Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer

Sam Keir & David Wiese
  • 5.0 (1)
  • CRICKET
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join pro-cricketer David Wiese for an insight into cricket’s biggest leagues previously reserved for the sport’s superstars. Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer invites listeners to join David as he travels the world from one T20 gig to another. In candid conversations with host, Sam Keir, David reveals the truth about life on and off the pitch at the Indian Premier League, Major League Cricket, The Hundred and other high-profile tournaments. Discover which player was picked up in his Bentley while the rest of the squad waited for the team bus, which tournament to save your best performances for if you’re hoping for a big-money IPL deal, and what is fast replacing golf as the professional cricketer’s day-off activity of choice. Learn how abuse on social media is affecting players, how batters change their approach when qualification is no longer possible, and what cricket’s big names really think of the big issues impacting the game.  Go behind the dressing room door with Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer.

  1. 07/03/2024 · BONUS

    BONUS - T20 World Cup & your questions

    Following the end of the regular series, we catch up with David to look back at Namibia's T20 World Cup campaign, explore his decision to end his international career and, of course, answer YOUR questions. Those questions covered topics such as how much of their sale price does a player actually receive, the fallout from David's comments regarding the Kolkata Knight Riders head coach, dealing with abusive fans, The Hundred sell-off, advice for youngsters, most feared opponents and more. Thanks so much for sending them in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 12m

  2. 05/13/2024

    Year in Review

    It's the end of our twelve months in the company of our Hitman for Hire, so in this final episode of the series David looks back at the year as a whole and picks his highlights, lowlights and shares some more great stories from the circuit. Find out which of David's teams he thinks would win a round-robin tournament, which superstar is most unlike their on-field persona behind the scenes, the order in which David would rank the tournaments he's played in over the year, the teammate habit that drives him mad, his toughest opponent, which player he had to beg for kit after an airline lost his baggage and much, much more! COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below. Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    59 min

  3. 05/06/2024

    SA20

    It's February 2024 and David opens up about a difficult time playing for Joburg Super Kings in the SA20, the final tournament of our year together. We learn how past performances count for nothing if you don't make a good first impression with a coach, how quickly pre-tournament assurances can disappear and how difficult it is to break into a starting XI once you've been left out. We examine the pros and cons of staying at home rather than in a team hotel, choosing between tournaments and the possible regrets, how the SA20 is reshaping cricket in South Africa and the latest craze to dominate days off during franchise tournaments. Also on the agenda: growing up with Faf du Plessis, two-hour commutes, the best play-off system to decide finalists, crowd catches, creating household names, 3rd XI Test teams, the evolution of dressing room culture, drinking brandy in Paarl and the secrets of the relay catch. David's stats from the tournament: https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/sa20-2023-24-15679?team=6987 David does the hard work for a relay catch with Leus du Plooy: https://youtu.be/OHGcBSazhmY?si=qTWpL1oQN7q6r1RL&t=177 COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below. Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 4m

  4. 04/29/2024

    Abu Dhabi T10

    It's December 2023 and David has just returned from the Abu Dhabi T10 where he was playing for losing finalists, Deccan Gladiators. Is T10 a format the players take seriously? Are we at 'peak franchise'? Who does this tournament exist for? Could T10 be the perfect format for growing the game globally? How do players protect themselves from corruption? Also on the agenda: hourly rates, the Rugby 7s of cricket, who is known as Mr. T10, why saving your best performances for the Abu Dhabi T10 could be a shrewd move, Indian players in leagues other than the IPL, Rashid Khan's aversion to T10, suspicious no balls and staying in shape over Christmas. David's stats from the tournament: https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/abu-dhabi-t10-2023-24-15945?team=6683 David slams 20 from 11 balls in the final: https://youtu.be/FvSFI1Fqp5E?si=iZxIHE7thuVJX3Du&t=297 COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below. Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    45 min

