ShedLifeNZ Podcast

Former Black Caps captain Ken Rutherford made his test debut at 19 against the greatest fast bowling attack in cricket history, scored 12 runs in his first seven innings, and came back to play 56 tests, captain New Zealand and be part of the 1992 Cricket World Cup run that stopped the country.
Jason Davis and KJ sit down with Ken on the ShedLife NZ Podcast for the full story, from south Dunedin club cricket to leading his country.Ken grew up working class on Oxford Street in south Dunedin, a few doors down from the McCullums, and was playing first class cricket for Otago at 17. Two years later he was named in the New Zealand side for the 1985 tour of the West Indies, alongside Richard Hadlee, John Wright, Jeremy Coney and Ian Smith, and thrown straight in against Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding. He talks about what that actually felt like at 19, getting hit in the chest by Holding before he could lift the bat, and why he never gave up on it.
He takes us inside the 1992 World Cup, when he was told a month out that he was not even in the reckoning, then got the call and averaged over 42 for the tournament. Beating Australia at a half empty Eden Park, Mark Greatbatch going after the new ball, Dipak Patel opening the bowling, the country getting behind them, and the semifinal against Pakistan that got away.
Then captaining New Zealand. The 1994 test win at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, calling heads and batting first when the entire changing room wanted to bowl, and winning the series in South Africa 2-1. Five years at Transvaal, two seasons coaching Ireland, a long career in racing and wagering with the New Zealand TAB and Singapore Pools, and what he says is the hardest job he has ever had, CEO of Northern Districts Cricket. Ken does not hold back on how over governed sport in New Zealand has become.
There are some great yarns in this one too. The triple hundred at Scarborough on no sleep, a few quiet ones in a Swansea pub with John Wright while the game was still going, Shane Warne at the SCG, bumping into James Earl Jones in a lift in Joburg, and his son Hamish Rutherford scoring 171 on debut against England, which Ken says was a far bigger moment than anything he did himself.
A proper Kiwi story from a bloke who kept turning up.
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ABOUT SHEDLIFE NZ
ShedLife NZ with Jason Davis is a long form Kiwi podcast featuring sportspeople, fighters, business owners, builders and community legends. Expect straight up New Zealand stories, useful lessons and plenty of laughs from good people working hard.
Website: shedlife.co.nz
Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @shedlifenz
Facebook: fb.com/nzshedlife
Topics: Ken Rutherford, Black Caps, New Zealand cricket, 1992 Cricket World Cup, Otago cricket, Northern Districts Cricket, Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe, John Wright, Mark Greatbatch, Dipak Patel, West Indies 1985, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Shane Warne, Transvaal cricket, South Africa 1994, Hamish Rutherford, Beige Brigade, cricket captaincy and New Zealand sport governance.

#ShedLifeNZ #KenRutherford #BlackCaps #NZCricket #1992WorldCup

Ryan Fox has delivered one of New Zealand sport’s great feel-good stories.
In this episode of Shed Life Sport, KJ and I unpack Foxy’s remarkable Open triumph - from nearly missing the cut to becoming a major champion. We discuss what makes him so relatable, the challenge of links golf, the pressures that come with superstardom, and why this victory could take New Zealand golf to another level.

#FrancisWaitai #Waikato #NPC #CommGames #NRL
Waikato smash Bay of Plenty in the NPC opener, Francis Waitai delivers a brutal first-round KO, and New Zealand haul in 36 medals at the Commonwealth Games. It was a stacked weekend of Kiwi sport, and we cover it all. Episode 5 of the ShedLife NZ Sport Weekly Wrap is here with Jason Davis and Quentin Hill, your weekly round-up of Waikato rugby, league, boxing, UFC and everything in between, straight from the shed.
This week, the boys break down Waikato's statement 36-point-to-half-time opening win over Bay of Plenty in front of the biggest opening-round crowd in 8 years, taking out the Chiefs County Cup after four straight losses to the Steamers. The Vodafone Warriors ground out a big win over the Titans up on the Gold Coast, with Tamati Marun scoring twice, holding onto that top-two push.
On the fight scene, Jason relives Francis "The Punisher" Waitai's statement win over South African import Cowan Ray, two knockdowns in the first minute and a liver shot to finish him, plus Waikato's Saskia Elliot claiming the WBA Oceania title on points against Australian champion Leah Ruben, and City Kickboxing's Navajo Sterling scoring a first-round KO on just 8 days' notice at UFC.
Then it's the Commonwealth Games wrap: 36 medals including golds for Zoe Hobbs in the 100m, David Liti hoisting 277kg in weightlifting, Sydney Andrews in judo, and the Silver Ferns beating Jamaica for netball gold. Plus round one of the NPC, Richie Mo'unga's return for Canterbury, the Ranfurly Shield rematch on the horizon, and the boys launch a brand-new segment, weekly footy picks, with predictions locked in ahead of round two.
What was your favourite moment from the weekend? Let us know in the comments below.
ABOUT SHEDLIFE NZ
ShedLife NZ is a Waikato-based podcast telling the stories of good people working hard, with the lessons and laughs along the way. From weekly sports wraps to long-form interviews and honest conversations with New Zealand athletes, coaches, tradies and community legends, it's Kiwi sport and Kiwi stories, done our way.
Hosted by Jason Davis and Quentin Hill.
SUBSCRIBE to ShedLife NZ for new episodes every week, and follow along:
Website: shedlife.co.nz
Instagram / TikTok / YouTube: @shedlifenz
Facebook: fb.com/nzshedlife
Topics this week: New Zealand sport, Waikato rugby, NPC, Chiefs County Cup, NZ Warriors, NRL, Francis Waitai, NZ boxing, Saskia Elliot, UFC, Navajo Sterling, Commonwealth Games, Zoe Hobbs, David Liti, netball, Ranfurly Shield.
#ShedLifeNZ #WaikatoRugby #NRL #Warriors #NZBoxing #UFC #CommonwealthGames #NetballNZ #NZSport #Podcast

Mike from Lightwire caught up with Jason at Fieldays for a chat about a genuine Kiwi success story. Lightwire's hooked up Jason's own internet out on the farm for the last 12 years, so this one's personal.Mike's the GM of Infrastructure at Lightwire, which started out as a Waikato University experiment 20 years ago before local businessman Andrew Johnson took it on and grew it into a company running 200 wireless towers from Bombay down to Taupō, connecting around 9,000 rural homes, farms and businesses across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.What sets them apart is how they look at a whole property rather than just the farmhouse, dairy sheds, wool sheds, cottages, the lot, and if anything goes wrong you're onto a local Hamilton based team who pick up the phone in 45 seconds flat. They're also moving into farm security setups with cameras and gate control, pushing fibre into communities the big players left behind, building private networks into retirement villages, and now offering mobile plans too.If you're out on a rural property and need better connectivity, sheds included, Lightwire's offering 2 months free internet and 6 months free mobile for new customers who come find them at Fieldays.#rural #internet #newzealand #podcast #kiwibusiness

Jason and Quentin are back for Episode 4 of Talking Sport, covering a massive week across New Zealand sport.They break down the newly named 44-man All Blacks squad, the bolters selected for the upcoming South African tour, returning players and the combinations that could be taking shape ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.The conversation also covers Waikato’s NPC season opener against Bay of Plenty, New Zealand’s Commonwealth Games medal performances, 3x3 basketball, boxing, the Warriors, BMX World Championships, Super Rugby Aupiki and the latest results from local hockey and grassroots sport.