N. Zealand captain drops legal threat after apology

New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum on Tuesday scrapped plans to sue former skipper John Parker after receiving an apology over claims he said attacked his integrity.

Parker alleged earlier this month that McCullum, 31, was aware his predecessor Ross Taylor was going to be axed as skipper late last year, despite the batsman’s insistence he knew nothing about the decision.

McCullum, who is currently playing in the Indian Premier League, said last week that he would sue Parker for defamation unless the 62-year-old retracted the claims.

Parker complied in a statement issued Tuesday through McCullum’s lawyers which said he had not meant to imply McCullum was dishonest or had put his own interests ahead of the team’s.

“John Parker did not intend to discredit Brendon McCullum and sincerely apologises to him for any harm to his reputation which may have been caused,” it said, adding: “No legal proceedings by either party will occur.” Taylor’s demotion opened deep rifts within New Zealand cricketing circles, with many former players saying he had been poorly treated.

Parker is part of a group said to include several former captains who have been lobbying for change at New Zealand Cricket, arguing the game is being run by bureaucrats with little playing experience.

AFP.