Edgar demands NZC board review after messy exit

Alarm bells began ringing for national selector Bruce Edgar when he was muzzled by New Zealand Cricket last year.

They grew louder when he had to ‘‘beg, borrow and scrape’’ to secure tickets in the officials’ area at the World Cup, then eventually caused him to walk away when offered a 50 per cent pay cut and the opportunity to do his job in 11⁄ days per week.

‘‘It’s been more the principle. You don’t leave organisations on money, it’s that respect thing and being treated correctly and appropriately. It was like I was grovelling, especially around the World Cup,’’ Edgar said.

The former test opener broke his silence yesterday, after details first emerged last week about his sudden and messy parting of ways with NZC and his differences with head of cricket Lindsay Crocker. Edgar has demanded the NZC board review senior management ‘‘style and process’’ as a result.

He stopped short of taking aim at Crocker and chief executive David White, but wants the pair’s leadership scrutinised.

‘‘They [NZC board] need to have a close look at their management style and process within the organisation, which means a 360 review on everyone where all stakeholders have an opportunity to make comment. That’s what good organisations do,’’ Edgar said.

‘‘You’ve got some very good, astute people on the board and they understand governance. They just need to ask the question and see if the appropriate structures and processes are in place.’’

White and Crocker declined to comment yesterday. Crocker last week denied a personality clash between he and Edgar led to the latter’s departure, and insisted NZC did all they could to keep him. It is understood Edgar’s public statements took NZC by surprise.

Edgar remains baffled by his treatment, after taking the job in September 2013 and forming a strong working relationship with coach and chief selector Mike Hesson in a time of success and stability for the Black Caps.

Employed three days a week, Edgar said he volunteered for media duties after teams were announced, to ease the load on Hesson’s shoulders. That was initially accepted and he was a thoughtful and honest spokesman. Strangely, he was suddenly ordered to step aside from media duties.

‘‘That was clearly a statement that they were concerned about my profile getting too high.’’

Edgar said for the Black Caps’ World Cup opener he was offered a ticket at the back of Hagley Park, away from the area for players and officials.

At the final in Melbourne he was given two tickets to an ICC hospitality area among the partners of Australian players, which he also described as awkward when dressed in his New Zealand blazer and tie.

He said White apologised to him for the ticket debacle.

Edgar said the mood in NZC was one of ‘‘backslapping’’ for the Black Caps’ on-field excellence and dream run to the final of the World Cup.

He felt that could quickly be destabilised when captain Brendon McCullum retires, which is expected to be within the next year, and when Hesson reaches the end of his contract in 2017 and will most likely walk away and accept an Indian Premier League deal.

‘‘This is not about me. If Brendon retires; Mike Hesson gets an IPL contract, that creates instability, then you get the revolving door process.

‘‘The players felt secure, knowing that they were being backed not just for one game but for a series and being given an opportunity to grow and develop as opposed to thinking that this is just a revolving door. The risk is this could lead to all that potential instability.’’