Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum. Photo / Getty
Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum. Photo / Getty
• Black Caps captain's first comments since Cairns verdict • Cairns has asked former friend to explain himself • McCullum refuses to discuss Lalit Modi's planned action • READ MORE: Chris Cairns trial in depth
It lasted three minutes 32 seconds.
That's the time it took Brendon McCullum to boxup his part in the Chris Cairns perjury trial today and, as he repeatedly said, move on to think and talk about the playing of cricket.
TV cameras followed him from the practice nets to the changing rooms earlier as if waiting for a stumble.
But McCullum is an old hand at these situations. Not that he's had anything to remotely compare with the fallout to the Cairns not guilty verdict at the Southwark Crown Court.
This wasn't about discussing injuries, the state of the pitch, whether to bat or field if the toss was won or the strengths of the opposition.
It had been signalled in advance that McCullum wouldn't be dipping his toes into anything remotely contentious; no entering the minutiae of the case which rocked cricket in the two years since it has become known New Zealanders were being investigated for their roles, alleged and admitted, in match fixing.
And so it proved. A McCullum press conference tends to cover a wide range of topics, depending on the issues of the moment.
Usually he's a happy talker, indeed there have been occasions when those present may quietly have wanted him to shut up, in the nicest possible way, such has been his verbosity.
This was not one of those times.
Chris Cairns leaves Sothwark Crown court a free man after a jury found him not guilty of perjury. Photo / Getty Images
He looked the questioners in the eye, always a good sign. No staring at the table, or adopting a thousand yard stare, fixing his gaze on a spot at the far end of the room. Unhesitatingly, he stood by his evidence in the court, where he had been the highest profile of the witnesses for the prosecution.
He maintained his reputation had not taken a hit as a result of the verdict.
McCullum laid off the question of whether he would be prepared to front up should there be a second case brought by former Indian administrator Lalit Modi, to regain monies from Cairns.
''It's speculation," he said, pointing out there is a far more suitable place for that discussion, if it's needed, than in front of a clutch of media.
There had been no unpleasant experiences with the public, no harassing in the wake of the verdict, ''only you blokes (who) have been at my house" he quipped. His response might have had a serious edge, but he laced it with a grin.
McCullum outside Southwark Crown Court in London in October, where he gave evidence against Cairns. Photo / Getty Images
No grins, though, when he made clear he felt no need to respond to Cairns' urgings for a 'please explain' in a Sunday newspaper.
And with that it was back into the territory he's come to know so well, particularly in his almost three years as skipper.
When McCullum finally stood up, it had been 13min 42s since he opened his mouth for the first time.
