Scott Kuggelein bowls against Australia at Basin Reserve.Photo / Photo Sports
opinion
New Zealand Test cricket captain Tim Southee’s decision to include Scott Kuggelein in his eleven for the series opener against Australia has reignited a polarizing debate in the sport.
Let me be clear.
In terms of his playing form, Kuggelein was worthy of selection. He has not played a top-flight game in the Northern Division since November, but is the top Plunkett Shield wicket count for the season with 22 and an average of 16.40. However, he has recently been playing in the United Arab Emirates’ International League T20. It’s the same tournament that Trent Boult played in. Boult, the undisputed great Test player, is deemed unworthy of recall for the home series against the world champions due to lack of bowling load.
Let’s keep it vague.
Why didn’t New Zealand Cricket raise the issue of Kuggelein’s rape acquittal?
By way of background, this relates to an incident that allegedly occurred at a Hamilton apartment on May 17, 2015. The accuser is a 21-year-old Waikato University student whose name has been permanently suppressed. The case ended in a hung jury in 2016, and Kuggelein was acquitted in 2017.
Some fans have since been outraged over the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether “no means no” as testimony suggested. As an example, the news of his call-up immediately sparked the anger of many on social media, and in an anecdotal example, when Kuggelein returned to bowling in the second over after lunch on the first day, he received a comment from a patron who was on the embankment. There was booing.
On the other hand, NZC’s position is understandable. Addressing this issue when Kuggelein was acquitted risked re-litigating the case. But for an organization that has taken such a passionate stance on equality and inclusivity in recent years, particularly when it comes to the involvement of women as players and fans, a more proactive stance might have been wise.
Interestingly, the year after this case was concluded, the players’ association added a new section to the handbook on “good decision making” that read:
“Sexual consent is very important no matter the situation. Remember that proper consent requires proper communication.
“The law requires you to obtain consent every time you want to have a relationship with someone.”
Other sports governing bodies also need to pay attention. We must never let problems like this fester because the court of public opinion will fill the void.
In any case, a form of street justice was applied to Kuggelein, even though he was acquitted. Now 32 years old, his long and promising international career has now been limited to two Tests, two ODIs and 18 T20Is.