Fired New Zealand cricket captain Ross Taylor has accused New Zealand Cricket of "misrepresenting the circumstances of his dismissal, further inflaming a row overshadowing New Zealand's preparation for its tour of South Africa," according to the AP. Accounts given to the media by Taylor, New Zealand Cricket CEO David White and national coach Mike Hesson differ widely, leading Taylor to say in a radio interview that "Hesson and NZC's versions are untrue." White and Hesson said that Taylor was "asked to remain as Test captain but relinquish the captaincy" of the New Zealand one-day and Twenty20 teams to fellow cricketer Brendon McCullum. Taylor "disputes that claim" (AP, 12/10).
BLAME GAME: STUFF's Fred Woodcock reported McCullum is "insulted that he had a hand in the process" that brought about the controversial end of Taylor's reign. McCullum: "It cuts right to the bone that people would question your integrity and your character like that. To be totally honest, it's highly insulting for people to cast aspersions when they certainly don't know any of the circumstances" (STUFF, 12/8).
