Cricket: Skipper keen to keep game moving forward

McCullum, Hesson want to impose more assertive 'blueprint' on domestic scene.

First comes the reflection on a job well done, at least until Sunday night. Then will follow the planning, for this New Zealand cricket team is not for standing still.

The fact that New Zealand were in the World Cup final -- their second, both against Australia, in the past six years, going back to the Champions Trophy final at Centurion in South Africa -- suggests they are heading, rapidly, in the right direction.

"It's great we're making finals for a change," captain Brendon McCullum said. "I feel we've made significant strides in how we've gone about playing the game."

Coach Mike Hesson drummed home that point yesterday when enlarging on McCullum's "blueprint" of how he would like the country to embrace the national team's assertive, entertaining attitude.

Provincial coaches can expect a chat soon about how the New Zealand coach and captain would want to see their strategies implemented.

"You need to define the style of play you want, and for us it's an aggressive style with the ball, and with the bat about everyone doing their job and setting us up so we can take advantage of the last 15 overs.

"If you're able to dominate the first 10 overs as well, you can get an above-par score."

Hesson said the rule changes -- two new balls in each innings and fielding restrictions -- meant New Zealand felt they must press to take wickets otherwise "regardless of how good you are, at the death you're still going to go at eight to 10 runs an over".

New Zealand, without question every fan's second-favourite team at the cup -- after their own -- have played cricket to delight. It's not hard to enjoy their game.

But the personnel will change.

Dan Vettori's wonderful career is over - expect an announcement in the next couple of days - and captain McCullum certainly won't be around for the next tournament in 2019.

You need to define the style of play you want, and for us it's an aggressive style.

Coach Mike Hesson

McCullum has been coy about his future but a reasonable punt would have him going to England in May, skipping the five limited-overs internationals in South Africa in August and finishing up away then home against Australia next summer.

That makes eight tests - two in England, six against Australia - and would take McCullum, by a nice symmetry, to his century of tests. He'll be 34 and his body isn't what it was. His fleet-footed running style and diving, sprawling work in the outfield, plus years of wicketkeeping, have taken a toll.

But this is essentially a young group of players.

As a target, use the next World Cup.

Of those in this cup squad, Trent Boult, equal top wicket-taker at this cup with 22, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, Corey Anderson and Tom Latham should be either in, or coming into, their prime.

New Zealand won 10 ODIs on the trot for the first time up to their semifinal win over South Africa. They have found and settled on a brand of cricket that satisfies them and thrills the watchers.

McCullum is obviously pivotal to that. There will be an interesting period when he stands down. His shoes are big. Kane Williamson, the likely successor, is a distinctly different personality but destined for playing greatness.

That's for later. For now, these are salad days for New Zealand cricket.

There are opportunities for greater playing access to the big nations, who have liked what they've seen. New Zealand may now be viewed as a more marketable commodity.

And in a sense that may be seen in time as among the more significant legacies of McCullum's men.

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