Dear Brendon,
Hope you don't think I'm odd writing an open letter when I could send you a private email, it's just that after Hoges' "Open Letter to New Zealand Batsmen", open letters have become fashionable again. And I'm not embarrassed to say that I'm a whore when it comes to fashion.
Let me start by congratulating you on your team's performance over the past few months. I've really enjoyed the way you've led the team this year. I think there were lots of cricket fans who wondered whether you were leadership material but you have shown that you are more than just a captain - you look like you've inspired the players around you to perform better too.
I understand it's not easy being a tattooed cricketer. Cricket supporters in New Zealand are a conservative bunch. To many tattoos are things you get when you're in port, drunk with your shipmates. They quietly live in fear that tattooed role models will influence their own kids to ink up. Some lay awake at night concerned their offspring may get out on Saturday morning pre-meditating a reverse sweep, then later head to the local tat house to have a nude woman scratched into their arm. Paranoia and superstition permeate our summer sport like Wet and Forget permeates the porous surfaces of pathways.
Nevertheless, most cricket fans in this country genuinely love the game and love being entertained. I've watched every game this year. I was there to see you play in Napier, and while we lost the game I'll never forget that 74 of yours.