  5. 04/22/2024

    T20 World Cup Qualifier

    It's late November 2023 and - away from the glitz and glamour of the big franchise leagues - David is representing Nambia in their bid to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup. We find out why a franchise cricketer earning big money still chooses to turn out for an adopted nation in relatively low-key qualifying tournaments, and explore the reality of life for those associate cricketers without David's profile. We also hear how David is coming to terms with not being retained for the 2024 IPL. Also on the agenda: the cutthroat nature of associate cricket, parents watching on from camping chairs, choosing Namibia over the riches of the Abu Dhabi T10, finding belonging in an otherwise transient existence, sharing rooms with teammates, being the big name player at a tournament, cricket vs. football in Africa, messages from the Namibian president and talk of the 2026 T20 World Cup terrifying David's wife! David's stats from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier: https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-africa-region-qualifier-2023-24-15904?team=28 David's post match interview after Namibia secured qualification for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubj4R-JmNfo&t=59s COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below. Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    51 min

  6. 04/14/2024

    Hitman at Home

    It's November 2023 and David is at home in Pretoria. After more than eight months of almost uninterrupted travel, he's finally had the chance to enjoy an extended spell at home. As well as exploring what a franchise cricketer gets up to when he's not at a tournament, the conversation digs deeper into David's relationship with the sport that has become his livelihood. Also on the agenda: not being recognised by your kids, the anxieties of unemployment, why loving the game can be bad for your career, ignoring the Cricket World Cup, relying on favours from the local team to stay in nick, a one-man mission to save the yorker, dismaying South African rugby fans, why you should keep your chats in the gym brief, hustling for the next gig and being your agent's 'small dog'. COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below: Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    45 min

  7. 04/08/2024

    The Hundred

    COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below. It's September 2023, and David has recently returned from playing for Northern Superchargers in English cricket's other short-form competition. The Hundred has provoked plenty of debate since its inception in 2021, so it was perhaps appropriate that - as well as looking back at his experience in the tournament itself - David gave a player's view on some of the issues surrounding the wider franchise game. On the agenda: how quickly the wheels can come off a campaign, the blame game, how players respond to a new format, building a team brand from scratch, quick maths in run chases, lifestyle vs. cash, friendly rivalry with the women's team, the dangers of a bad attitude, Hamilton in the West End, team BBQs, Tik Tok and the franchise bubble reaching bursting point. David smashes 54 off 25 balls in a thrilling win against Trent Rockets: https://youtu.be/XMBjYNoXBQI?si=SJBvABOG9k3wjLAn&t=257 Handing out bucket hats to the kids of Leeds: https://youtube.com/shorts/tjWj9RHDsk4?si=IHpGKvNVG1YJ2EmS David's tournament stats: https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/the-hundred-men-s-competition-2023-15216?team=6676 Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    53 min

  8. 04/01/2024

    Major League Cricket

    COMING SOON: Bonus episode! David will be answering YOUR questions about the life of a franchise cricketer. Get in touch via the methods below. It's August 2023 and David has recently left the USA where he was playing for MI New York in the first edition of Major League Cricket. We discover how the American people responded to the tournament, how players made the most of American culture and plenty more. On the agenda: playing cricket at baseball stadiums, no nets to train in, tech finance, catching without mitts, singing the Star Spangled Banner, accessorising the Texan way, adopted Americans (via Durham and Durban), the English summer under threat, possibly the greatest T20 innings of all time, 2am Zoom calls and a night at the rodeo. David's stats from the tournament: https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/major-league-cricket-2023-15244?team=7081 David takes two crucial diving catches in the Eliminator: https://youtu.be/wNo-j_fRkgQ?si=smdTirIrktAskeyO&t=1287 Follow the show: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hitman_pod/ X: twitter.com/hitman_pod Get in touch: Email: hitmanforhirepod@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sam-keir-aa043078/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    46 min
See All (14)

Trailer

About

Join pro-cricketer David Wiese for an insight into cricket’s biggest leagues previously reserved for the sport’s superstars. Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer invites listeners to join David as he travels the world from one T20 gig to another. In candid conversations with host, Sam Keir, David reveals the truth about life on and off the pitch at the Indian Premier League, Major League Cricket, The Hundred and other high-profile tournaments. Discover which player was picked up in his Bentley while the rest of the squad waited for the team bus, which tournament to save your best performances for if you’re hoping for a big-money IPL deal, and what is fast replacing golf as the professional cricketer’s day-off activity of choice. Learn how abuse on social media is affecting players, how batters change their approach when qualification is no longer possible, and what cricket’s big names really think of the big issues impacting the game.  Go behind the dressing room door with Hitman for Hire: A year in the life of a franchise cricketer.

Information