Cricket legend Martin Crowe – the most brutal critic of the Black Caps during the doomed five-year reign of coach John Bracewell – today buries the hatchet and makes a plea for fans to get behind the team ahead of the first West Indies test on Thursday.
And Crowe has led from the front, like he did in his 77 tests for the Caps, in an effort to heal the wounds and right the fallout from the disastrous recent series in Australia.
On Friday, he took the unusual step of apologising for comments about opener Aaron Redmond – who was dropped from international duty yesterday.
Earlier, Crowe, left, had said Redmond "never was a test player and never will be''.
Pulling no punches, he told Radio Sport: "You have to pick players that make good decisions.
"While Redmond got an 80 on a very good Adelaide pitch, he continues to have brain explosions ... he’s just too loose.
"I don't see him with the technique to bat long periods. I'm not sure he has the nous, the intelligence, to work it through.
"We have to move on from Redmond."
But Crowe has apologised and retracted his attack on Redmond.
"I'm pretty disappointed in some of things I said and I want to make an apology," Crowe said.
"(My assessment of him was) uncalled for given how tough test cricket is and he has only been in it for less than 12 months. So, I want to retract what I said. I wish him well."
Crowe New Zealand's greatest batsman has been inspired by recent decisions by New Zealand Cricket, including putting new coach Andy Moles into the job in time for this week's test against the West Indies in Dunedin and the inclusion of John Wright on the selection panel.
And last night Crowe was happy with changes made to the team ahead of the tests, which saw Auckland opener Tim McIntosh brought in with allrounders Jacob Oram and James Franklin and quick Mark Gillespie.
"Everything has fallen into place due to strong, clever and decisive leadership from Justin Vaughan and his men," Crowe said in his only newspaper interview.
"The team selected for the first test is a ripper. Batsmen like McIntosh in the form of his life and quickies like Gillespie charging in fit and strong, is fantastic news.
"With Jake Oram back fit too and Brendon McCullum finding form in Adelaide, the team now have, with the skipper and the return of James Franklin, the most explosive multi-talented allrounders in the game.
"This lower order is arguably the strongest NZ has ever selected.
"Add in the number of different but very talented lefthanders in Daniel Flynn and Jesse Ryder to compliment Jamie How and Ross Taylor and you really feel the selectors are on the money.
"There is a powerful look to the whole squad and, along with a smaller support group, these men will prosper in this series and going forward. The future is onwards and upwards.
"All of us in the Sky team are excited with the prospects and can't wait for the first ball in Dunedin on Thursday."
