Cricket: Ramp shot too much for White

In-form Australian batsman Cameron White says he isn’t brave enough to try the ramp shot. Photo / Getty Images

Cameron White might be in the form of his life in Twenty20 Internationals but even he isn't brave enough to try Kiwi Brendon McCullum's bizarre "ramp" shot.

McCullum smashed 116 not out on Sunday in Christchurch in New Zealand's 214-6 before Australia replied with 214-4 including White's stunning 64 not out from 26 balls.

New Zealand triumphed in the extra-time "super over", scoring 9-0 from three balls following Australia's 6-1.

McCullum's 56-ball innings, including 12 fours and eight sixes, featured an array of amazing "ramp" shots where the batsman squatted down and scooped deliveries back over the wicketkeeper Brad Haddin's head for six. Even speedster Shaun Tait was at McCullum's mercy as the AMI Stadium fans roared their delight.

"I'm too scared to try that, much too scared," White said.

"It's just a very amazing shot and takes a lot of courage, especially off a bowler like Taity at the speed he has.

"But I guess in many ways, when you play that shot, you need the pace to make it work.

"We can learn from that, we've seen it now. Maybe next time we can bowl more bouncers.

"But in total fairness, they were pretty good yorkers, some of those balls."

Australia T20 captain Michael Clarke said he had taken away McCullum's favourite shot to the point boundary, which led the opener to improvise.

"The one over the keeper? Well it's hard because they were going for six so it didn't matter if I put a fielder there," Clarke laughed.

"As a bowling unit we could probably execute a little bit better.

"You've got to hit your yorkers if he's doing that.

"You've got to change your pace. You've got to bowl more slower balls.

"When somebody like that goes off, we've seen David Warner over the last three games and Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi ... when they go off it's hard to stop."

McCullum said the shot was based on "instinct".

"When you're trying to face a guy at that speed, rather than hit him over his head, I tried to used his pace," McCullum said.

"It's not always going to work but with the short boundaries here, it came off."

- AAP