Brendon McCullum

Christopher Mpofu Bulawayo, 2005
An out-and-out No. 11, even by Zimbabwe standards, Mpofu created an unwanted record in the first Test against New Zealand when he was stumped for 0 twice on the same afternoon. In the next Test at Bulawayo, he topped even that. As Blessing Mahwire took the single to bring up his 50, a delighted Mpofu completed the run and then trotted down the pitch to congratulate his colleague. Sadly, he didn't wait for the fielder to send in his throw, and when he did, Brendon McCullum rather sheepishly flicked off the bails with an oblivious Mpofu still celebrating at the non-striker's end. "It was a farcical end to a farcical series," Wisden lamented.

Muttiah Muralitharan Christchurch 2006-07
Eighteen months later McCullum was at it again - and this time the controversy raged for days. You would, however, have assumed that the man at his mercy, Muttiah Muralitharan, should have known better. He and Kumar Sangakkara had been engaged in a tense battle for survival in a low-scoring contest, and had added 27 vital runs for the tenth wicket when Sangakkara clipped Shane Bond down to fine leg to bring up an excellent century. Murali tapped his bat into his crease to complete the run, then turned at once to congratulate his partner. At the same instant, the return throw came in from the boundary, and McCullum didn't think twice about breaking the wicket and putting in his appeal. The ball was not dead, so it was a justifiable move (if not entirely in the spirit of the game), and when New Zealand lost five wickets in pursuit of 119 for victory, it assumed even greater importance in hindsight. The Sri Lankans were furious, and a week later translated that anger into a crushing series-levelling win - with their two protagonists sharing the spoils with ten wickets and 156 not out respectively.

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