Cricket: McCullum backed

Brendon McCullum. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Former Black Cap Craig Cumming has questioned New Zealand Cricket management's handling of Brendon McCullum in the past year.

Cumming says he is sick of McCullum being the fall guy for Black Caps failures when he is one of the most valuable players in the team.

The Otago captain says the fact McCullum speaks his mind counts against him because it is perceived as a bad influence on the team.

Cumming is concerned any slide in McCullum's confidence within the team has to be stopped if the Black Caps are to fare well at the World Cup starting in February.

"It is not a case of whether Brendon is good enough to be successful - he's proven himself at every level. It is now a case of whether the management are good enough to keep him successful," Cumming said.

"It's not sour grapes. This is my opinion and, as you get older, you get more confidence about voicing it."

Cumming speaks with a degree of experience, having worked closely with McCullum at Otago.

"I've found Brendon the most dedicated team person. He believes you can win games from any situation. That's the sort of belief [the Black Caps] need from him. But Brendon needs to know he's got the backing of the management; then his enthusiasm is infectious.

"The way Brendon plays means he's going to miss out every now and then but the last thing you need is for him to feel like people are whispering behind him. He'll lose confidence and start going into his shell. If he's confident, he'll win you games and there are not many players in New Zealand who can do that."

Black Caps performance director Roger Mortimer says he has no problem with McCullum's recent contributions and welcomes his input.

"I have always found Brendon's communication to be excellent," Mortimer said. "If he has issues, he raises them. He's very direct. I can only speak highly of him and he's been preparing well since knee surgery.

"He's an inspirational person and I'm not overstating that fact. He lifts the entire unit and his match-winning performances make him extraordinarily important.

"[Even without the vice-captaincy] he is still a massive leader in this team and so he should be, given his abilities. Taking on a hostile Australian bowling attack and winning the individual performance for his Twenty20 century last summer is a classic example."

Two issues have sparked Cumming's defence of his Otago team-mate.

The first is what he considers a misconception - that McCullum somehow held the Black Caps' future to ransom about whether to continue wicketkeeping in all formats. The second is McCullum's perceived involvement in Andy Moles being sacked as New Zealand coach which led to his ousting as vice-captain.

Speaking in the Herald on Sunday last month, McCullum stressed he had little involvement in either situation. Cumming says the problem is indecisive communication which results in McCullum becoming a target for abuse.

"Brendon has been the victim of public opinion sometimes when decisions have been made behind closed doors. I would like to see management take a stronger lead in future, rather than hang him out to dry, otherwise it can create an unnerving feeling.

"It was the same with the wicketkeeping issue. Brendon took his gloves to the West indies [for the T20 World Cup] but Gareth Hopkins had been doing a good job over summer and had earned his place so why would that change?

"But again, management weren't prepared to state it clearly. Instead, questions were raised about Brendon 'picking and choosing' when that wasn't the case.

"I'd like to see him backed by those higher than him on the ladder by saying, 'this was our decision and this is why we made it'. They shouldn't leave it to the public to leap to conclusions."