Muristek
The new coach wants Ben Stokes and the team to claim the spotlight and his players have been given freedom to attack
Since stepping off a plane three weeks ago and heading straight into a media junket at Lord’s, Brendon McCullum has opted to keep a pretty low profile. During the first two Tests of the summer the television cameras have regularly zoomed in on England’s new head coach up on the balcony, shades on, feet up, arms folded, chewing gum like cud as doe-eyed players and support staff jostle for the neighbouring seat. But public utterances about the team’s performances so far? Unusually, zero.
It may be a consequence of his initial opponents. McCullum – aka Baz – is a proud New Zealander, boasting tattoos of a silver fern and his cap numbers if there was any doubt. After England secured an unassailable 2-0 lead over his old team through Jonny Bairstow’s display of shock and awe at Trent Bridge, wariness about the possible perception of him gloating back home would be understandable.
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