"Our worst moment in Test cricket" Crowe

Crowe calls for New Zealand clean-out

Cricinfo staff

December 2, 2008


Martin Crowe says Ross Taylor is a terrific player but appears to be "getting really confused" © Getty Images


Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain, has called for a complete overhaul of the way New Zealand are managed after an innings loss in Adelaide that he described as "our worst moment in Test cricket". The defeat at the hands of Australia meant New Zealand fell below West Indies on the ICC Test rankings and they now sit eighth, ahead of only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Crowe said he was so disappointed with the top order's self-destruction that he left the Adelaide Oval at lunch after seeing several batsmen throw their wickets away in a session when they lost 5 for 48 and any hoping of saving the Test. But he did not blame the players, who he believes became increasingly confused under the outgoing coach John Bracewell.

"We've put a coaching regime in place and they have got in the way of the development of these talented cricketers," Crowe said on Radio Sport. "The last five years have been probably the most destructive to our game in the history of our game."

The new coach Andy Moles is taking over ahead of this month's home series against West Indies and Crowe said it was up to Moles to change the culture of the group. Crowe was particularly angry that in recent times the young players were being asked to fill out forms after each day's play and assess their own and each other's performances.

"I'm sorry but this is just not the way you go about allowing sportsmen, allowing cricketers to express themselves and I find it quite sickening to be honest," Crowe said. "You've got to allow cricketers to be themselves, you've got to allow them to be individual and you've got to ask them to be self-sufficient.

"I just want it all cleared out. Give the kids a chance to just be what they can be and I'm sure they'll respond in time. Ross Taylor is a terrific player and he's a hell of a bloke and he wants it badly but you just sense along with his mate Jamie How that they're getting really confused."

New Zealand have had success as a one-day team during Bracewell's five years in charge and are ranked fifth, above England, Sri Lanka and West Indies. But as a Test unit they have struggled to be competitive and have often seemingly still been in a limited-overs mode when patience was required, as it was on the fourth day in Adelaide.

"They looked fearful," Crowe said. "They've gone from showing some signs that they can get in behind the ball but today it was just atrocious. That's a mental thing - that means that someone has got into their mindset and they've got to a point where they can't actually think properly."

However, Crowe was hopeful that a new coaching regime might bring some positive changes. "Let's hope that Andy Moles and Dan Vettori can just put a smile on peo

I don't blame the current players either. Most of them with perhaps the exception of Flynn and Taylor just don't have the ability to play test cricket.

PlanetPakistan wrote:I don't blame the current players either. Most of them with perhaps the exception of Flynn and Taylor just don't have the ability to play test cricket.

McCullum, Vettori, Southee, Mills?

Even players like Martin have decent enough records and are capable of competing at Test level.

The fact of the matter is that New Zealand are a small nation full of average talent that has been poorly coached and made to look very poor indeed.

As far as sides go, they don't have the worst. I think that all of Taylor, McCullum, Vettori, Southee and Mills would get in the England side at the moment.

Augustus wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:I don't blame the current players either. Most of them with perhaps the exception of Flynn and Taylor just don't have the ability to play test cricket.

McCullum, Vettori, Southee, Mills?

Even players like Martin have decent enough records and are capable of competing at Test level.

The fact of the matter is that New Zealand are a small nation full of average talent that has been poorly coached and made to look very poor indeed.

As far as sides go, they don't have the worst. I think that all of Taylor, McCullum, Vettori, Southee and Mills would get in the England side at the moment.

I was talking about the batsmen since batting is what Crowe seems to be worried about.

I think that all of Taylor, McCullum, Vettori, Southee and Mills would get in the England side at the moment.

Their bowling's ok, but the batting is just dire.

amazingly they are still ranked ahead of England and SL in ODIs.

If they were all out for 25 in Adelaide, that might have been their worst moment in tests.

JGK wrote:If they were all out for 25 in Adelaide, that might have been their worst moment in tests.

valid point.

...or if they were bowled out by Simon Cook

Back in the day their management use to be strong which allowed some what limited players to have good careers but now their management is horrible and for their own good they deserve to lose every match that they play. Only a barrage of defeats would make them change their ways.

"Our worst moment in Test cricket"


(shrugs)

Getting thrashed blue by the Aussies is pretty much par.

The NZers only avoid losing a match (and, as it would have turned out, the series) against the Bangers by two wickets recently. I would think that is the greater cause for concern.

So New Zealand suck at Test cricket. Where's the surprise in that?

Zat wrote:So New Zealand suck at Test cricket. Where's the surprise in that?

they didn't suck when they drew a series in AUS and then swept India in a 2 test match series next year.

they didn't suck when they drew a series in AUS

Only a Kiwi would think not losing something is a victory.

Ummm, they did suck in Aus . . . rain saved them from 2 big losses in the first 2 tests of that series . . . though they did play well in the 3rd test . . .

PlanetPakistan wrote:

Zat wrote:So New Zealand suck at Test cricket. Where's the surprise in that?

they didn't suck when they drew a series in AUS and then swept India in a 2 test match series next year.

There are moments when any item will deviate from the statistical average.

That Perth test (in which Warne was robbed of a ton by a dozy umpire) was one of the best draws I've seen.

It's been almost 19 years since the Kiwis beat us in a Test.

OP Tipping wrote:That Perth test (in which Warne was robbed of a ton by a dozy umpire) was one of the best draws I've seen.

Huh? He was caught in the deep by Mark Richardson off Daniel Vettori.

Henry wrote:

OP Tipping wrote:That Perth test (in which Warne was robbed of a ton by a dozy umpire) was one of the best draws I've seen.

Huh? He was caught in the deep by Mark Richardson off Daniel Vettori.

Catch up, shitforbrains. It was revealed about 4 years ago that the bowler overstepped by about a foot and the umpired missed it...

Slower than a Queenslander, Henry. How does it feel?

He's thinking of a response...

May take some time...

Trev only gets to forum when he's on a break from wanking. He's afraid of developing a career-ending injury.

Let us hope the Saffies put up a good fight. The two NZ tests have been some of the most boring we have seen for a while.

And now Martin Crowe is planning a return to FC cricket at age 48, to show them how it's done ...