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Ross Taylor likely to be shafted from the captaincy?

Flem274*

123/5
So I haven't really been reading the papers for a few days so I'm looking through right now and finding all sorts of wtf. In case you guys missed this stuff..


Cricket: Station punished for asking sensitive questions - Cricket - NZ Herald News
Cricket broadcasting rights partners Radio Sport and New Zealand Cricket have been in a stand-off this week over a line of questioning in a controversial interview.

Drive host D'Arcy Waldegrave pre-recorded an interview with New Zealand assistant coach Bob Carter on Wednesday after the third test draw against England.

Waldegrave had agreed with an NZC request that he not ask questions about deposed captain Ross Taylor's post-match comments that he wasn't as comfortable as he would like to be within the team or about Carter's apology to Taylor, reported in various media outlets this week.

NZC decided that chief executive David White was the only spokesperson for all Taylor-based issues.

However, station boss Matt Hunt was not prepared to agree to such terms and authorised Waldegrave to go ahead with the interview, asking the sensitive questions.

NZC at that stage responded by imposing a punishment on the station.

There is a discrepancy over what that involved.

Radio Sport understood it to be that no cricketers would be available to interview for a week.

Hunt subsequently sent a note to staff along those lines. NZC claimed the punishment extended only until today's final of the Ford Trophy.

Whatever the situation, an edited version of the interview aired the following day. Radio Sport said they postponed it a day because the Drive show clashed with the live broad-cast of the Ford Trophy preliminary final between Canterbury and Jesse Ryder's Wellington in Christchurch on Wednesday.

Initially White (through a NZC spokesperson) did not want to speak to the Herald on Sunday about the matter but relented early yesterday afternoon.

He responded by saying: "This is an issue between Radio Sport and New Zealand Cricket. We don't want to elaborate further."

Hunt said: "We're disappointed a situation like this came about. There's no way a news media organisation should be muzzled by a sporting body."

This is not the first time NZC has clashed over editorial judgement with its radio broadcast partner this summer.

Legal advice was sought by Radio Sport after the governing body heard breakfast host Tony Veitch was about to broadcast Shane Bond's letter (to NZC) regarding the captaincy saga. After an initial delay, the letter's contents were eventually broadcast.

Radio Sport is in the stable of official NZC commercial partner, The Radio Network.

Paul Lewis: Knifing still a tender point - Cricket - NZ Herald News
That's what happens when you sweep something under the carpet. It rarely disappears; it just gets bigger and bigger until you trip over it.

So it's been with NZ Cricket in the Ross Taylor affair. For all the NZC huffing and puffing about Taylor's strange remarks immediately after a rare high spot for the Black Caps, it is clear that the scar tissue is still sensitive - and still self-inflicted.

Many people will be wondering why Taylor chose the aftermath of the uplifting Eden Park test against England to make it clear the wound has still not healed. Some are critical of him for spoiling the moment; for raising a negative when the team had performed positively under new skipper Brendon McCullum.

The latter has quickly shifted public perceptions of him as a peacock of a man who cared only about money and himself. He is now seen as a leader who has knitted this team together and given them what Kiwis had been baying for - fight. Coach Mike Hesson's removal of McCullum as opening bat has been a success; he now looks like a man who has found his true place.

McCullum's captaincy has appealed to New Zealanders. His con job on England captain Alastair Cook, saying publicly that he'd bowl at Eden Park if he won the toss, may have helped Cook opt to bowl - a decision former England bowler and now cricket writer Derek Pringle called "the worst insertion in England history".

It was cheeky, nose-tweaking stuff. McCullum brought part-timer Kane Williamson on at key moments to snare crucial wickets; his style was not the bull-in-a-china-shop that his captaincy critics predicted. Bartender, a pint of redemption all round ...

Except, perhaps, for one man. To explain that, sadly, we have to go back to the genesis of 'Taylorgate' - the artless removal of a captain during the tour of Sri Lanka last year. McCullum's success as skipper has only underlined what nearly everyone has said: the issue was not Taylor's removal nor McCullum's succession but the way it was done.

NZC's position was that Taylor would be relieved of short-form captaincy duties but was offered retention as test skipper. Taylor was adamant he'd been sacked as captain in all three forms of the game. Asked by interviewer Brendan Telfer whether someone within NZC was lying, Taylor said: "Definitely." Hesson, asked about the captaincy dispute last year, said: "It's unfortunate that he [Taylor] felt that way and that was certainly not the intention. When the recommendation was made, it was that Ross Taylor remain as captain of the test side and that was what I sent to the board."

