Usual over-the-top sensationalism from journalists desperately searching for a controversial soundbite/headline. Warner was actually quite complementary of McCullum overall.
David Warner lives up to bad reputation by goading Brendon McCullum and Kiwi fans | Stuff.co.nz
His bruising strokeplay could stand between Australia and the top spot in Cricket World Cup Group A, but Brendon McCullum is susceptible to a "brain explosion", according to opener David Warner, who has revved up what he expects to be a hostile Eden Park crowd by calling on them to boo the Australians on Saturday.
McCullum blasted the tournament's fastest ever 50 in their annihilation of England in Wellington - albeit in a modest run chase - and coming off a year in which he became New Zealand's first triple centurion in test cricket, and posted two other double centuries and a score of 195, hype surrounding the Black Caps captain is merited.
Australia, however, enter the trans-Tasman clash with opener Aaron Finch coming off a hundred against England and his batting partner believes McCullum can be undone if their attack bowls the right way to him.
"I won't give advice to the bowlers, they should know what line and length to bowl to McCullum," Warner said, "but if he nicks them we've got to catch them."
"If they bowl the right line and lengths we'll get him out. He's a player who can come down the wicket, use the off side well. We've got to back our strengths. If we bowl well to him, we'll create the pressure and he'll have a brain explosion."
The combative Warner expects a rough reception at a sold-out Eden Park but is typically not shying away from it.
"I hope they come out and boo us and give us crap like they always do," he said.
"That's what's going to happen. We love it, it gets us up and going, gets the adrenaline going for sure.
"I love it. You get some obscure swear words and a couple of things thrown at you, but that's what you expect when you come here. It's happened before. It's probably going to happen again. But I embrace it. They can give it to me as much as they want. I'll just get it on board and let my bat do the talking."
McCullum, 33, has been on the international scene for 13 years. He has played 42 of his 243 ODIs against the Australians and those who where there remember well the Twenty20 clash in Christchurch five years ago when he bashed a 56-ball unbeaten 116 to lead the Kiwis to a thrilling victory.
That game was tied and it was Warner and Cameron White who came out to face the super over before McCullum and Martin Guptill got the Black Caps home.
"I think a lot of people have seen in the last 10 years how Brendon McCullum can bat. It's not by fluke or by chance he's come out and scored the runs he has," Warner said.
"He's had a great last 12 months but at the end of the day he's one player out of the rest of their team."
The Australians have also seen plenty of McCullum in the Indian Premier League, where on the opening night of that tournament he hit a jaw-dropping 158 in 2008. Darren Lehmann has also coached him in the Big Bash League at the Brisbane Heat.
"I haven't played much against him," Warner said, "but he seems like a great guy."
"I think a lot of the guys know him off the field. He seems like a great, humble guy. But when we walk on the field it's going to be a different story."
I was always under the impression 'moot' was used in the English phasing and 'mute' in the American. Learn something new everyday.
