What’s next for Southee and the Black Caps
New date as return to the octagon delayed a third time for surging light heavyweight
Bring out the rugby posts and let the grass grow longer because the summer of cricket is over.
There were highs — Kane Williamson scored a ton, and then another, and then one more as the Black Caps finally claimed a series win over South Africa. Rachin Ravindra made 240. Finn Allen smashed 137 in a T20 win over Pakistan. Matt Henry was brilliant in every test. Will O’rourke and Ben Sears impressed on test debuts.
On the other side of the scale — too many catches were dropped, the Chappell-hadlee Trophy series peaked at game one, Devon Conway and Kyle Jamieson were hit with injuries and Bangladesh bowled out New Zealand for 98 in an ODI.
The 2-0 series defeat to Australia leaves the Black Caps sitting third in the World Test Championship with three wins and three losses, as the red ball format takes a breather for a while as the focus goes on the Indian Premier League (starting this month) and then a World Cup.
Pakistan — Five Twenty20s
The Black Caps are scheduled to play five matches in Pakistan next month, after facing them five times over the summer.
It will take place during the Indian Premier League which means New Zealand will be without a number of stars including Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson . . . to name a few.
Rawalpindi will host three games on April 18, 20 and 21 and the remaining two will be played at Lahore on April 25 and 27.
Twenty20 World Cup
US and the West Indies host the tournament with the Black Caps playing all their pool C games in the Caribbean. They open against Afghanistan on June 7 in Georgetown followed by clashes against hosts West Indies (June 12, Trinidad) and newcomers Uganda (June 14, Trinidad) and Papua New Guinea (June 17,
Trinidad). The top two teams in each group advance to the Super 8s.
Afghanistan — one-off test
According to the Future Tour Programme the Black Caps will play one test in September against Afghanistan, who aren’t part of the World Test Championship. This will take place at a neutral venue in the subcontinent. Afghanistan have played a total of nine test matches since 2018.
Tour of Sri Lanka — two tests
The next official World Test Championship test series for the Black Caps is around September/ October with dates and venues yet to be confirmed. Sri Lanka currently sit bottom of the World Test Championship having lost their two matches to Pakistan at home. Before hosting the Black Caps they have two tests in Bangladesh and three in England.
On the most recent series in 2019, Sri Lanka won the first test by six wickets before the Black Caps bounced back to level the series. Tom Latham (154) and BJ Watling (105) led the charge while Tim Southee and Trent Boult took the majority of the wickets in an innings victory.
Tour of India — three tests
The Black Caps are scheduled to play a three-test series in India as part of the World Test Championship in October and November. The venues have not been confirmed but the third test will be a day-night test. New Zealand have never won a test series in India and last won a test there in 1988.
The 19 tests since have resulted in 10 defeats. Their last series in 2021 began with a dramatic draw. Tim Southee had eight wickets for the match while Tom Latham made 95 in the first innings followed by 52 in the second. India set New Zealand 284 to win and they were 155 for nine but final pairing Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel held on until bad light ended play on day five. India dominated the second test after bowling the Black Caps out for 65 in their first innings, eventually winning by 372 runs.
Tour of Sri Lanka — three ODIS, three Twenty20s
On the schedule but yet to be officially confirmed is a return to Sri Lanka for some white ball cricket, meaning the Black Caps will be in the sub-continent for September, October and November.
England tour of New Zealand — three tests
The only home tests scheduled for next summer are the final three matches for New Zealand’s latest World Test Championship campaign. England were here just last summer when the Black Caps claimed a famous one-run win to secure a drawn series. England last won a test series here in 2018.
Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand — TBC
More Sri Lanka. Across the New Year, they arrive for an ODI series and a Twenty20 series. Their most recent tour here was last March and April last year with New Zealand winning the ODIS 2-0 and the Twenty20s 2-1. Possibly three ODIS and three T20s.
Pakistan tour of New Zealand — TBC
It’s New Zealand’s biggest Twenty20 rivals back here again. The Black Caps have played Pakistan 39 times in T20s, 12 more than any other country, and that doesn’t include the five coming up next month. It will be the third time in four years Pakistan have played a T20 series here, but their first ODIS since 2018. Possibly three ODIS and three T20s.
Champions Trophy — Pakistan?
Another year another trophy between the top nations up for grabs. The ICC Champions Trophy returns for the first time since 2017. Pakistan is set to host the tournament in Februarymarch 2025, although that remains in the air as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may threaten to withdraw from the event with India last playing in Pakistan in 2008. The issues will likely be discussed at an ICC meeting this week.
The Black Caps won the event in 2000 and were runners-up to Australia in 2009.
When Carlos Ulberg returns to the UFC octagon, he will have spent the best part of six months in a training camp. The surging Kiwi light heavyweight has had a strange start to his year. After being booked to return in January against Dominick Reyes, the UFC’S No 14-ranked light heavyweight, Ulberg was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury and it was delayed until the end of March.
However, soon after it was shifted, Reyes was forced to withdraw after being diagnosed with blood clots in his leg. He was replaced by No 12ranked Alonzo Menifield.
But there was another twist in the tale yet, with the bout between Ulberg and Menifield having to be rescheduled again. It is now slated for the fight night in St Louis on May 12 — almost four months on from the original January 22 fight date.