NZC apologised to Taylor for the way things had gone down. Chairman Chris Moller said: "The board ... wishes to publicly place on record its apologies to Ross Taylor and his family for the manner in which events have unfolded."

The issue of whether Taylor was offered the test captaincy was never resolved. It was described by NZC as a "miscommunication" - a vague term which can cover a multitude of sins - but there was no clear definition of who was right and who was wrong. This is the bone of contention still being chewed on.

Taylor had a break from the team and then returned. A century in the one-dayer in Napier seemed to herald a successful return to the ranks. Then, as the Herald on Sunday understands it, Black Caps batting coach Bob Carter approached Taylor before the Wellington test against England, offering his apologies on a personal level. Carter, Black Caps' manager Mike Sandle, Hesson and Taylor were the only people in the room at Galle when Taylor was told of his removal; they are the only ones who know the truth.

What has now begun to trickle through is the effect of Carter's apology on Taylor. Immediately before the Wellington test, it appears to have had a deleterious impact on Taylor.

There is no suggestion Carter intended any harm, quite the reverse. But it begs the questions: Why now? If Taylor has already had an apology from NZC, what was Carter apologising for?

It's understood that Taylor, previously making his way back into the fabric of the team, then fell into a slough of despond. Sources close to Taylor say his head was not right for test cricket. He went out first ball in Wellington, though he fought hard for a 41 not out in the second innings. But, in a team that looked unified and hung tough at Eden Park, Taylor seemed a man apart. His form was scratchy, disjointed, almost distracted. New Zealand's premier batsman looked not at all like that.

Taylor, unhappy with the whole topic being raised again, found his poor relationship with Hesson - they apparently barely speak - brought into stark contrast again. When the question was asked of him on radio, he spilled the beans, emotion maybe winning out over caution. He could have 'kicked for touch' but instead just kicked ...

Some, maybe even many, will say he should now either put up or shut up. However, this is clearly a man who feels, rightly or wrongly, that he has not been protected and that, in closing ranks round the subject, NZC have trodden on his integrity.

NZC, for their part, have an understandable wish to leave this matter behind. If you want an illustration of how much they are lifting the carpet on this one, have a look at the story which details how NZC sat on Radio Sport when they interviewed Carter on the subject.

So there's the lesson for all sports bodies, a group of organisations for whom the first thought is often to cover up, not 'fess up. Stand up straight, confess your mistakes, all of them, and say what you'll do to put matters right. Then do it. Only then can there be closure and healing.

No matter what you think of Taylor's statements, there can be no doubt. NZC brought this on themselves by not sealing all the gaps.
 

jcas0167

International Debutant
Disapointing if true that a player was hassled for wanting to practice too much. Reminds me of the 1991 All Blacks where some senior players were reluctant to do the hard yards. Presumably that concern was a reason for Ric Charlesworth's policy of keeping senior players on their toes - although he got criticised for that leading to some retirements. I always thought Charlesworth had the right idea - experience can be very useful but you need to guard against complacency.

Aside from that I'm disapointed the captaincy issue is back in the headlines after such a successful home summer. McCullum has earned plaudits for his captaincy, the performances have been good. If Parker & co want to be elected to the new board that's great, but I'm not sure publicly discussing their report is helping the game.
 
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Jezroy

State Captain
The report says that on the tour of Sri Lanka Taylor was told by coach Mike Hesson and management that he would not be captain for the Test series and no-one within the setup supported or rated him. But the most damming piece of information, according to the report, is that current captain Brendon McCullum knew all along of Taylor's demotion despite denying he had any part of it.

The report also outlines that the Black Caps had developed a clear division between the younger and older players. The older players - who included Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills - were all behind McCullum becoming captain and were anti-Taylor because of his lack of communication. Sources close to Taylor and others who have been part of the team in various roles say this was in fact the older players saying he would not drink with them in the bar.

The younger players, conversely, were very pleased with Taylor and enjoyed his stance on socialising together and the increased focus on practice. One young player, who isn't named, objected to the continual ridicule he got from this group of older players for wanting to practice more.

