Leeds: Spinner and former skipper Daniel Vettori ruled himself out of the second Test at Headingley, ensuring New Zealand will take on England with an all-pace attack from Friday. Vettori's decision to put the team first rather than play a 112th Test and become the sole New Zealand record-holder for caps, means fast bowler Doug Bracewell will complement a seam attack with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.
"It's a gamble but when you're 1-0 down you've got to take it," captain Brendon McCullum said on Thursday. He will keep wicket for the first time in nearly three years, taking over from the injured BJ Watling. McCullum stressed it was a one-off situation, and hoped to manage the back complaint which forced him to drop the gloves in 2010.
With Martin Guptill taking Watling's place in the lineup, the usual opener will bat at No. 6, followed by McCullum. New Zealand hoped that when Vettori joined them on Tuesday for the coming one-day series that he could replace the injured Bruce Martin. But Vettori's practices came up short. He hasn't played a Test since July, missing the tour of South Africa with an Achilles' complaint and the home series against England with ankle tendinitis. Lately, he was a mere net bowler in the Indian Premier League.
"He didn't scrub up that well today," McCullum said. "He gave it his best shot. He's not quite confident he'll be able to get through five days and didn't want
08:35 AM, May 24, 2013
London: Buoyed by Stuart Broad's match-winning burst at Lord's, England will look to seal a series win over New Zealand in the second and final Test starting at Headingley on Friday before turning their attention to Australia in July. Broad's seven-wicket haul in the second innings of the first Test bowled England to a 170-run victory as New Zealand were skittled for just 68 having matched the hosts for three...
10:04 AM, May 23, 2013
Wellington: New Zealand's media were muted in their reaction to their side being bundled out for just 68 runs to give England a 170-run victory in the first Test at Lord's on Sunday, instead turning their focus towards the second match in Leeds. Their second innings score, sparked by Stuart Broad's career-best figures of seven for 44, was New Zealand's ninth-lowest in their 83-year Test history. Unlike the furore that...
11:25 AM, May 20, 2013
New Zealand bowlers kept a check on the run-rate as England batsman got out after getting starts. Trent Boult got 2 two wickets with Martin and Wagner taking one each. CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day one of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. PLAYING XIs: ENGLAND: 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell,...
02:37 PM, May 16, 2013
London: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and key batsman Ross Taylor are set for an earlier than anticipated arrival in England after being granted early release by their Indian Premier League sides. The pair was not expected to arrive on the tour of England until after the completion of this weekend's inaugural three-day warm-up match against Derbyshire. But McCullum and Taylor will now have more time to get used to...
09:07 AM, May 03, 2013
Wellington: A galvanised New Zealand head to Britain on Monday determined to finish off a job they came so close to completing in a thrilling climax to their drawn Test series against Alastair Cook's England at home last month. Brendon McCullum's underdogs had the entire Eden Park crowd on the edge of their seats as they got to within one wicket distance of achieving a remarkable 1-0 series victory over...
02:57 PM, Apr 29, 2013
Kolkata: Shortly after his record highest T20 score was eclipsed by Chris Gayle, Kolkata Knight Riders' Brendon McCullum on Tuesday said he was delighted to see his record being bettered by a batsman as "destructive" as the strapping Jamaican. Gayle smashed the most breathtaking knock in the history of Twenty20 cricket, blasting an incredible 175 off a mere 66 balls, as Royal Challengers Bangalore crushed Pune Warriors by a record...
09:28 AM, Apr 24, 2013
Wellington: New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum has dropped his defamation action against former Test player John Parker after Parker retracted and apologised for comments linking McCullum to the sacking of his predecessor Ross Taylor. McCullum's lawyers on Tuesday issued a statement in which Parker withdrew his claim that McCullum had advance knowledge of coach Mike Hesson's intention to remove Taylor as New Zealand captain. The claim was contained in...
08:29 AM, Apr 23, 2013
Kolkata: Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday hinted at dropping the misfiring Yusuf Pathan for Brendon McCullum in their crucial encounter against Chennai Super Kings at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. When asked if the team management was thinking of including McCullum, Knight Riders coach Trevor Bayliss said there is a strong possibility that the New Zealand skipper will get a look in. McCullum has been warming the benches...
09:42 PM, Apr 19, 2013
Wellington: New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum said on Friday he plans to sue former player John Parker for defamation over allegations surrounding his appointment as skipper late last year. McCullum, 31, took over from Ross Taylor in controversial circumstances in December, prompting criticism of both the new captain and national coach Mike Hesson from sections of the New Zealand cricketing community. A nine-page report leaked to media this month...
12:09 PM, Apr 19, 2013
Jaipur: After notching up victories in their tournament openers, both Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals will be keen to extend their winning streak when the two teams lock horns in their IPL 6 match here on Monday. While defending champions KKR beat Delhi Daredevils comprehensively by six wickets in a low-scoring match in the tournament opener, Rajasthan prevailed in a five-run win over the same opponents in their first...
12:26 AM, Apr 08, 2013
The KKR skipper also said that being defending champions they've the confidence to play fearless cricket. ...
01:51 PM, Apr 02, 2013
The wicketkeeper-batsman is nursing a hamstring injury. He is yet to join the squad, a KKR source said. ...
08:52 AM, Apr 02, 2013
Redemption was not a word McCullum would bother to countenance after his side were denied a Test series victory against England. ...
04:45 PM, Mar 27, 2013
"England were hell-bent on ensuring they didn't lose the match and unfortunately we weren't able to penetrate to get that one more wicket," the Kiwi captain said after the Auckland draw. ...
02:49 PM, Mar 26, 2013
In pursuit of a record target of 481, England finished day four on 90 for 4 in the final game of the series. ...
11:02 AM, Mar 25, 2013
