The situation at stumps

White Ferns captain Suzie Bates.

2016 will be remembered for Brendon McCullum’s remarkable curtain-call and a tumultuous off-season for the Otago Cricket Association. Cricket writer Adrian Seconi takes a look back at the year.

McCullum signs off

New Zealand cricket said farewell to a champion this year and Brendon McCullum went out on his terms — with his bat blazing. He polarised opinion during his 14-year tenure in the national team. His brazen approach to the game both delighted and infuriated fans. But perhaps his lasting legacy will be how many people put down what they were doing to watch or listen to him bat when he came to the crease. I know I did. I listened in awe to the radio as he pummelled 145 from 79 deliveries on the opening day of the second test against Australia at Hagley Oval. It was an utterly appropriate way for McCullum to sign off. Pity the innings was not rewarded with a test victory.

Winds of change

The Otago Cricket Association was forced to make some tough decisions this year and it started by abandoning its ambitious plan to install lights at the University Oval. Spiralling costs had raised doubts but the project was sunk when it became apparent the venue would not get any day-night tests to make it all worthwhile.

The focus quickly shifted to the embankment project and the OCA committed almost $150,000 of its cash reserves.That left a dent in the budget and restructuring followed. Two long-serving staff members moved on.

A few weeks earlier, the players effectively tossed their coach. Ostensibly, Nathan King resigned but his decision was informed by the outcome of the season review. The players had lost faith in his leadership and King’s position became untenable. Former University Oval groundsman Tom Tamati is missing this summer as well. He moved on when Dunedin Venues Management Limited (DVML) took over the contract to maintain the playing surface. The other big change saw DVML take over the management of internationals at the University Oval. That is sure to have a negative impact on the Otago Cricket Association’s ability to generate income from internationals.

Testing times

Kane Williamson was unstoppable last year. He became the first New Zealander to score five test hundreds in a calendar year and finished 2015 with a New Zealand-record haul of 1172 runs at 90.15. This year his production has fallen to a believable level. Just the one hundred and a much more modest tally of 753 runs at an average of 47.06. He is still the best player in the team by a decent margin but Neil Wagner has risen in the ranks and is arguably the test player of the year. The Otago left-armer enhanced his reputation as a wholehearted performer. With just a raggedy old ball to work with, he ran in hard and sent down bumper after bumper. The South African-born player picked up 41 wickets at an average of 21.04. Sir Richard Hadlee would have been happy with a return like that. Wagner finished the test year on a high as well. He closed the second test against Pakistan with three late wickets to help seal a 138-run win.

Super Suzie

Suzie Bates crammed a lot into the year. She helped Kent win its seventh County Championship title in 11 years, guided the Southern Vipers to glory in the final of Women’s Cricket Super League and scooped both the ICC awards for women’s one-day and twenty20 player of the year (September 2015 to September 2016).

Earlier in the year, Wisden named her as the leading women’s cricketer in the world for 2015.

But it was not just all runs and wickets and ICC awards. The White Ferns and Otago Sparks captain found herself rubbing shoulders with football identity David Beckham while watching Andy Murray defeat Australia’s John Millman in the third round at Wimbledon from the Royal Box.

So so

It was a mixed year for the Black Caps. At test level they started off with two comprehensive losses to Australia. Ross Taylor scored a million undefeated runs in Zimbabwe and New Zealand won the series 2-0.

Rain ruined the first test against South Africa in Durban. The Black Caps won the toss but bowled terribly on the opening day of the second test and ended up losing by 204 runs. India brought more pain. The Black Caps lost all three tosses and simply could not find a way to combat Ravi Ashwin. The spinner took 27 wickets in the three-game series and picked up Kane Williamson’s wicket all four times, after missing a test through illness.

India won three-zip and talkback was rabid. But the Black Caps returned to New Zealand and were welcomed back with the wonderful sight of some nice fresh grass. Pakistan was not so thrilled. The visitors found domestic journeyman Colin de Grandhomme unplayable at Hagley Oval and lost a low-scoring test by eight wickets. Hamilton provided more joy for the home team. Taylor rediscovered the form he left in Zimbabwe, scoring a 100. Tim Southee took six wickets in the first innings and Wagner provided the coup de grace.

In the ODIs, New Zealand beat Sri Lanka 3-1, Pakistan 2-0 and Australia 2-1. But away from home the Black Caps lost 3-2 to India and surrendered the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy to Australia 3-0.And who could forget the ICC World Twenty20? Hands up if it slipped your mind.

Here’s a refresher. The Black Caps had a great run in pool play before coming unstuck against England in the semifinal.

Otago

The province finished dead last in the Plunket Shield. The Volts used 21 different bowlers during the campaign as they searched for ways to take 20 wickets. It has not got any easy this summer either, with most of the bowlers struggling. The absence of a quality spinner has proved a major obstacle. Hopefully, a good slow bowling option will arrive under the tree on the 25th.

While in the one-day competition, Otago made a late charge and was dominating Canterbury in the preliminary final before the weather closed in. The game was abandoned and Canterbury went through to the final as the higher qualifier and Otago was left to lament a sluggish start to the tournament. Batsmen Neil Broom and Brad Wilson were the shining lights during a fairly dim 12 months for the side.