View source for The Mantis and the Cricket: Tales from the Tours

{{Infobox television
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| genre                = Documentary<br>Sports
| creator              =
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| presenter            = [[Jeremy Coney]]
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| country              = New Zealand
| language             = English
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| producer             = [[Sky (New Zealand)|Sky]]
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| channel              = [[Sky Sport (New Zealand)|Sky Sport]]
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| first_aired          = {{Start date|2001}}
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'''''The Mantis and the Cricket: Tales from the Tours''''' is a New Zealand television documentary series hosted by [[Jeremy Coney]] recounting overseas tours by the [[New Zealand national cricket team]] featuring interviews with former New Zealand cricketers. The show's name features Coney's nickname of "Mantis".
==Overview==
[[Sky (New Zealand)|Sky Television]] executive, and former cricketer, [[Martin Crowe]] envisaged the show and green-light its production.<ref>{{cite web |first=Dylan |last=Cleaver |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/inside-martin-crowes-beautiful-mind/UHBR7XVEVCUYHK5UOYYVZU7W7Q/ |title=Inside Martin Crowe's beautiful mind |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=3 March 2016 |access-date=27 December 2022 }}</ref> The show, which was first broadcast in 2001, looked back on New Zealand's cricket history, using interviews by Coney with former players and historical footage.<ref name="Coney series">{{cite web |first=Lynn |last=McConnell |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/coney-series-to-tell-the-players-history-of-nz-cricket-109017 |title=Coney series to tell the players' history of NZ cricket |website=[[Cricinfo]] |date=15 October 2001 |access-date=27 December 2022 }}</ref> The first episodes were about the [[New Zealand cricket team in England in 1937|1937 New Zealand Cricket team]] which toured England and featured interviews with [[Walter Hadlee]], [[Merv Wallace]], [[Jack Kerr (cricketer)|Jack Kerr]] and [[Lindsay Weir (cricketer)|Lindsay Weir]].<ref name="Tales On Tour">{{cite web|url=https://ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=101757 |title=The Mantis and the Cricket – Tales On Tour – F52195 |website=[[Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision]] |access-date=27 December 2022 }}</ref> It also included recorded footage of players who predeceased the broadcast of the show such as [[Bert Sutcliffe]].<ref name="Coney series"/>
==Reception==
Lynn McConnell of [[ESPN]] reviewed the show and Coney's presenting positively and stated it to be "...one of the jewels of television in New Zealand" and "For anyone even remotely interested in cricket, this is must-see television."<ref name="ESPN">{{cite web |first=Lynn |last=McConnell |url=https://www.espn.com/cricket/story/_/id/23156821/going-goodall-some-news-gavaskar |title=What's going on? Goodall has some news for Gavaskar |website=[[ESPN]] |date=1 August 2003 |access-date=27 December 2022 }}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mantis and the Cricket: Tales from the Tours}}
[[Category:2000s New Zealand television series]]
[[Category:New Zealand documentary television series]]
[[Category:New Zealand sports television series]]
[[Category:History of New Zealand cricket]]