Cricket World Cup: Explosive McCullum delivers against world-class attack

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Brendon McCullum delivered an innings the New Zealand cricketing public, the Eden Park crowd and his teammates demanded last night with 59 off 26 balls against South Africa in the World Cup semifinal.

In his first five overs the New Zealand captain brought the required run rate down from 6.93 to 5.97 with explosive hitting against a world-class attack. In respective overs he took 25 off Dale Steyn; 14 from Vern Philander and nine from Morne Morkel.

After a demoralising period of rain, it was the cricketing equivalent of Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on stage.

McCullum has been the modern-day World Cup equivalent of Mark Greatbatch knocking Allan Donald, Curtly Ambrose and Kapil Dev off their pace bowling axis in 1992.

Chasing 298 from 43 overs became a more manageable proposition of 227 from 38 during his tenure. McCullum performed the cavalier role he'd designated for himself at the top of the order rather than being a padded jack-in-the box waiting down the order. He has been one of the best batsmen at the cup as a result.

That's not necessarily because of runs scored, although 328 at 41 is a fine return. It's more because of strike rate. Last night it was 227; across the tournament it's been 192, the best of any player to face more than 36 balls.

He's consistently freed up deliveries from which his teammates could consolidate an innings.

Last night, there were shades of Stephen Fleming's 134 not out from 132 balls to defeat South Africa at Johannesburg's Wanderers ground in the 2003 edition. The Duckworth-Lewis method played a role there, too.

McCullum went about his work seemingly oblivious to the pressure. The only time it showed was in the first over; he lost a shoe in desperation pirouetting back into his crease.

South African captain AB de Villiers needed to draw on a tactical gem. The solution? An over from leg-spinner Imran Tahir who, until yesterday, had taken 15 wickets at 18.86 and a run rate of 4.14 at the tournament.

Martin Guptill, on six from nine deliveries, was cautious. He played out a maiden over. Morkel came on from the south end. Whack.

McCullum advanced, got cramped, and clobbered to Steyn at mid-on. Tahir effectively bought Morkel a wicket.

But on a tide of national goodwill, McCullum delivered the catalyst for New Zealand's strong cup performances with four half-centuries.

He avenged what was a gap in his 13-year cricketing CV. Before this tournament he'd failed to make a World Cup half-century against a test-playing nation. His 2003-2011 World Cup record of 414 runs at 31.84 in 18 innings was deceptive. He had scored 308 against nations ranked outside the top eight. The other 106 came at 10.60, with a best of 36 not out against the West Indies in 2003.

His renaissance started with 65 from 49 balls against Sri Lanka, a local anaesthetic to ease public nerves; he honoured Wellington giving him the keys to the city with 77 off 25 balls against England; and he mashed 50 off 24 against Australia to set up the run chase for 152.