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The spectacular world-record opening partnership between Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson in last Sunday’s Twenty20 international between New Zealand and Pakistan reinforced what an optimistic time it is for the Black Caps.
The frustration of a blown victory in Auckland was blown away with a vicious assault in Hamilton that made a very gifted Pakistan side look feeble.
Previous New Zealand sides would have rarely counted with such gusto and efficiency, but this current crop is made of sterner stuff. The recent spate of historic records is a tribute to this.
In the last three years, a number of records have been achieved.
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Brendon McCullum made the first triple century by a Kiwi in Tests and broke the national record for the most doubles by a single player.
McCullum and BJ Watling shared a world record sixth-wicket stand of 365 against India in 2015. Later that year Ross Taylor made 290 against Australia in Perth – the highest score by any visiting batsman in Australia.
Earlier at the Cricket World Cup, Martin Guptill smashed 237 against the West Indies, the first double century by a Kiwi in an ODI. Tim Southee snared 7-33 against England, the best bowling figures ever achieved by a Black Cap.
The halcyon days of New Zealand cricket are considered to be the period between 1980 and 1987, but is this current bunch better?
New Zealand played 47 Tests for 16 wins, 12 defeats and 19 draws in that period. They were the only side to beat the West Indies in a series in the ’80s and held the ‘Calypso Kings’ to a drawn series in the summer of 1985-86. Additionally they beat Australia in a home-and-away series.
In one-day cricket New Zealand beat every Test-playing nation at least once and despite a modest record of 42 victories in 94 games achieved at a far higher level than what previous sides had.
Sir Richard Hadlee, John Wright, Martin Crowe and Ian Smith were just some of the world-class talents to emerge in this era.
Since Brendon McCullum controversially replaced Taylor as New Zealand captain, the national side has blossomed. New Zealand haven’t lost a home Test in three years and shared a series with Pakistan and England away from home. Who is better, the ’80s crowd or the current side?
Missing from the current team’s CV is a victory over Australia, although it seems achievable in February and March in Kiwi conditions. It must be noted too that Australia were not at a strong point in the ’80s, but they are, of course, always a benchmark to be measured against.
Presently there is no obvious number one in Test cricket so the lack of a victory against a real powerhouse is another vote in favour of the ’80s era.
In one-day cricket, the present team blows the past teams out of the water. New Zealand have won 33 out of 59 games and made the World Cup final for the first time.
The manner in which New Zealand are playing their current cricket is winning universal acclaim. Aggressive, fearless and classy performances are almost becoming a rule and not an exception. The soon to be retired McCullum, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson and Taylor are all world-class performers in all formats while Guptill can be imperious in the shorter forms.
New Zealand have built depth. Despite the absence of many leading players against Sri Lanka, New Zealand achieved straightforward wins in all formats.
New Zealand are shaping as a genuine threat in the Twenty20 World Cup, though their results are up and down, which is typical of most countries in the fickle format.
The present New Zealand team hasn’t quite earned the all-round right to be called the best team since the ‘Victorious 80s’ but they are well on their way to changing that.
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