Chris Rattue: Careers have been tainted after Black Caps' embarrassing tour

COMMENT:

Great careers – Kane Williamson's included - are badly tainted through the shameful capitulation by the New Zealand cricketers across the ditch.

Our greatest test team? What a joke.

A potential cricketing Everest, at least in terms of interest generated and maybe even the result, turned into an avalanche of bitter disappointment and embarrassment.

The Black Caps were a disgrace, the amazing Kiwi crowd at the MCG having to come to the rescue of our cricketing reputation. Australia were magnificent, as they usually are in their tailor-made conditions, but a highly rated New Zealand side disintegrated.

The whole 'New Zealand Saviour of Cricket' nonsense was exposed in Australia, where a stupid good guy act turned the Kiwis into patsies.

It is no coincidence that the only two regulars to thrive were Neil Wagner, who has the classic white line fever, and the cocky Tim Southee.

It takes a strong personality to perform at this level, so you can't doubt the hearts which beat within the likes of Williamson, Ross Taylor and BJ Watling. But when the chips are down in Australia players need something more than that.

A few of the feisty personalities which drove the New Zealand teams of old - Dion Nash, Adam Parore, John Bracewell and co. – were badly needed here. And while feisty might not be the right term to describe the legendary Richard Hadlee, a ruthless streak meant he would never have rolled over like the current lot did.

The extent of the disaster was masked a bit, I believe, by a new style of television cricket commentary.

The old hands, Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell, Tony Greig, Richie Benaud and co. would have launched into the Kiwis, giving them all they deserve.

The new combo provided plenty of good analysis, when they weren't perusing their own careers or giggling at their jokes.

Then again, what can you do when you are covering a joke and the never-ending ratings war means you can't keep delivering the real punch lines.

Some of the vaudeville stuff from the commentary box came across as diversionary tactics. And Shane "Warnie" Warne, with the brightest of cricketing minds, is such a natural clown.

BJ Watling lies down on the Sydney Cricket Ground turf. Photo / Photosport

By the end, it had gotten so bad that the Black Caps were completely overshadowed by one man's old Baggy Green, the auctioning of Warne's cricket cap for bush fire relief taking centre stage.

In a nutshell, the highly anticipated three test series against Australia, involving a very rare Boxing Day test appearance, could not have gone any worse from a New Zealand point of view.

Less than six months after New Zealand's lucky World Cup campaign finished in a weird kind of luckless glory, the Black Caps head home from Australia in the nearest thing to disgrace.

They were a shambles and it means we will never look at the career of Williamson in the same light again. Nor Taylor's unfortunately.

I've long argued that sophisticated and complex Martin Crowe remains our finest test batsman, that Williamson's figures are deceptive although he is of course a wonderful batter.

The Black Caps look on after the series defeat. Photo / Photosport

Williamson is a home track specialist, and he looked inept in this series. His leadership was uninspiring, and his command at the selection table, from the outside, confusing.

Taylor broke our test runs record, and he goes down as a Kiwi cricketing legend. But who cares right now? His poor series was summed up by the final innings in Sydney, where he got lost in a lost cause.

Tom Latham was handed a poisoned chalice as captain of the sinking ship at the SCG but he came across as a leader too keen to get into a life raft.

The only man to escape with his reputation enhanced is the magnificent Wagner. He became a cult hero, and his do-or-die attitude made most of his allies appear even worse. Wagner's haul of superstar wickets marked his performance down as one of the great bowling efforts in history.

Neil Wagner and BJ Watling walk from the field at the end of the third test. Photosport

Veteran new ball bowler Southee gets a decent pass mark (and of the newcomers makeshift opener Tom Blundell can be excused well and truly).

But Watling failed in his rescue-act role, and if Henry Nicholls is a world top 10 batsman then so is Trent Boult.

Speaking of Boult, the world class left armer was handicapped by injury but take away his swing and he looks pretty ordinary.

This brings us to coach Gary Stead, who must surely be fighting to save his job. The idea of Stead and Latham combining one day to lead this mob is scary. It's also time to consider another selector for Gavin Larsen.

On the topic of selections, leaving Southee out in Sydney is one of the craziest things I've seen in New Zealand sport. They needed all the experience they could get out there, and he was bowling well.

It made you feel that Stead and co. didn't really understand what they were involved in, the place this series held in history. It was time for all hands on deck, not running up the white flag. Only Wagner seemed to really get it.

As for random bright spots…

It was fantastic to see former captain Brendon McCullum still contributing as a critic. (an antidote to Sir Steve Hansen's sad declaration that former All Black coaches and players should adhere to a code of silence).

And Wellington's Devon Conway - who qualifies for New Zealand in September - is one of the hottest batting prospects for ages. Straw clutching is the only solace for now.