Cricket: Out to make his own name

Nathan McCullum ducks under a Neil Wagner delivery during the Otago trial at the University Oval...
Nathan McCullum ducks under a Neil Wagner delivery during the Otago trial at the University Oval on Tuesday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Nathan McCullum is to Brendon McCullum what Dayle Hadlee was to Sir Richard Hadlee. He is the other McCullum. But as cricket writer Adrian Seconi reports, Nathan is beginning to make a name for himself.

In a funny sort of way Otago all-rounder Nathan McCullum has always played his cricket on the sidelines. 

It is certainly where it all started for the 28-year-old. Nathan and his younger brother, Black Caps wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum (27), were introduced to the sport as soon as they could stand and grip a bat.

Their father, Stu McCullum, a left-hand opening batsman who played for Otago for 15 seasons, would bring his sons along on match day.

During the mid and late '80s the boys could been seen staging their own mini games of cricket on the sidelines of Molyneux Park, Centennial Park and Carisbrook while their father competed out in the middle.

When Otago won both the one-day and four-day competition in the summer of 1987/88, the McCullum boys spent a large part of that season honing their skills on the other side of the boundary rope.

That practice came in handy 20 years later when they helped Otago win the State Shield last season.

"Cricket is in the blood," Nathan said.

"My brother and I used to go along with him [Dad] and watch those games. We'd muck around on the sidelines and whatnot. We'd want to be playing cricket all day every day. Whenever we could we'd have a bat or a football in our hands."

Needless to say there were plenty of cricket matches staged in the backyard of the McCullum's family home in the Dunedin suburb of St Kilda.

There was even a makeshift pitch which got rolled "every now and then".

It was a good-sized section but the lofted straight drive was a dangerous shot to play. The property over the back fence had knee-length grass and many balls were lost there. Consequently, the stroke was outlawed.

Given how proficiently both execute it now, it is reasonable to assume many balls went missing after the six-and-out edict was introduced.

Nathan and Brendon continued their battles at Kings High School then joined forces at the Albion Cricket Club.

Their prodigious talent was identified early and both made their first-class debuts in the 1999/00 season.

Brendon started first, against Central Districts in February 2000, with Nathan beginning against Wellington in March.

It was a reasonable start for Nathan. While he made a pair with the bat he took four for 57, including dismissing Roger Twose for a duck.

Brendon made the catch but Wellington went on to win by nine wickets.

With off-spinner Paul Wiseman and then Nathan Morland in the Otago side, Nathan did not establish himself in the four-day side until the 2004-05 season.

Brendon's career, by stark contrast, has been more or less a continuous highlight reel.

With his explosive batting he has become one of the most destructive players in the modern game and he is arguably our most recognisable cricketer outside of New Zealand.

Last summer Nathan shared a little of the limelight with his brother and enjoyed what he hopes will be a watershed year.

Promoted to No 6 in the order and asked to contribute more with the bat, Nathan responded by scoring 361 runs at an average of 36.10.

He also scored his maiden first-class century and was Otago's third-highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets at 37.35.

In one-day cricket he scored 219 runs at 27.37 and took 14 wickets at 32.92. His efforts were good enough for him to be named the domestic cricketer of the year.

While the accolades are welcome, McCullum wants to build on his success.

"I just want to keep it going and grow from there. The big thing for me is working with Otago. If we keep succeeding as a team then hopefully people in the team will push for further honours as well, myself included."

McCullum had a taste of international cricket when he was selected in the national side for the twenty/20 world cup in South Africa earlier in the year.

He played one match during the tournament and was run out for one.

"It was a fantastic experience and I learnt a lot . . . and it has just made me want more."

Cracking the national side is not going to be easy.

Daniel Vettori is firmly entrenched as the country's No 1 slow bowler and dislodging him is unlikely.

Wellington off-spinner Jeetan Patel is Vettori's understudy and has had success at international level. Arguably, though, Nathan is the better all-round player.

He is certainly the better athlete. He is an alert and enthusiastic fielder, equally adept in the slips or in pivotal run-saving positions.

His batting keeps getting better each year and he is also a very handy bowler in the dying stages of a one-dayer or twenty/20 fixture.

His reputation as a closer - a batsman who comes in towards the end of the innings and whacks the ball to and over the boundary rope - is growing.

Otago was well served with Gareth Hopkins, who was very skilled in the role, but when he transferred to Auckland last season, Nathan shouldered some of the responsibility.

"It a tough skill and you often learn by failing," he said, laughing.

"But it is something I want to keep doing for Otago and hopefully succeed at. And I'd like to do that role for New Zealand at some stage."

Nathan had a very fine year but his little brother came in at the end of the one-day season and stole most of the acclaim when he scored back-to-back centuries to help Otago win the State Shield.

His innings of 170 in the final was an incredible performance and was a domestic one-day record score, breaking Cantabrian Blair Hartland's innings of 161.

While Otago cleaned up in the one-day tournament, it was disappointing in the twenty/20 tournament and did not capitalise on some promising positions in first-class cricket.

Righting those wrongs is the No 1 priority for Nathan.

"I think we have a fabulous opportunity to keep things going and I'm really excited about the season. I think we've got the nucleus of a hell of a good squad. And I emphasise squad because we've got a lot of good talent [in the region]."

Otago begins its first-class campaign with a match against Northern Districts at the University Oval on Monday.

Otago's draw

State Championship
November 17-20: v Northern, University Oval
November 24-27: v Canterbury, Invercargill
December 5-8: v Central, Napier
December 13-16: v Auckland, Auckland
March 6-9: v Wellington, University Oval
March 13-16: v Auckland, Queenstown
March 20-23: v Wellington, Wellington
March 28-31: v Canterbury, Christchurch
April 5-9: Final

State Shield
December 21: v Canterbury, Christchurch
December 27: v Northern, Alexandra
December 30: v Central, AlexandraJ
anuary 2: v Wellington, Wellington
January 5: v Auckland, Auckland
January 11: v Northern, Whangarei
January 14: v Canterbury, University Oval
January 17: v Auckland, University Oval
January 21: v Central, New Plymouth
January 25: v Wellington, Invercargill
January 28: Semifinal
February 1: Final

Twenty/20
February 4: v Canterbury, University Oval
February 6: v Wellington, Wellington
February 8: v Central, New Plymouth
February 13: v Auckland, Oamaru
February 15: v Northern, University Oval
February 18: v Central, University Oval
February 20: v Northern, Mt Maunganui (TV)
February 22: v Auckland, Auckland
March 1: Final

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