Sir Richard...now Sir Brendon?

Brendon McCullum is receiving levels of attention and admiration rarely handed to cricketers in New Zealand as he fearlessly leads their World Cup campaign in the field and with bat in hand. In the New Zealand Herald, Chris Rattue is the latest to laud his performances and even those who had doubts when he was promoted to the captaincy can't help but be pulled along with the tide of emotion

There will be different perspectives on the McCullum path but one thing is certain - his image has undergone a u-turn. Saturday's World Cup victory over Australia was almost too perfect for words - a rare case in sport of the outcome beating the hell out of the build-up. A tournament crying out for a nail-biting finish between heavyweights got it. McCullum provided the subplot of quiet courage, taking a savage blow during another terrific innings.