Foulkes reveals the crazy chain of events behind his Black Caps call-up

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Author: NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026, 4:14pm

Zak Foulkes celebrates taking the wicket of Harry Brook during the third test against England at Trent Bridge. Photo / Photosport

One minute, Zak Foulkes was in the gym preparing for a flight to the Caribbean. A few hours later, he was walking on to Trent Bridge as New Zealand’s first-ever test concussion substitute.

In the latest episode of The BYC Podcast, the young Black Caps quick opens up on the whirlwind rise that has taken him from club cricket in Canterbury to becoming one of the most exciting pace bowlers in New Zealand cricket. And along the way, he shares a bunch of stories that cricket fans won’t have heard before.

Foulkes relives the chaos of that unforgettable test against England, revealing he had no real expectation of playing after being left out of the starting XI. Instead, a bizarre series of events saw him go from bowling at training to suddenly finding himself in the middle of a test match, taking on England’s star-studded batting line-up.

The 24-year-old also tells the story behind his dream dismissal of England captain Ben Stokes, admits he accidentally became part of the emotional scenes surrounding Stokes’ retirement announcement, and explains why he had absolutely no idea what the standing ovation from a packed Trent Bridge crowd was actually for.

Away from the international spotlight, Foulkes reflects on the backyard cricket battles that shaped him, growing up in a cricket-obsessed Christchurch family and the surprising fact he once considered himself more of a batter than a bowler.

He also reveals why his unique bowling action survived years of coaching, largely because nobody ever thought he was a bowler.

Zak Foulkes talks about why his unique bowling action survived years of coaching. Photo / Photosport

There are insights into life inside the Black Caps camp too. Foulkes discusses the players who have helped him most along the way, the mentorship he’s received from Daryl Mitchell, and what it was like sharing a dressing room with childhood hero Kane Williamson after years of trying to copy him in the backyard. And because this is The BYC, the conversation also veers into debates over how to correctly pronounce his surname, stories about his first cricket bat, dressing-room banter, and an admission that his first cricketing idol was not a New Zealander, but Australian great Michael Clarke.

With New Zealand’s massive home summer looming and Foulkes racing back from a hamstring injury, the fast bowler sounds hungry for more opportunities for the Black Caps.

To hear the full stories and the behind-the-scenes moments that didn’t make the headlines, listen or watch the full Zak Foulkes episode of The BYC Podcast below.