith reflect on his time with them over many decades.
“It’s not very often you play with a father internationally and then a son internationally. I knew Chris Cairns in the old days when Lance and I were playing at Eden Park.
“We were playing corridor cricket with him; we just got used to having
him around. I’ve known his mother, Sue, for over 40 years.
“I’ve watched him develop into the cricketer and then the personality he became. The Cairns family story is one of tragedy more than success.
“A lot of kids going through the [cricket] system now would not have seen Chris Cairns play cricket.
“They might know a little bit of Chris Cairns the broadcaster [Cairns was commentating for Sky Sport until December 2013] and some know the other side of Chris Cairns, which has not been good.
“Others will know Chris Cairns for the terrible health issues that he’s trying to get over.
“Chris Cairns, in his pomp, when he was playing really well, would have been an IPL megastar but he just missed the boat on that,” he said.
“Lance Cairns is a legend, but unless you’re on YouTube, many wouldn’t have seen him play either.”
Away from cricket and his radio work, Smith continues to work for Sky Sport on rugby, but one team still means more to him than the others.
“I love Hawke’s Bay rugby, I’ve got a real passion for it.
“When I’m on SENZ I’m unashamedly biased towards Hawke’s Bay rugby.
“I thought Ash Dixon was one of the most inspirational sportsmen I’ve ever been around, whether playing, commentating, or interviewing, I just found that he was super.
“I grew up in Palmerston North through Manawatu¯ ’s Ranfurly Shield era [13 defences between 1976-78] and got to know what it was really about to a smaller town.
“Getting a taste of it now again, I so look forward to those Hawke’s Bay fixtures and I love working on rugby at that level.
“So many of the people at that level of rugby are volunteers and they’re the heart and soul, they love it. The players are really good and accommodating and it’s something I look forward to.”