The Polarising One
0So farewell then Brendon McCullum.
He was New Zealand’s best wicket-keeping batsman by some way. He then did some extraordinary innings when he became a specialist batsman. That 302 will always be his epitaph, but people seem to overlook the double century the week before.
Then there was that double century in Sharjah later that year, and the 195 v Sri Lanka.
He was easily our best T20 player, and right up there as an ODI player.
He is also likely to be considered to be considered in the mix as the best captain New Zealand has ever had.
In his last test innings he came in at 32/3 and then went about taking it to Australia, breaking the world record for the fastest test century in the process.
Yet he probably had more haters than any high achiever in the history of New Zealand cricket.
That said, there are things that will gravitate negativity, and they need some balanced scrutiny.
The World Cup Final
Has a three ball innings ever attracted so much chat? Yes, it was dumb, and it was clear from the first ball that Starc was bowling well, and swinging it.
But the build-up to that World Cup was ultra-meticulous; a season of ODIs at home trying various combinations, and various scenarios.
Guptill and Williamson were to also lose their wickets cheaply, but then there was a mini resistance of sorts. At 145/3 after 35 New Zealand was in it. But let’s blame it on those first three balls.
If you are consigned to lose an ODI after losing a wicket in the first over, then that is not a great marketing line for that format of the game.
And as a backdrop the onslaught on Dale Steyn in the semi-final set up an improbable run chase and let those who followed, including Grant Elliott, time to build their innings
The first ball dismissal in the 2007 World Cup Semi against Murali was way more irresponsible and rudderless, but McCullum was not seen as so crucial to the side then.
The Haters
Why did he have those haters? Sure he frustrated all of us at some times; and a good example of that was the first innings in Brisbane last November. That frustration is best described here.
But there was more to it than that. The captaincy change certainly was part of it; this was a power shift that overturned the establishment of NZ cricket PR. With the benefit of hindsight the original decision was wrong, as was the process that got there in the first place.
Then there was the way the former players (remember the barely comprehensible and unbelievably bitter 77 bulet point Parker Report?) really had it in for him.
On the first morning of the second test against Sri Lanka in 2012; the last test with Taylor as captain as it happened, McCullum, opening at the time, smashed one into his pad and was given out. Sri Lanka cricket could not afford DRS technology so the decision stood.
The following morning Ian Smith said “I have no sympathy; McCullum could afford to pay for DRS; why didn’t he do it?”
Nobody has divided the NZ cricket public quite like Brendon McCullum. And it is no surprise that his career has been more celebrated abroad this week than at home.
We will miss him. Everyone will miss him.