According to the report, Taylor made it clear to coach Mike Hesson that he didn't want some of the older brigade on the tour of Sri Lanka and it was the ideal chance to blood the new generation. This appeared to be accepted initially by Hesson until three days before the team was announced and the coach rang Taylor and said all the older players would be going on the tour apart from the injured Vettori.

These events, which led to Taylor's demotion, were the last straw as far as the former captains were concerned and they hope this report can change the structure of New Zealand Cricket
Starting to sound to me like NZC make Hesson the coach, and he does his best to undermine Taylor because he wants McCullum as captain.

This includes saying "Yes Ross. I agree with you. Let's get a better culture in and get rid of these old ****s who don't do the team any good". To me, that read Oram in particular. NcCullum probably as well. And maybe Taylor was over Vettori in tests as well?

Then Hesson leaves it to the last possible moment and says "Shame - we're taking all those guys anyway. And by the way, just so you feel a little more isolated, we're going to leave Guptill and Bracewell at home (when at this time, they would have both been in the ODI squad).

So, Taylor feels like crap. He sees other guys made to feel like crap for trying too hard (surely this means Kane Williamson?). All the while, the coach is in the MCKG (McCullum Cool Kids Group), though how he got there is very very strange. And the MCKG all do their best to make Taylor feel like crap. Dare I say, leading to Ross's reaction when run out by Southee (who MUST be in the MCKG).

When all this blows up, NZC don't want to back Taylor, as it means potentially pissing off McCullums, Hesson, Mills, Oram, Vettori, and any others. Plus, it's much easier to sweep it under the carpet.

The fact that NZC also seemed to have a similar blaze` attitude towards John Wright as coach (could they really not afford a warm up camp for the WI tour, or was this just an attempt to frustrate him out of the job?), and it seems to go back even further.

It's fine for Hesson to want McCullum as captain, but he didn't need to make Taylor look crap to do it. He just needed a meeting saying "I want McCullum as captain. Cool?".
 
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_Ed_

Request Your Custom Title Now!
The practise thing is worrying though. That tells you a lot about a player. Thinking there can be such a thing as too much practise and mocking someone for working hard is the sort of thing I'd imagine would earn an instant dropping in the Steve Rixon or even John Bracewell era.
Exactly. That's the real concern for me in what's come out here.
 

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
One young player, who isn't named Williamson objected to the continual ridicule he got from this group of older players for wanting to practice more.
fixed. Guy's an absolute machine in trainings by all reports.
 

Jezroy

State Captain
fixed. Williamson's an absolute machine in trainings by all reports.
Seconded.

Plus we already know that Kane is a fan of Ross.

Plus, plus - my mate saw them together at the airport the day that Ryder got bashed.

You know, the day after Kane went golfing with all the others and Ross told the radio he was still a bit uncomfortable.

So, yep, they get on okay out of work hours.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Cricket identities consult lawyers - Sport - NZ Herald News

NZC response now up.

In a release by New Zealand Cricket this afternoon the NZC stated it was disappointed and saddened by the "recent attack made Parker and some unnamed individuals".

According to NZC the Parker document "consists of hearsay, speculation and rumour and appears to concentrate almost entirely on attempting to re-litigate the issues surrounding the replacement of Ross Taylor as Black Caps captain".

Taylor remains a vital component of the team and valued member of the New Zealand cricket family, the release said.

"New Zealand Cricket utterly rejects the attack made on Brendon McCullum. At no time was Brendon McCullum in any way personally involved in the replacement of Ross Taylor as captain," NZC CEO David White says in the statement.

"Brendon behaved honourably at all times in this matter. He has subsequently gone on to prove himself an excellent leader and an inspiration to both younger and older members of the team and the results of his efforts have since been seen an improved Black Caps performance on the field.

"The allegations raised by John Parker and the anonymous group of critics are divisive, untrue and reflect poorly on them rather than the players they have wrongly attacked."
 

Jezroy

State Captain
At least two prominent New Zealand cricket identities have consulted lawyers after being named in revelations pertaining to the change in captaincy over the past 24 hours.
McCullum and Vettori probably?
 

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
Seconded.

Plus we already know that Kane is a fan of Ross.

Plus, plus - my mate saw them together at the airport the day that Ryder got bashed.

You know, the day after Kane went golfing with all the others and Ross told the radio he was still a bit uncomfortable.

