Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

McCullum uses nifty footwork in media scrum

Updated at 7:39 pm on 11 December 2012

The New Zealand men's cricketers leave for their daunting South African tour with all the talk still about the controversial exit of former captain Ross Taylor.

His replacement Brendon McCullum says he's spoken with Taylor again in the last four or five days although those conversations are private.

And the new skipper says any conjecture about a timeframe for Taylor's return is just that - as is the big question over whether Taylor can ever work with coach Mike Hesson again.

McCullum says they'll just have to wait and see what unfolds.

Another star batsman missing for the Black Caps is Wellington's Jesse Ryder, who continues to shine in the current domestic Plunket Shield four-day match.

Ryder made 162 for the Firebirds in a big third wicket partnership against visitors Central Districts with Michael Papps, who also scored a century at Karori Park.

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