quote:

Millmow: McCullum completes his last act of World Cup like he did his first, with class

t was Brendon McCullum's last act of the World Cup. A press conference before the world's media to explain a seven wicket loss.

He came in his cap, with three members of the New Zealand management team for company. A curve ball comes before the first question. An Indian journalist wants his miniature bat signed.

"I'm not supposed to do this, but quick, hurry, and don't tell anyone else" he says.

It's standing room only in the press conference room and the man called "Baz" fields an early question about rumours of possible retirement from one-day cricket. He doesn't bat an eyelid. Questions are coming thick and fast.

McCullum hears a question but doesn't know which direction it has come from

"Over here at wide mid off," jokes the journalist.

"Come in a couple," McCullum jokes, "come catching."

The New Zealand skipper is not crestfallen. His mood is surprisingly cheerful.

A New Zealand journalist near the back of the room pops a question McCullum's way and gets some gentle ribbing about his lack of height.

"You do need to stand up," McCullum says.

"Bit rich," is the reply.

"Touche," laughs McCullum.

Some sections of the overseas media question McCullum about his approach in the opening over when he was bowled by Mitchell Starc. One thinks he was too aggressive, the other thinks he was too tentative.

"I think I ran down second ball, didn't I?," McCullum says.

"I certainly wasn't tentative. Hads [Brad Haddin] asked me before the first ball 'are you going to have a crack today?' and I said 'too right'.

"I went in with the same mindset. We all went in with same mindset that we have played with throughout this tournament and we just undone by a better team on the day and that is just sport."

The questions keep coming. Would he have preferred to lose the toss? Why did Tim Southee and Kane Williamson go off the boil in the last fortnight?

He answers everything, then does something odd. He speaks without prompting.

"There is one other thing I did want to say. I looked in the changing room today and those guys have been on an incredible journey and we have loved every single minute of it. We've created memories and friendships which will last for the rest of our lives.

"We've had some support from our country which we never believed was possible and we are incredibly proud what we have been able to achieve. We ran second today so all credit to Australia but we walk away with our heads incredibly high.

"We had Martin Crowe and John Key, our prime minister, in the changing room just before and they are incredibly proud of what we have able to achieve as well and they are just a couple of guys that we have been able to share it with and we have shared this with the whole country. It would've been nice to have won it but we are proud of what we have been able to achieve."

The bizarre continues. The overseas media break into a round of applause for the skipper of the Cup.

McCullum is done. He is escorted through the media throng to the lift, but not before another sub-Continent journalist thrusts a miniature bat in his direction for signing. Baz's last stand.

quote:

Then Smith passed the phone to Haddin, who he described as the “drunkest man in the team”.

Asked about the controversial sledging incidents, Haddin was to the point.

“You know what? They deserved it,” Haddin said.

Haddin then went on to talk about how “nice” the Black Caps had treated the Aussies while they were in New Zealand earlier in the tournament. Initially, it came across as sarcasm — but it appears he was actually being sincere.

“They were that nice to us in New Zealand and we were that uncomfortable,” Haddin said.

“I said in the team meeting: ‘I can’t stand for this anymore, we’re going at them as hard as we can.’

“It was that uncomfortable. All they were was that nice to us for seven days.

“I said, ‘I’m not playing cricket like this. If we get another crack at these guys in the final I’m letting everything [out].’”

gabensraum posted:

Check out this audio from Bailey.
http://www.fiveaa.com.au/shows/david-mark-jane/aussie-s-party-after-world-cup-win

webmeister posted:

Love the way Bailey says "we" like he did anything

Noxin of Shame posted:

Favourite tweet so far:
"Grant Elliott wishing he went to his sister's wedding so he could teach his teammates about commitment to a partnership."

BlindSite posted:

Teams all over the world sledge "classic banter lol"

Aussie team throws chat "pack of cunts" "insufferable"

Makes the victory that much sweeter all the tears about poo poo that happens every game, everywhere in the world.

Thel posted:

As a NZ cricket supporter - fair cop, the Aussies played better than us and won the game. Shane Warne and Brad Haddin can both DIAF though.

Doctor Cave posted:

Haddin has retired from ODIs

Mr Chips posted:

Spirit-of-cricket.jpg:

https://scontent-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/h...3bb&oe=55AD8F2F

Shmoses posted:

Recovered enough to offer some thoughts:

The moment I realised we'd surely win wasn't McCullum's wicket but Ronchi's. From 6/151 I knew there was no return.
Speaking of McCullum, that was a terrible innings. It's the way he plays and Starc's a good bowler but it should have been obvious to him from the first ball he faced that he wouldn't be able to dictate terms. He had to be more circumspect than that. It was a dumb innings.
Yesterday made me a fan of the zing bails. The Starc/McCullum moment was made so much better by them at the ground. They need to be worked on to get lighter though.

Smorgasbord posted:

That third ball gets McCullum out whether he's circumspect or not.

Quasimango posted:

Quasimango posted:

webmeister posted:

Sounds like you're suffering a bit of blind sight there mate

Yeah sledging is part of the game, but as an Australian watching Haddin's sendoff of Guptill is loving embarrassing.