So, yep, they get on okay out of work hours.
Like Ross, he's also not a fan of the blokey pub scene from what I've heard. From a year in club cricket it's become pretty obvious that going and getting ****faced with the captain greatly increases your favourability and selection chances so good on him for holding out.
 

jcas0167

International Debutant
Then Hesson leaves it to the last possible moment and says "Shame - we're taking all those guys anyway. And by the way, just so you feel a little more isolated, we're going to leave Guptill and Bracewell at home (when at this time, they would have both been in the ODI squad)....


The fact that NZC also seemed to have a similar blaze` attitude towards John Wright as coach (could they really not afford a warm up camp for the WI tour, or was this just an attempt to frustrate him out of the job?), and it seems to go back even further.

It's fine for Hesson to want McCullum as captain, but he didn't need to make Taylor look crap to do it. He just needed a meeting saying "I want McCullum as captain. Cool?".
Largely agree, although IIRC Guptill wanted a break after months of constant cricket.
 

Mike5181

International Captain
A lot of it's just speculation at this stage. It'll be interesting to see if they can find actual concrete evidence to prove some of their accusations. **** will go down if they can. Otherwise, the only new things to come out so far have been one player (possibly Kane Williamson) objecting to the senior players approach to training, and Taylor requesting young players instead of some of that older group for the Sri Lankan tour. At the end of the day, I'm not sure any of this is going to help anyway. It'll just distract the team further from what they actually need to be doing, and that's building on that performance against England.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
I'd be interested to know what evidence there is that McCullum knew about the captaincy switch. I mean, I'm sure he did know. It would be nonsensical to proceed with axing Taylor without being 100% certain that McCullum was ready to step up as captain. It would just be interesting to know what they're basing the claim on.
 

jcas0167

International Debutant
A lot of it's just speculation at this stage. It'll be interesting to see if they can find actual concrete evidence to prove some of their accusations. **** will go down if they can. Otherwise, the only new things to come out so far have been one player (possibly Kane Williamson) objecting to the senior players approach to training, and Taylor requesting young players instead of some of that older group for the Sri Lankan tour. At the end of the day, I'm not sure any of this is going to help anyway. It'll just distract the team further from what they actually need to be doing, and that's building on that performance against England.
I don't see anything changing in terms of the captaincy or coaching positions. Nor should it, the team seems to be improving. Hesson's selections generally worked well. Hopefully Taylor feels better that this is out in the open and they can move on at last.
 
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hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
A lot of it's just speculation at this stage.
this.

even if some of the stuff turns out to be true, it's not productive to go into it.

The reality is that the test team now doesn't include any of the "old boys" anyway. If there's a new culture to be inspired, then get on and do it. Don't worry about ****s that are no longer in the team anyway.

Hesson was a **** in the way he went about the Taylor sacking, but he's not implicated in any of this crap. If anything he's part of the new breed.

I'm also struggling to see how this reflects poorly on McCullum either.

Honestly, getting pretty sick of Tony Veitch.
 

BeeGee

International Captain
Look, this isn't about the team or the players. It's about the way the NZC is being run and the fact that it can't be allowed to continue that way or the future of New Zealand cricket is ****ed.

This document's sole purpose is to be an instrument by which John Parker's group can challenge the governance of the NZC.
 
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Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
this.

even if some of the stuff turns out to be true, it's not productive to go into it.

The reality is that the test team now doesn't include any of the "old boys" anyway. If there's a new culture to be inspired, then get on and do it. Don't worry about ****s that are no longer in the team anyway.

Hesson was a **** in the way he went about the Taylor sacking, but he's not implicated in any of this crap. If anything he's part of the new breed.

I'm also struggling to see how this reflects poorly on McCullum either.

Honestly, getting pretty sick of Tony Veitch.
Implying that there was some point in the last decade when you weren't sick of Tony Veitch? Is that even humanly possible?
 

jcas0167

International Debutant
Honestly, getting pretty sick of Tony Veitch.
While he was the one doing a lot of the interviews and investigating the issue around Christmas, he's not been responsible for this latest outbreak. That is down to Parker et al. Parker apparently was interviewed by Mark Watson and has declined to give further interviews.

Listening to Veitch talk with Richardson this morning my impression was that Veitch also thinks it is time to move on.
 
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