England vs New Zealand: We’re a confident side and we deserve to be taken seriously, says Brendon McCullum

London Evening Standard


Brendon McCullum leads New Zealand out for their 100th Test against England today with more at stake than justifying the view from many experts that they are favourites to win the series.


The tourists have only won eight of the previous 99 meetings and have not won here since 1999.


The skipper says his team do not feel weighed down by the burden of history and they are ready to challenge the traditional view of his country among cricket chiefs here.


“History does not figure,” says the 33-year-old on the eve of the two-Test Investec series. “That has no bearing on it. We have to earn the right to win, the right to ask the questions and we are doing that.”


Among the questions they are asking are why they are playing only two Tests here with the majority of the summer reserved for the Ashes.


“It will be nice to have a full series in England,” he says. “It would also be nice to play a Boxing Day Test at home against England.”