Australia’s Adam Voges survives a bowling after New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell was no balled on the first day of the first Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand, Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. (Ross Setford/SNPA via AP)
Australia’s Adam Voges survives a bowling after New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell was no balled on the first day of the first Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand, Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. (Ross SeShow more

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum refuses to blame umpire for Test defeat to Australia



New Zealand blamed their own poor batting and not a costly umpiring blunder for their heavy defeat in the first Test against Australia on Monday.

But rival captains Brendon McCullum and Steve Smith agreed the method of ruling on no-balls needs to be examined.

Australia wrapped up the Test by an innings and 52 runs on the fourth day on the back of Adam Voges’s 239 after he was wrongly given not out when bowled for seven.

Bowler Doug Bracewell was adjudged to have sent down a no-ball, although TV replays showed it was a legitimate delivery.

Read more: Brendon McCullum concedes New Zealand 'in the end we were completely outplayed' by Australia

“Maybe that’s something that needs to be looked at just to make sure that you get the right decision all the time,” New Zealand captain McCullum said.

Smith, his Australian counterpart, said it was important to get correct calls as much as possible.

“Everyone makes mistakes, whether you’re a player or umpire, and hopefully they can find a way to resolve that so those sort of mistakes don’t happen too much in the future,” Smith said.

But McCullum said New Zealand were effectively out of the game well before Voges’s reprieve, after being sent in to bat and being quickly reduced to 51 for five as the Australia quicks exploited the green-topped wicket.

“It’s one thing to win the toss in seamer-friendly conditions but it’s another thing to execute as well as what they did. I thought they were outstanding,” McCullum said.

“From lunchtime on the first day, we were trying to play catch-up and were never able to do it. In the end we were completely outplayed.”

New Zealand were all out for 183 in their first innings and 327 in the second, while Australia made 562 in their only innings with Voges and Usman Khawaja (140) dominating.

While disappointed with Richard Illingworth’s umpiring blunder late on the first day, McCullum had only praise for Voges’s 504-minute innings.

“The strength of character to overcome that non-dismissal that night then to go on to post a sizeable total shows not only how good a player he is but how strong a player he is as well,” the New Zealand middle-order batsman said.

“Rich Illingworth will be pretty disappointed about it, I’m guessing. It’s bit of a shame, but I’ve said all along you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth in this game and credit to Voges for making it count that bit of fortune he did receive.

“The next morning when we arrived at the ground we thought we were still in the game but the way they [Voges and Khawaja] put together that partnership took us right out of the game.”

Smith also reserved special praise for Voges who has a batting average of 97.46, after being ahead of the legendary Don Bradman’s 99.94 before he was dismissed in Wellington.

“I think Adam Voges has been absolutely outstanding. We were calling him Don Bradman this game after he got his average up over 100,” Smith said.

Despite the loss, New Zealand will bring the same 13-man squad into the second match at Christchurch, which starts on Saturday, with all-rounder Mitch Santner and batsman Ross Taylor again ruled out by injury.

Taylor had not recovered sufficiently from a muscle tear in his left side, which he picked up during the one-day international series against Pakistan, while Santner was still sore from bone bruising in his right foot.

“The players and the medical staff worked hard to be available for the match, but in the end ran out of time,” New Zealand coach Mike Heeson said. “Ross is back hitting balls again and is targeting a return in the Island of Origin match before we head away to the ICC World Twenty20.

“Mitch is on track to be fit for the ICC World Twenty20 and we’ll continue to monitor both players closely.”

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport

Match info:

Wolves 1
Boly (57')

Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')

Company Profile

Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8

Confirmed bouts (more to be added)

Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez

Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.

French Touch

Carla Bruni

(Verve)

Meydan race card

6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
8.50pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m

How I connect with my kids when working or travelling

Little notes: My girls often find a letter from me, with a joke, task or some instructions for the afternoon, and saying what I’m excited for when I get home.
Phone call check-in: My kids know that at 3.30pm I’ll be free for a quick chat.
Highs and lows: Instead of a “how was your day?”, at dinner or at bathtime we share three highlights; one thing that didn’t go so well; and something we’re looking forward to.
I start, you next: In the morning, I often start a little Lego project or drawing, and ask them to work on it while I’m gone, then we’ll finish it together.
Bedtime connection: Wake up and sleep time are important moments. A snuggle, some proud words, listening, a story. I can’t be there every night, but I can start the day with them.
Undivided attention: Putting the phone away when I get home often means sitting in the car to send a last email, but leaving it out of sight between home time and bedtime means you can connect properly.
Demystify, don’t demonise your job: Help them understand what you do, where and why. Show them your workplace if you can, then it’s not so abstract when you’re away - they’ll picture you there. Invite them into your “other” world so they know more about the different roles you have.


Abtal

Keep up with all the Middle East and North Africa athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics

      By signing up, I agree to The National's privacy policy
      Abtal