Cricket abounds with theories, some valid, several spurious. A common one in the latter category states that captains have little role to play in limited overs cricket. This edition of the Champions Trophy has shown why such belief is balderdash.

It could be argued that since neither Ricky Ponting nor Daniel Vettori had a tangible role to play in the final, the importance of a captain has been exaggerated. But that is mistaking a one-off performance for leadership, which is what captaincy in cricket is all about.

Ponting had got only a single before an unplayable delivery from Kyle Mills hit his pads right in front of the stumps, while Vettori, sadly, did not even take the field. But who would deny that but for their presence and captaincy over the past couple of weeks, neither Australia nor New Zealand would have reached this far.

The cricketing ethos of Australia and New Zealand are a study in contrast, and how the captains of these two sides shaped the progress of their respective sides in this tournament (and I dare say, right through the past year) makes for one of the more fascinating stories in the contemporary cricket.

Vettori, who took over from the phlegmatic Stephen Fleming, has been able to infuse an ambition that was hitherto unimaginable in New Zealand cricketers. Richard Hadlee, the unrelenting wicket-taker of the 80s, remains an oddity. Hadlee was brilliant, but also a loner, and once he was gone, New Zealand cricket floundered.

For the better part of the last two decades, the Kiwis have been the “jolly good blokes” of international cricket. They have played well, especially at home, but have never Read more…

Administrator Champions Trophy artin Crowe, Australia, Blogs.CMDN.com, Champions Trophy, Cricket, Cricket Blogs, Daniel Vettori, Gilchrist, Hayden, Jesse Ryder, Kyle Mills, Langer, Mark Taylor, Martyn, McGrath, New Zealand, Richard Hadlee, Ricky Ponting, Ross Taylor, Shane Bond, Stephen Fleming, Steve Waugh, Warne