Posted by Brendon McCullum is a man whose batting achievements don’t exactly tally with his profile. He’s bolstered his reputation with captaincy and wicketkeeping and the peculiar nature of his one-day assaults, but he basically has a very middling record with the bat. However, he has just scored his eighth Test hundred and helped New Zealand to a first innings position of rare heft against the West Indies.
McCullum’s approach is spectacular but often sees him depart for 62, even when he’s playing well. His captaincy is innovative and exciting, but his team still loses more than it wins. Perhaps just a little of the freeform jazz could be shed in favour of a decent bassline.
A friend of ours has a cool scar by his eye which is very similar to McCullum’s. He did it by accidentally headbutting a newel post while removing a T-shirt.
Sorry to change the subject immediately, but have you all seen the ICC Test team of the year? Michael Hussey – who retired on January 6 – makes it into the XI. Ian Bell doesn’t. What a nonsense.
The time period considered is August to August, which means that Hussey is justified. Bell’s exclusion is then based on the need to include Hussey and de Villiers, although I suppose it’s a fine margin between those two and Ian Ronald.
Is that your real name?
Quite – real names only round here please.
Someone called?
Sorry to change the subject… The windies were a shambles thanks in no small part to playing the role of the Washington Generals on the Little Master (TM) tribute tour till about 30 seconds before the toss. Still, Macca may as well cash in. I doubt it will be long before he will be freelancing his top edges over the tiny 3rd man boundary.
Bliss! NZ actually playing a good days test cricket. Pretty rubbish bowling unfortunately, but we’ll take it. I’m trawling through youtube to find an epic bit of footage to link here too. There was a brilliantly clumsy and awkward handshake/fistbump/hug disaster from Taylor & McCullum as they walked off. They kept trying to rescue it for the cameras, but it just got worse, was utter gold.
Ooh, hope it’s been captured for posterity. That sounds like magnificent footage.
http://tvnz.co.nz/cricket-news/taylor-credits-under-pump-mccullum-after-ton-video-5749024
Last few seconds of the video.
Glorious.
That’s 110% commitment to a forced display of “mateship”. It must be applauded.
It could join the Key-McCaw-Lapasset 3 way handshake of 2011 in the annals of NZ sporting history.
Did McCullum declare with Taylor on 217* so that he couldn’t overtake McCullum’s high score of 225?
It’s a conspiracy!
I despair at people all of a sudden using pseudonyms around here.
What’s the matter with you – afraid to be held to account for your opinions?
We try to lead by example, KC, with openness and transparency, but with some folks it’s just a waste of probity.
hmm. don’t have much to say about this match, having only seen the scorecard, other than… must have been some seriously duff bowling – !
i would have to stick up for the role of the bassist in free jazz though, kc. (..?) – the instrument really comes into its own when it’s freed from its usual shackles. of course… if by “bassline” you mean something simple and repetitive enough to be programmable on a computer, then you possibly have a point 🙂