"He made the number eight spot in one-day internationals his own, very quickly becoming the best ODI closer in the world. Over time, and after a few failures, he finally made the opener's role his own in the Black Caps' ODI team and, as Adam Gilchrist fades with age, he'll soon be the best at that game too," writes Mark Richardson in the Herald on Sunday.
I was not overly keen to see McCullum elevated in ODIs because I believe in the importance of bite in the tail and not just strike power at the top. However, what he has shown of late at the top of the order you simply cannot downplay. I've not the same reservations when it comes to his elevation to five in test matches. The difference between batting five or seven in test match cricket is nowhere near as drastic as the difference between opening in ODIs or batting in the lower middle order.
Also check out Dylan Cleaver's piece on Lord's in the Herald on Sunday.
The cameras love to pan to the Pavilion where bacon-and-egg blazered members make the most of their good fortune, sometimes choosing an afternoon nap over the opportunity to see Jacob Oram poke around for 146 minutes and countless thick edges. But that is their prerogative. It takes approximately 18 years between application and acceptance to become a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club - is it any wonder, then, that they look so smug when they finally earn the right to wear the blazer and tie?
