KEY POINTS:
Former test cricketer John Morrison believes New Zealand's cricketers are in danger of going down the same track as the All Blacks by being absolved of all personal responsibility.
Morrison, who coached Wellington after his retirement and has forged a career in local body politics, said bloated entourages and over-analysis had combined to dilute the main strength of New Zealand cricketers - the ability to think on their feet and to innovate.
He cited the All Blacks' failure at the World Cup as the biggest indictment on modern sports management and feared New Zealand Cricket was going down the same path.
"In his book Nathan Astle raised one interesting point when he talked about being sick and tired of attending three meetings a day and over-analysing every aspect of the sport.
"Ultimately, what cricket comes down to is a batsman hitting the ball and a bowler trying to prevent him doing that. What more is there to talk about?"
Morrison last week launched a website, www.cricketmystery.com, and promises he won't hold back when debating the issues surrounding the sport in this country.
"I'm always worried when I go to a ground and see cricket coaches poring over laptops but the problem is, now if you say anything to the contrary you're called old and out of touch.
' So instead we've created this industry of extras around the team who have to justify their existence by taking any decisions or responsibilities away from the players.
"So we've got this mollycoddled generation of sportsmen who might be great athletes but who have lost all ability to think for themselves.
"An off-shoot of that is you get individuals in the team who try to do things their own way and they're labelled as difficult or selfish."
Morrison also has a well-developed suspicion of the increased role of sports science and medicine.
"They seem to have forgotten the ultimate objective of sport is to win and to have guys on the field. In Australia the team doctors see their role is to get the players back out on the field. In New Zealand their role has been to get them off," he said. "I mean, what top-level sportsman doesn't play with some injury?"
