New Zealand Cricket has adopted an eyes-to-the-front approach to the dispute between national captain Brendon McCullum and former international John Parker.
The issue, in which McCullum sought an apology from Parker over comments made in a 77-bullet-point document critical of aspects of NZC's operations, was heading for the courts. McCullum had instructed his lawyers, Chapman Tripp, to sue Parker for defamation if an apology was not received.
Parker, spokesman for a group including many former players, as well as national captains, yesterday did apologise for comments that McCullum knew all along about coach Mike Hesson's plan to remove Ross Taylor as captain.
Parker's apology acknowledged he had not intended his comments to mean McCullum was involved in the process of removing Taylor as captain.
"John Parker did not intend to discredit Brendon McCullum and sincerely apologises to him for any harm to his reputation which may have been caused," said a statement signed by Parker and released yesterday by Chapman Tripp.