Cricket: McCullum considered too valuable to again don keeper's gloves

Reporter·NZ Herald·

15 Dec, 2013 04:30 PM2 mins to read

Brendon McCullum, wicketkeeper. The days of that line being used, certainly in New Zealand teams, appear to be over.

It seems the damage McCullum picked up during the tour to Bangladesh in October may have been the final straw for the 32-year-old captain.

Coach Mike Hesson has dropped a clear hint that the rest of McCullum's career in the black cap will be as a batsman and fielder.

"We're unlikely to use him as a keeper," Hesson said, and he was referring to all three forms of the game.

"He's too valuable a player for us to consider using him as a keeper."

The frustrating aspect is that when he got to Bangladesh McCullum believes he was in the best physical shape of his career. But protruding discs pushing on his spinal cord and a touch of arthritis have put paid to an often-spectacular wicketkeeper.

It hasn't dimmed his determination in the field, however. In the drawn first test against the West Indies, McCullum crashed into hoardings trying to stop a boundary, damaging a knee.

"He still throws himself around the field and puts himself in compromising positions," Hesson said.

However, he ruled out resting McCullum as part of his maintenance programme.

"He'd only rest if he is actually at a point where he couldn't play. That could well occur. He's always a bit stiff but it doesn't seem to affect him too much."

While for years McCullum was New Zealand's undisputed No1 gloveman, there are others who can step in. BJ Watling has a lock on the test job, for example, while Wellington's Luke Ronchi, who has played nine ODIs (plus five for Australia) and two T20s (and three for Australia) is looking a good fit for the shorter forms.

McCullum last month said he was cautious on giving up the gloves in ODI and T20 cricket, and a touch reluctant to part company with a job he still loves doing. But pragmatism seems to have won out and now his coach has effectively spoken for him.