10 March,2009 09:07 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Former New Zealand skipper Lee Germon recalls NZC's unique solution during their tour to India in 1995-96
New Zealand have always come up with unique solutions to problems in their cricket.
One of the most talked about solutions was to appoint a relative newcomer in Lee Germon as captain for their tour to India in 1995-96. Then coach and current chief New Zealand selector Glenn Turner took the step of appointing Germon who had no Test experience whatsoever.
Germon was playing club cricket in Holland when the media swarmed around him like bees in Amsterdam. "I was flabbergasted even though I had captained Canterbury at a young age.
"I told Glenn that I would love to captain, but asked him if he had spoken to the experienced guys. He said he had spoken to them and they were okay with it," recalled Germon, who is now CEO of Cricket Canterbury.
That debut tour to India and then the World Cup (where NZ were beaten by Australia in the quarter-finals) later that season turned out to be quite eventful for both captain and coach.
On the India tour, New Zealand struggled in the Tests, but ran India close in the ODIs before losing out 2-3.u00a0 There was one key moment in the ODI series when Kiwi cricket changed forever.
Crowe dropped
For the first time ever, New Zealand's legend Martin Crowe was left out of the decider at the CCI, also the benefit game for former India 'keeper Syed Kirmani. It was suggested then that Crowe was left out on disciplinary grounds, but Germon denies any such claim.
Crowe never played again for New Zealand. "I had to tell a lot of senior players that they were not playing.
Dipak Patel was the 12th man quite a few times during the series. We made decisions at the time which we thought were right."
Germon, however, admitted that Crowe's "experience was missed'' in the 1996 World Cup after which Turner was replaced by former Australian wicketkeeper Steve Rixon.
Turner's removal hurt Germon who lost form and then his place as skipper and player.
"I was sorry to see him go because Glenn was one of the best coaches both tactically and technically. I think players struggled because he did not always pat them on the back so they wanted to get rid of him.
"New Zealand Cricket administration went with the players rather than the coach who had a lot to offer. Glenn told me I might be next and so I was," said Germon.
