Brendon McCullum making return in Brisbane club game

Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum in action against Australia at the Cricket World Cup. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Brendon McCullum is heading to Australia to make his return to cricket but it won't be for the Black Caps.

The struggling Black Caps would probably have opened arms to their former skipper ahead of the third Chappell-Haddlee series match at the MCG tomorrow. The Black Caps need a victory in final ODI to save face after being handed heavy defeats in the opening two games.

However McCullum will be making his return at a slightly smaller venue - the Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane.

McCullum is expected to turn out for the Ipswich Logan Hornets in a club T20 game against Norths on Sunday as he begins his preparations for the Big Bash Twenty20 competition.

McCullum, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, will captain the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash starting on December 21. He has had surgery on his back since his final test against Australia in February and is raring to go.

"I had months of being on some pretty heavy painkillers, so it has been great to get my back fixed," he told the Courier-Mail.

McCullum is looking to bring a similar attitude and style of cricket to the Heat as what was played under his reign as New Zealand skipper.

"I want to grab hold of fans with the attractive and entertaining brand of cricket we are going to play this season," McCullum said.

"If anyone is in any doubt, I want people to know what they are going to get from the Heat.

"The beauty about being captain is I can give the guys the freedom to go out there and chance their arms.

"Sometimes cricket can be strangled by fear (of failure) and that is the last thing I want.
"I want to promote the Heat players to go out there and play a free and fearless game and have some fun.

"We want to win but the main thing is we want to provide an entertaining product."