Brendon McCullum has tried to show off New Zealand’s very best hospitality on this tour of his home country, but 15 years ago, on the other side of the divide, the England head coach was far from happy.
This was a pivotal moment in Jimmy Anderson’s record-breaking career. Aged 26 and averaging 39 with the ball after 20 caps, Anderson flirted with the tag of an unfulfilled talent on the 2008 tour and lacked confidence thanks to McCullum’s flashy blade during the one-day matches that came first.
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In the first test in Hamilton he was supposed to carry the drinks, but through a contact of the England bowling coach, Ottis Gibson, a surprise offer came to play for Auckland against Wellington in the state championship. It caused quite an old stench. New Zealand Cricket CEO at the time, Justin Vaughan, said he was “not particularly thrilled”, while his Wellington equivalent, Gavin Larsen, continued.
“We can’t get around this,” said Larsen, who has since become New Zealand’s chief selector. “It really hits me in the pit of my stomach. To paint the worst case scenario: Anderson takes seven for 30 against our lads, Auckland has him in shape and before you know it he’s opening for England [in the second Test].”
The numbers were wrong – Anderson claimed two for 95 from 38 overs in an innings defeat – but the prophecy came true nonetheless.
With England 1-0 down to Hamilton, the head coach, Peter Moores, opted for youth, swapping the old guard of Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard for Anderson and Stuart Broad. When Anderson immediately cheaply beat New Zealand’s top five in Wellington, a thrilling 2-1 series turnaround began as the pair shared 16 wickets and a famous alliance was forged.
England’s World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The 36-year-old oversaw the transformation of England’s white-ball side from also-rans in 2015 to over-50 world champions at Lord’s four years later.
He retired from his international career last year, but continued to play county cricket for Middlesex and represent London Spirit in The Hundred. Morgan plans to stay involved in the game and work as a commentator and pundit.
“It is with great pride that I announce my retirement from all forms of cricket,” Morgan wrote on Twitter. “I believe now is the right time to step away from the game that has given me so much over the years.”
Dublin-born Morgan began his international career with his native Ireland in 2006, but transferred to England in 2009, citing a lifelong desire to play Test cricket.
The southpaw went on to play 16 Tests, scoring two centuries, but was unable to make the five-day squad and was seen as a limited overs specialist. Last year, he retired as the nation’s record one-day and T20 run scorer, with 6,957 and 2,458 in the respective formats.
“Cricket has enabled me to travel the world and meet incredible people, many of whom I have developed lifelong friendships with,” continued Morgan, whose franchise career has taken him to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, Barbados and South Africa. Africa brought. .
“I will undoubtedly miss the adventure and challenges of playing professional cricket.” PA media
“It’s been great for me,” Anderson said Monday, as driving winds and rain from Cyclone Gabrielle forced preparations for his 178th test to the indoor turf at Bay Oval. “It turned out to be a very good decision. I bowled a lot of overs – it didn’t set the world on fire – but it got me into a good rhythm to play the next Test. Baz [McCullum] brought it up recently. He was smoking at the time. Apparently the entire New Zealand team was furious with Auckland.
“It was huge for both of us. And not just the way we played, but because Hoggard and Harmison have been such a big part of England’s success – the 2005 Ashes and Harmy were world number 1 at one point. Having them who were senior bowlers and us taking their places gave us so much confidence to go ahead and try and emulate them. We have never looked back.”
England have not won a test series in New Zealand since and today Anderson, 41, and Broad, 36, are the senior pros with younger men hot on their heels. Both are expected to play in Thursday’s day-night first test, with Ollie Robinson the other front-line sailor in the likely XI. But waiting in the wings are Matthew Potts, Kane Williamson’s kryptonite in last summer’s 3-0 home win, and the pacier Olly Stone.
Anderson said: “To be able to bring these two guys back into the squad after having Mark Wood in Pakistan and with Jofra [Archer] getting back to fitness feels like we are building a really good bank of fast bowlers who will be able to win games in all conditions, anywhere in the world.
“Whether they are young or old, guys always keep you on your toes. I mean, Broady keeps me on my toes, we push each other in the nets all the time.
“At the moment, Ollie Robinson is probably one of the best bowlers in the world. He just doesn’t miss, can swing it either way, narrow it, bounce it – he’s comfortably the only bowler the guys don’t want to see in the nets here. Everyone keeps you on your toes and it keeps those standards very high.
As Anderson spoke in the pavilion at Bay Oval, four tractors stood in the plaza to keep the tropical storm from blowing off the blankets. The locals were confident that the advanced drainage of the ground would prevent the outfield from turning into a swamp before Thursday, but the situation was clearly not optimal for the two teams.
The grounding of internal flights also meant that five New Zealand players and three support staff had yet to join the camp. Tom Blundell, their wicketkeeper, was certainly busy in Wellington after the recent birth of his second child, while Matt Henry was in Christchurch awaiting the arrival of his first.
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The hosts also awaited an update on the fitness of Kyle Jamieson, who did not train on Monday after last week’s appearance against England in their warm-up. The 6ft 8in fast bowler has recently come back from a stress fracture in the lower back.
At least their head coach, Gary Stead, was relaxed here and full of praise for England’s transformation under McCullum.
Such generosity of spirit has long been synonymous with New Zealanders, even though it contributed to Anderson’s remarkable rise to fame at the time.