New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has praised his side’s resilience after they bounced back from a heavy defeat to square their Test series with England.
The Black Caps completed an emphatic 199-run win in the second Test at Headingley on Tuesday to end the two-match series level at 1-1 just over a week after their 124-run defeat in the first Test at Lord’s.
England, set what would have been a new fourth innings Test victory total of 455, resumed Tuesday on 0-44 but collapsed to 4-62 before lunch and were eventually bowled out for 255.
Part-time off-spinner Kane Williamson, primarily a batsman and once barred from bowling in international cricket because of a suspect action, was one of New Zealand’s bowling heroes with 3-15 in seven overs.
“We bounced back after Lord’s,” said McCullum after leading New Zealand to just their ninth win in 101 Tests against England.
“Obviously with a two-Test series we had to force the pace and I thought the guys bought into that and we played a really entertaining brand of cricket.”
Williamson made a fine century at Lord’s but managed just six runs in total at Headingley.
“There’s instinct and then there’s pure gambling I think….Kane’s got a bit of a knack,” said McCullum.
“He’s one of those guys who if he’s had a quiet Test match you can be pretty sure that he’s going to get involved somehow.”
McCullum also singled out man of the match BJ Watling who, playing as a batsman only after a knee injury suffered at Lord’s prevented him keeping wicket, justified his inclusion with a second-innings 120 that enabled the tourists to build a decisive lead after both sides made 350 in their first innings.
“I thought BJ Watling was outstanding, we love him,” said McCullum.
“He’s a tremendous player, he’s got a big heart and he’s a guy that you can build your team around.”
Meanwhile, England captain Alastair Cook was left to rue another missed opportunity as, for the second series in a row following their drawn campaign in the West Indies, his side were pegged back after going ahead.
“It was a disappointing day. After halfway we were right in the game but credit to New Zealand,” said Cook, who surpassed Graham Gooch as England’s all-time record Test run-scorer on Sunday.
England had been 1-215 in their first innings before losing a flurry of wickets while their fallible close catching – several chances went down – was shown up by New Zealand’s excellence in the field.
“As always against a good side, if you’re not 100 per cent on your A game you get found out so credit to Brendon and his team,” added Cook, England’s man of the series after the left-handed opener’s 162 at Lord’s was followed by two fifties at Headingley.
“They deserved the win.”
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Compelling series, full of many highlights, counting the secs till the decider............ OOPS..... ICC strikes again with another inexplicable 2 test series :(
Riccardo
Guest
Look Bobbo, There's one of those Mensa candidates you were talking about :)
Bobbo7
Guest
Well they are winning these days SP so I presume the fixing went away with the idiots involved. I certainly hope so. Maybe NZ were always this good but threw games? who knows. But clearly I was referring to the... -punch Joe Root and then try to say you were defending Amla - "speak F&&ckn english" -I could not handle NZ being so nice -hope he breaks your f**'n arm type ugliness that crops up every 6 month when a certain team plays
SP
Guest
"NZ are showing you can play aggressive cricket on the pitch without the ugly side to it" Given up the match fixing have they? Good to hear. Such a blight on cricket
Bakkies
Guest
I think he means that it will encourage others to follow suit. Even SA are conservative at times.
JimmyB
Guest
It's always worth staying strong in the dark times because it makes it all the sweeter when things come good, as they most certainly have with NZ. You guys have got a very strong core of very talented all round cricketers who play without fear, by and large with intelligence and with the right spirit. Even though it's never great to see your team lose, it's hard to begrudge NZs success. On a side note and without wishing to incur the wrath of the Aussies on here, I think it's fairly inevitable that the Ashes won't be played in the same spirit. I feel that the Aussie team thinks that they play their best when they are ultra aggressive, they have tried once or twice to 'play fair' and it hasn't seen them do well, Clarke himself has become noticeably more aggressive since Boof has become coach and it has coincided with Australia's climb back up the rankings, so why should they change? I actually don't think the England team are well set for the kind of niggle that is coming, bar perhaps, Anderson, Broad and Stokes who aren't strangers to getting involved themselves. I'd like to see England take the lead in the series and conduct themselves as they have done throughout this NZ series, however I doubt that it will happen. Unfortunately though, some might say, when it comes to 'mongrel', there just isn't that much within this England team and much like Clarke is doing these days, they may have to become good at faking it.
Bobbo7
Guest
Yep. What annoys me though is the way many in NZ bagged the team for the Lord's loss. Some were even proposing that McCullum should be dumped. Probably the same lot that bemoan drawn Tests I love the way they play and if they have to lose a few to win some, then sobeit. I agree some common sense should apply but then when you only get 2 Test series there is more pressure on. Anyway, exciting times. I've been a NZ cricket tragic for years and staying up to 3am to watch this team play is well worth it. The 3am joint watching us get rolled for 45 in SA on the other hand a while ago was not so good - oh how times have changed.
Riccardo
Guest
Mensa candidates Bobbo? Classic. Shame 1) no deciding fixture; the Black Caps will only get better & 2) this result still sees us drop to 4th in that flawed ranking system. Mate, I'm so proud of the way we play, the style without the negative rhetoric. The fact that while we are improving everyone is striving towards more given our very public acknowledgment we are some way from where we want to be. I think we need ameliorate our strategy a little (9 more overs at Lord's equals a series win) & applying that will see us completing with the big nations favourably as more fixtures are thrown our way. Speaking of which November in Australia looks mouth-watering doesn't it? And that's on the back of the All Blacks trying to make history in London. Just outstanding...
The Bush
Roar Guru
Actually England do need to get in as many ODIs as possible before the next World Cup - they seriously can't practice enough...
Bobbo7
Guest
True although NZ are showing you can play aggressive cricket on the pitch without the ugly side to it I have no doubt come the Ashes one of Australia's Mensa candidates will put their mouth (or fist) in it
Lara
Guest
Ok not in Oz
Jake
Guest
"Test cricket will change forever, thanks to McCullum." How so? The Australian team has been playing this way since the 1990's. A bit over the top there
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Very good game by the kiwis. So good to see them beat the poms; I was following it like Australia was playing. I was disappointed by NZ after the first game, though they were obviously very underdone when it comes to red ball cricket. But this was a good win, and they played well.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
"Test cricket will change forever"?... Calm down, haha.
Jake
Guest
The test at Headingly were sparsely attended. The crowd for the past 2 days was dismal. The weather was shocking - very cold and overcast. They should have given the kiwis another test instead of 5 ODI's. Then they would have come out a series winner. Actually, they should replace England with NZ for the Ashes. Would be far more competitive. England wilted like pansies in the hot sun last night.
Lara
Guest
This NZ cricket team and their captain play the game "with BALLS!!!" Test cricket will change forever, thanks to McCullum.
Wal
Roar Guru
A shame this isn't going to a 3rd of 4th test but I guess that is a symptom of Test schedules being planned more than 12 months in advance and NZ were a shambles just over 12 months ago. This however was an incredible series 3000 runs scored and average of 375 per innings 78 of a possible 80 wickets taken Run rates of 3.75 and 3.87 for both tests. NZ's run rates in the final test were 4.75 and 4.98 the sort of run rates that would have won you a one day game 10 years ago but not for a hit and giggle 100 run chase but for 350 and 454 runs.
Bobbo7
Guest
Apparently. The Tests were well attended. Will NZ ever get some respect?
Cantab
Guest
Great series, 'a crime against humanity '. That it was only a 2 match series. Do we need to rush into ODI cricket on the back of the world cup?