Dubai, UAE (December 16 , 2024) – Lockie Ferguson, the New Zealand fast bowler, has been confirmed as a captain of the Desert Vipers for season three of the DP World ILT20.
Speaking to the Vipers Voices podcast, Ferguson said he was looking forward to the opportunity: “I feel honoured to be asked and excited to take on the challenge with this group. It is great to see bowlers getting captaincy roles, and more leadership roles too.
“Also, I am very excited to sign on with the Vipers for the next two years. I have heard a lot about the tournament, obviously it is a pretty cool place to play cricket, and I have some fond memories playing there (UAE) myself, including the IPL when it was there. So I am looking forward to joining the group in a few short weeks.”
The 33-year-old takes over from compatriot Colin Munro (nicknamed ‘Munners’ throughout the cricketing world) who led the team successfully for the first two seasons, taking them to the final in the inaugural edition. Ferguson said he was excited and nervous at the same time: “Yes, obviously they are big shoes to fill with Munners, obviously a great team man and an awesome guy to play with.
“I did my homework on the team before signing and knew the coaching staff, knew the great players that they had, and Munners had spoken very highly of the time he had with the Vipers.
“Of course, it would have been nice to have another round with Munners, but it is just nice to join this group and see what we can do this coming season.”
Ferguson brings with him wealth of international experience with 65 One-Day Internationals, 43 Twenty20 Internationals and one Test match. In addition, he has played in franchise leagues across the globe including the Indian Premier League (IPL), The Hundred in England and Wales and Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), where he will play for Sydney Thunder at the back end of this year before joining the Vipers in January.
He told Vipers Voices he was excited about bringing that experience into his captaincy: “I captained New Zealand in 2023 and I had a great time in Bangladesh with a young team and sort of just fell into the role naturally being one of the elder statesmen of the squad.
“I think certainly from a bowling standpoint, I have learned from the likes of Tim Southee, and Hardik Pandya in the IPL, about what works best for a bowler. What do they like to hear from a captain? What kind of conversations are best to have when the pressure is on?
“Also, I like to think I can bring some understanding that it is T20 cricket, so you are going to get hit from a good ball and that is ok as long as you are executing. And even if you do not execute, it is still fine. That is part of the game and why it is so exciting.
“So I like to think those conversations are part of my strength, obviously being a bowler and sort of understanding those moments.”
As far as his captaincy style goes, Ferguson said aggression and risk taking would be key words in his vocabulary: “I like taking chances, being a bowling captain, putting catchers in positions where we might take a wicket or looking to bowl to a player going for a wicket rather than defending the over. That is sort of my style.
“And I think if I reflect on my career so far, those are the T20 games and tournaments that I have really enjoyed, where the team has had that approach. But also, those tournaments tended to be the ones where we went further and made finals and potentially won.”
The Black Cap also sent out a clear message to the Vipers that he expected the players to take responsibility for their own roles in the team: “I think it is important in these franchise tournaments that players take some responsibility for their own backyard. And I mean that in the most empowering way, because there is a reason they have been selected – they are very good at what they do. Certainly, I am in a place where I will come into a team and lean on that experience and lean on that good judgment.
“If at times there are conversations that need to be had, for sure, there are no issues from me with that.”
Despite an injury scare in Sri Lanka last month with a calf muscle tear, the fast bowler has been in rehabilitation and said he was raring to get back on to the field: “My left calf just had a little bit of muscle tightness and I had a small bit of fluid and tear there, but fortunately it did not stop me too much and I have been back bowling. I think I had about five weeks from then to my first game (in the BBL in Australia).
“(After Sri Lanka) it was great to get back to New Zealand, have some time there and work with my physio’ in Auckland. So yes, I am feeling good.”
And the million-dollar question Desert Vipers fans would want the answer to, is whether the Desert Vipers can go all the way and lift this coming season’s silverware. And the response from Ferguson was a resounding one.
“One hundred per cent yes! It is as believable as anything. Look at our squad. It is extremely strong, but you also must look at the support staff in and around the group and the passion that those guys have and the knowledge they have to win T20 cricket.
“I think we will be looking forward to getting underway first game and then rolling on from there. Remember many of our players are playing around the world in franchise tournaments and coming off a lot of cricket and a lot of success. So, what we have to do is carry that experience and that success through to the tournament and get a few guys scoring hundreds and a few guys taking wickets and we will be away.”
Additional quotes from Lockie Ferguson:
On bowlers getting captaincy roles in international and franchise cricket:
“It is great to see bowlers getting captaincy roles and more leadership roles. And it makes sense to me in a lot of ways. When the pressure moments are on, bowlers have been in those situations.
“I am not sure whether it is going to change (and more bowlers will be appointed to captaincy positions in the future). It is just on a case-by-case basis. But I certainly feel honoured to be asked and excited to take on the challenge with this group.”
On where he expects to bowl for the Desert Vipers:
“I have prided myself across my career at being a wicket-taking bowler at first change or second change. First or second change is an incredibly important role when the ball is not swinging and to still be creating opportunities and chances, trying to think about different ways to get wickets or shut down overs.
“Do not get me wrong; I love bowling with a swinging ball. But at the same time, I think we have got pretty good opening swing bowlers with Mohammad (Amir) and Sammy (Sam Curran). So, we will see how we go.”
On managing his workload as a bowling captain:
“I think the ice bath might be getting used quite a lot more than normal but at the same time, it is exciting. I think playing cricket and playing game after game, you tend to learn things pretty quickly. Recovery obviously becomes a hugely important part of the whole process.
“But at that time of year, I am sure in Dubai, it is a reasonable temperature, so not too hot. That said, it is a reasonably long tournament (in terms of matches to be played) within a short period of time.
“So, I guess it is all about finding the moments when maybe the speed gun gets ramped up. But at the same time, I think I do not often take the foot off the gas. We will just play every game as it comes.”
On being called a thinking cricketer by Tom Moody:
“It is nice for him to say that. I think in a way I am compassionate with my teammates and not only with the cricket tactics that we are using but trying to understand players. And I have enjoyed time in some leadership roles back with my domestic team, Auckland, trying to understand how different players tick. Some players like a more direct approach and some players prefer getting an arm around them. And that is great. That is part of learning how your teammates roll.”
On the decision to join the Desert Vipers: “I am obviously very excited to join the group, but with playing for New Zealand for quite a few years, the next contracting year was mostly filled with Test cricket, and it has been a bit of time since I have played Test cricket. So, I saw a bit of an opportunity to play some more franchise tournaments and the ILT20 was one I beelined for and spoke to my agent about opportunities in that area.
“Naturally, when you play a few of the leagues, you get talking to coaches too and I have heard good things about the league, so it was nice to get picked up by the Desert Vipers for sure. I am very excited to be on there for two years, and excited to join that group.”
On why he chose to play in the DP World ILT20 ahead of other leagues:
“It was an opportunity to sign a multi-year deal. Certainly, from a New Zealand cricket point of view, we do not get multi-year deals, that is just naturally how the contracts work out. There was some interest from the Vipers early on and, working with my agent, through Tom Moody and then James Foster, the agreement was reached.
“I have heard a lot of good things about the competition and obviously the travel with Dubai to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is a lot more manageable too. So I am just really looking forward to getting underway and seeing how the team rolls.”
The DP World ILT20 kicks off on 11 January 2025 in Dubai with defending champions MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals playing at the Dubai International Stadium. The Desert Vipers play their first game the following day at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Tickets for the DP World ILT20 can now be purchased online at the virgin megastore: https://tickets.virginmegastore.me/ae/ILT20/
