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As his career winds down, there is one fact that is undeniable about Brendon McCullum.
On February 28, 2010, he played the greatest cricket shot(s) ever played.
It wasn’t a textbook, high-front-elbow cover-drive that pierced the offside field and raced to the fence.
Nor a sumptuous flick through midwicket from outside off-stump perfected by those hailing from the sub-continent.
It was not even a perfectly timed glance through gully that raced away to the fence from the slightest touch of the willow.
No.
That would be too easy. Anyone can play those. Remember, even Chris Martin hit 15 boundaries in Test cricket.
It was the 19th over of a T20 international against Australia.
McCullum was having one of his borderline unstoppable days. He was a lazy 100*, his audacious knock taking just 50 balls to that point.
Twelve balls had been smoked to the fence. Some crashed through cover on the advance, others whipped through the leg-side, a couple slashed through point, and a few followed a more aerial route down the ground.
McCullum had belted six sixes, taking a particular liking to Dan Christian and Dirk Nannes.
However, Shaun Tait was running on this occasion. A man who bowls over 150km/h for fun. A man whose action ensures that a fair chunk of the time, he doesn’t even know where the ball is going.
In other words, not the kind of bowler you stuff around with.
‘The Wild Thing’ was about to fling down a white steer-hide ball built over a cork and rubber nucleus with five layers of cork and yarn that weighed in at a mere 156 grams. More commonly known as the prick of a thing that leaves the ‘bruise rainbow’ of purple, green, yellow, red, and brown when it connects with your unprotected body.
Tait steamed in for the first ball of his final over. His run-up went seemingly forever. At the point of his final stride to the crease he cocked his arm back, coiled his back and shoulder, ready to unleash a 150km/h thunderbolt.
McCullum sensed it would be full. Or at the very least, he prayed it would be. He stepped across his stumps, angled his bat, and stepped into the path of the ball. It seemed to track and follow his movements, on a collision course with his flesh. Until…
Brendon angled his bat, flung his body lengthways, and scooped the ball back over his head for six.
According to people much smarter than me, you have about half a second to judge the trajectory, assess the length, cater for any movement off the pitch, and instruct your body to move your feet and arms to hit the ball.
Knowing this, it takes a special type of bravado to willingly move your body and face into the path of a 150km/h ball.
An ‘I’ve evaluated everything in my life and, yes, I’ve decided I’m okay with pre-empting a scoop off a stupidly quick bowler’ type of bravado.
An ‘I’m also okay with eating my food through a straw for a fair while and booking in an appointment with the nose surgeon if it goes wrong’ type of bravado.
McCullum decided he was cool with this and duly delivered.
Needless to say, Tait’s next two balls were a no-ball and a wide. Who in their right mind could focus on maintaining their rhythm after a man has demonstrated that he has literally zero effs to give about how quick you are?
Fast forward to the sixth (fourth official) ball of the over. Tait decided to pull his finger out. One-hundred-and-fifty kilometres not quick enough? Try 155 kilometres on for size.
McCullum retorted with what I can only imagine is the cricketing equivalent of ‘my balls are so much bigger than yours’. He stepped inside the line, angled the bat, and scooped him again. For a bigger six.
I’ve watched the clip dozens of times. I still can’t fathom how he did it.
I’m going to miss McCullum when he’s retired.
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