BJ Watling becoming Brendon McCullum's favourite cricketer

BJ Watling and Brendon McCullum

BJ Watling is starting to establish himself as New Zealand’s number 1 Test wicket-keeper, after the fruitful 12 months that he has enjoyed as the incumbent Test gloveman. There has been some intense competition for the role of being New Zealand’s Test wicket-keeper, ever since Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, decided to give up the wicket-keeping duties due to back problems. The likes of Kruger van Wyk, Luke Ronchi etc. are all patiently waiting in the wings should Watling fail, but Watling has made that position his own of late and thereby suppressed any talk of him being dropped.

His average of 38.42 from 23 Test matches is impressive for a wicket-keeper, and he is also gaining a reputation of being a safe catcher, illustrated by an impressive 73 catches in 23 Tests. And with each match, his admirers are growing ever so slightly, with the latest to heap praise on the diminutive wicket-keeper being his compatriot and team’s captain.

“BJ is fast becoming my favourite cricketer, actually. His strength of character and his fighting qualities. The guy never complains, gets on with the job, goes out there and keeps for a hundred-and-something overs and goes out and bats for seven hours trying to save a Test match for his country,” he said.

McCullum has observed Watling from close quarters in recent times and is better placed than most to comment on him. After all, it was the two of them who together put on a match-saving 352 run partnership against India in the 2nd Test match at Wellington to deny India a series-leveling victory just a few months back.

He continued: “It's not the first time he's done it. He's done it on numerous occasions now and he's certainly a guy who's becoming a strong leader within the group as well. He's doing that through his actions and leading by example and that's a really good sign because we're still a young team, so we need as many leaders within the group as possible.”