Parker weighs into NZ captaincy debate

Former New Zealand captain John Parker weighed into the debate about the controversial sacking of Ross Taylor as skipper on Thursday with a scathing report about how the situation was handled.

Parker is part of a group said to include several former captains who compiled a nine-page report on the affair, critical of New Zealand cricket chiefs, coach Mike Hesson and Brendon McCullum, who replaced Taylor as captain.

Parker’s report calls for unresolved issues to be addressed despite repeated urging from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive David White that the matter be laid to rest.

The document backs Taylor’s claim that he was told before the second Test in Sri Lanka in November that he was not wanted as captain in any form of the game, although NZC argues Taylor was told he could remain as Test skipper.

It also says Hesson initially accepted Taylor’s request to blood new internationals on the Sri Lanka tour but three days before the team was named Hesson said all the older players would be going.

Changes

Parker’s group wants a change in the structure and governance of NZC but White said the attacks were damaging.

“Attacks such as this are divisive and unhelpful. For the sake of the game the focus should now be on the Blackcaps’ upcoming tour of England,” he said.

White’s comments were included in a terse NZC statement which said it was “disappointed and saddened by the recent attack made by John Parker and some unnamed individuals”.

It said the accusations were not new and were based on “hearsay, speculation and rumour”.

The Parker report claim that McCullum knew all along about the sacking of Taylor, one of New Zealand’s most important batsmen, was vehemently denied by White.

“At no time was Brendon McCullum in any way personally involved in the replacement of Ross Taylor as captain. Brendon behaved honourably at all times in this matter,” he said.