Brendon McCullum’s final call, like a last act of petty defiance, was to have a beer.
On the evening before McCullum was sacked as England’s Test head coach, he used his authority to lift the ECB’s drinking ban. “I think we’ll have a quiet beer and just let this one land,” said McCullum, reflecting on England’s restorative 4-0 win over India which sent them to the summit of the T20 world rankings. “Just as long as no one lands on the front page.”