Sitting with Aussies last straw for NZ selector
WELLINGTON: Bruce Edgar said Sunday that lack of support and having to watch the World Cup final sitting among Australia players’ wives and girlfriends were factors in him stepping down as a New Zealand cricket selector.
Edgar, credited with being one of the brains behind the Black Caps’ revival over the past year, resigned last week claiming he received little support from New Zealand officials.
During his 20 months as a selector, Edgar formed a close partnership with coach Mike Hesson and captain Brendon McCullum as New Zealand went undefeated in six Test series, won five and drew two of nine one-day international series and reached their first World Cup final.
But Edgar told Radio Sport on Sunday he received minimal support from New Zealand Cricket throughout his tenure and the breaking point came when he was asked to take a pay cut and a reduced role.
“From a working perspective my days have typically been three days so it’s been a part-time role as a selector, and some talent ID involved in that, and that was trimmed to one and a half days a week, obviously with a significant reduction in remuneration as well,” he said.
“I looked at (the role) in terms of how effective I could be based on the amount of days allocated to the role, and what that role within the job description was, and I just felt I couldn’t be effective.”
Edgar said he was also left with a sour taste in the mouth during the World Cup when he was given tickets well away from the players’ and officials’ areas.
To have access to “a reasonable part of the ground” he was forced to buy tickets through a third party.
For the final in Melbourne, comfortably won by Australia,
Edgar was given tickets among the wives and girlfriends of the Australian players which he described as an “awkward situation to be in” as he was dressed in his New Zealand tie and blazer.