Drop the barricade around Kuggeleijn

New Zealand Cricket needs to pull down the barricade around Scott Kuggeleijn over his rape trials and lead an example on how sport can change attitudes towards women.

On Waitangi Day a woman at the Black Caps’ Twenty20 match against India in Wellington was made to feel uncomfortable because NZC, which is constantly reminding us it strives to be more inclusive of women, made a bad call.

NZC and Westpac Stadium security asked her to remove her ‘‘no means no’’ banner promoting sexual consent.

The banner was directed at Kuggeleijn, who was found not guilty of rape in 2017 and is now in the Black Caps’ one-day international and T20 teams. Security staff embarrassingly surrounded the woman, attempted to confiscate the sign and then escorted her from her seat. They later admitted they had overreacted.

NZC has barricaded Kuggeleijn from the media since his second

The sign which was removed from Wellington Stadium after being deemed unacceptable by NZC and stadium staff.