Cricket: Edgar's demise came far too early

Former NZC general manger of national selection Bruce Edgar. Photo / PHOTOSPORT

The failure to be granted tickets from New Zealand Cricket to watch the team he picked contest the World Cup final is believed to have been the tipping point at which former selector Bruce Edgar realised the organisation did not hold him in a high enough professional regard to continue in the role.

Instructions are understood to have been issued via board level to ensure Edgar got a ticket to reflect his efforts after 18 months in the role. They were not heeded. Edgar sourced a ticket himself and watched the game from the enclosure for wives, girlfriends and families. After being muzzled from the media for months, such a snub, followed by a subsequent offer to halve his role, his pay and relabel him 'assistant selector', is believed to have left a sour taste.

From NZC's perspective, they concluded they needed to realign their structure. The recommendation of a board high performance sub-committee, including former players Sir Richard Hadlee, Martin Snedden and Geoff Allott, decided to employ a full-time talent identification manager while scaling back Edgar's selection role from three days to one-and-a-half days a week.

Compromises were made, including the offer of a salary boost, but Edgar's failure to agree terms seems a waste.

Until Edgar comments publicly, fans will struggle to understand the machinations. Proposed salaries, time allocations and organisational budgets played a part in his demise but it's hard to imagine they could have been deal breakers.

Edgar is a victim of his own selection success.

The impact of his removal has been diluted because the New Zealand game has seldom, if ever, being in a stronger position - something that is a by-product of his work.

Since his tenure began in September 2013, New Zealand have not lost a test series, won six out of eight one-day international series and reached their first World Cup final. Those results cannot be mere coincidence.

Certainly the players, under the captaincy of Brendon McCullum and stewardship of Mike Hesson, deserve the majority of credit, but Edgar must also take plaudits. His methodical technique as a cricketer and acumen as a businessman has come to bear through dispassion as a selector. Picking teams and contract lists risks lurching into emotion and intuition. Edgar stuck to pragmatism and logic. Hesson deserves at least half the kudos but, being out of the country so often on tours, he needed a reliable pair of eyes around the grounds.

Under Edgar, players welcomed the stability which translated to consistent performances. Hesson also benefited from his colleague's wisdom and credibility. Someone had to explain to disappointed players why they were not wanted for tours. Edgar was the man.

Two key questions remain from this chapter:

1. Who will take a one-and-a-half day a week role?

The assumption is someone of retirement age or who has enough flexibility in their life to dip in and out at will. If they are an older head, can they build the same rapport with the players as Edgar?

2. What impact will this have on Hesson, especially if New Zealand suffer a series of losses?

Hesson and Edgar appeared to possess the perfect yin and yang balance as chief selector and sounding board. Hesson is an astute selector in his own right, but checks and balances are still required in any management position to ensure autonomy and reason find a suitable equilibrium