Some of the world's best bowlers might not agree but Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum has certainly done cricket a service since making his international debut in 2002.
His partnership with coach Mike Hesson has helped elevate the team to a new level over the past two years.
The Otago pair were instrumental in guiding the Black Caps to the final of the 2015 Cricket World Cup and that has seen them made officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the Queen's Birthday honours.
McCullum, now with his home in Christchurch but from South Dunedin and still representing Otago, initially made his name as an athletic wicketkeeper and punishing middle order batsman.
Injuries forced him out of the gloves and into the top order, and he has found another gear as a specialist batsman, entertaining the world with his brand of audacious stroke play.
He has scored more international twenty20 runs than anyone else but the aggressive right hander also has another side.
We saw a patient and disciplined McCullum graft a triple century to save a test against India in 2014. His innings of 302 broke Martin Crowe's long standing New Zealand record of 299.
Hesson, who is from Dunedin, has been coach of the Black Caps since 2012. One of his first big moves was to drop Ross Taylor as captain and appoint McCullum as his replacement.
That decision brought widespread condemnation and some of the criticism directed at Hesson was vitriolic.
He stuck to his guns and McCullum's captaincy is now widely acknowledged as one of the key factors in helping transform the Black Caps into a competitive test unit and a wonderful limited overs side.
Hesson, who has coached cricket for 20 years, was the youngest person to attain a New Zealand Cricket level three coaching qualification. Soon afterwards, he became coaching director at Otago Cricket for five years.
In 2003 he headed offshore to coach Argentina's national team. He replaced Glenn Turner as Otago coach in 2005 06 and guided the Volts to a one day title in 2008 - Otago's first national banner in 20 years - and a twenty20 title in 2009.
Hesson later accepted a contract as national coach of Kenya before assuming his role as coach of the Black Caps.