The ongoing delays add to what is already an intriguing change for Ulberg.
The change in opponent saw him go from meeting a southpaw striker in Reyes, who was on a four-fight losing streak (the last three by knockout), to a powerful orthodox puncher in Menifield, who has a serviceable wrestling game and who hasn’t lost in his last five bouts.
In 12 UFC bouts, 36-year-old
Menifield holds an 8-3 record with one draw. Of those eight wins, four have come by knockout and two by submission.
The bout will be Ulberg’s first opportunity to break into the rankings after signing with the promotion in late 2020.
The 33-year-old has shown considerable improvement since making his UFC debut in 2021 and his most recent submission win over Jung Daun
in Sydney last September showed there’s more in his toolkit than being a power puncher.
Menifield is an opponent Ulberg has had his eye on for some time. After his breakout KO win over Nicolae Negumereanu at UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in late 2022, Ulberg indicated his and Menifield’s paths would likely cross.
“There are a few guys I’m looking out for and there’s some guys who I think would be quite a good fight for me,” Ulberg said.
“Menifield, he’s been knocking out a few guys, he’s got some notable wins, and I think that would be a great match-up.”
While Ulberg’s bout was moved, fellow Kiwi Brad Riddell was forced to withdraw from his booked return on this weekend’s card.
The former top-15 ranked lightweight was set to make his first appearance in more than a year, with a bout against Thiago Moises booked for the card in Las Vegas. However, Riddell withdrew for an undisclosed reason.
Riddell’s was one of two other Kiwi UFC bookings to change, with Australian-based heavyweight Justin Tafa stepping in to replace his brother, Junior, against Karl Williams on March 24. It continues a rather bizarre string of events for the Tafa brothers in the UFC.
Justin Tafa was supposed to return to the octagon last month for a bout against No 14-ranked Marcos Rogerio de Lima, but was forced to withdraw a day out from the fight due to a knee injury. Junior Tafa was in Las Vegas to corner his brother and stepped up to take the fight on short notice, but fell to a second-round TKO as de Lima kicks did a number on his lead leg.
That put Junior Tafa’s booking against Williams in doubt, but Justin Tafa being cleared to return meant it would be another case of brother replacing brother.
There are a few guys I’m looking out for and there’s some guys who I think would be quite a good fight for me.
Carlos Ulberg
Jan Oblak made two saves and Lautaro Mart´ınez sent his shot over the crossbar as Atletico Madrid defeated Inter Milan 3-2 on penalties after scoring a late winner in regulation time to return to the quarterfinals of the Champions League yesterday.
Oblak saved the penalties by Alexis Sanchez and Davy Klaassen before Martinez missed the final kick for last year’s runner-ups in the European competition.
“In the end it’s a bit about luck in the shootout,” Oblak said. “Because you have to choose the correct side and you have to make the stop. If the player takes the kick perfectly, it’s impossible to stop it. Gladly, I was able to make the saves. What matters is the victory and that we made it to the quarter-finals.”
Depay, Rodrigo Riquelme and Angel ´ Correa converted their penalties for Atletico, with Saul N´ıguez having his shot saved by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi scored for the visitors in the shootout.
Atletico reversed the 1-0 first-leg loss after Memphis Depay scored an 87th-minute goal that gave Diego Simeone’s team a 2-1 win in regulation time.
Atletico didn’t make it past the group stage last season and were eliminated by Manchester City in the last eight in 2021-22.
Inter, who lost last year’s final to Man City, had arrived at the Metropolitano Stadium enjoying a 13-game winning streak. They t hadn’t lost in 15 consecutive games in all competitions and had won all of their matches in 2024.
Inter opened the scoring with Federico Dimarco in the 33rd, but Atletico equalised two minutes later with Antoine Griezmann on his return from injury.
In the other Champions League match yesterday, Borussia Dortmund defeated PSV Eindhoven 2-0 at home to advance 3-1 on aggregate.
The eight teams in the draw for the quarter-finals are Atletico, Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona.
It was an open match at the Metropolitano Stadium, with Atletico pressing forward from the start and Inter threatening on counterattacks.
The hosts dominated the final part of the match and created several chances until Depay broke through with the late winner with a low shot from inside the area after a nice set up by midfielder Koke Resurreccion.
Inter had increased their first-leg lead with Dimarco scoring with a low shot from the middle of the area after a pass by Nicolo Barella following a breakaway in the 33rd.
But it didn’t take long for Atletico to answer, equalising a couple of minutes later with Griezmann scoring after picking up a loose ball inside the area.
Barella had a chance to add Inter’s second goal in a breakaway in the 82nd but he got off a weak shot in a one-on-one situation with Oblak. Depay had hit the post in the 85th, a few minutes after coming off the bench to replace Alvaro Morata.
Riquelme came close to sealing Atletico’s triumph in the third minute of stoppage time in regulation, but his shot from near the penalty spot missed over the crossbar. Simeone dropped to the ground after the ball sailed over the net.
Atletico arrived with a great home record but had won only two of its last nine matches in all competitions.
The Champions League represents Atletico’s last realistic chance for a title this season. —AP