The Black Caps’ stunning victory in the ICC World Test Championship, a real David versus Goliath affair, shows that for its limited population and resources, plenty of talent, determination and drive to succeed resides in New Zealand.
With this in mind, I’m taking a trip down memory lane to pick the country’s best Test 12 over the last 50 years.
I have opted for Glenn Turner and John Wright to open the batting. This right and left-hand combination is solid and with more than a touch of flair.
Few outside of NZ seem to remember Turner, other than for his clashes with Ian Chappell in the early 1970s. Yet he was a fine batsman, averaging 44.6, with close to 3000 runs from 40-odd Tests, and with a best of 259. The tenacious and talented Wright had a sound average of 37.8 and more than 5000 runs.
At number three I have chosen the late Martin Crowe. A supreme stylist, aesthetically pleasing with his classical strokeplay, Crowe had all the shots and played against some of the greatest attacks, including probably the greatest of them all, the 1980s West Indies teams. His average of 45.4, highest score of 299 and aggregate of above 5000 runs speaks for itself.
At four slot, I have selected Crowe’s heir apparent, current captain Kane Williamson.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson (Photo by Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Alongside Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Joe Root, Williamson is regarded as one of the top batsmen currently playing. Williamson has the unique ability to play dogged knocks as well as more expansive ones, shifting gears easily as circumstances warrant. His first innings in the World Test Championship highlighted his powers of concentration and determination. Up to this point, his average of just on 54 is outstanding.
The next position goes to Stephen Fleming. An attractive left-hand bat, Fleming had an average of just over 40 with more than 7000 runs. He was a lovely and inventive strokeplayer, whose incisive and innovative captaincy earns him leadership of the team.
At six I have gone for the swashbuckling Brendon McCullum. While he was perhaps best known for his performance in limited overs cricket, he was a fine batsman with explosive shot-making who finished his Test cricket with a solid average of 38.6, close to 6500 runs and with a highest score of 302. He assumes the wicket-keeping role and is the vice-captain.
For the next position I have opted for Chris Cairns, who was a fine all-rounder and his ability to play with the tail is crucial in this side. His bowling could be fiery, with variety and with a best haul of 7-27.
At eight comes Daniel Vettori. With a solid average of 34 from his left-arm tweakers, Vettori was a probing and extremely accurate bowler, capable not just of tying down batsmen but beating them with guile. Also through hard work, he transformed himself into a genuine all-rounder with an average of 30 and more than 4500 runs, including six centuries. With a playing career of just on 17 years, Vettori’s resilience was a key trait.
At number nine is the incomparable Sir Richard Hadlee. With 431 wickets at an outstanding average of 22.3, Hadlee could make the ball talk with his seamers, leg cutters and swing. At times he was unplayable. No one would forget his summer in Australia in 1985-1986 when he took 9-52 in the first innings in Brisbane and had a hand in the other wicket, taking a catch. He simply mesmerised Aussie bats on that tour.
At numbers ten and 11 I have opted for the two incumbents, Tim Southee and Trent Boult. With almost 600 Test wickets between them, these two are fine exponents of their craft and in tandem constitute a varied attack of right and left-arm bowling. Especially when the ball is doing something, both can swing it prodigiously.
The unlucky Ross Taylor is 12th man. Over a long period of time and in all sorts of conditions, he has proven himself a man for all seasons, with a batting average of close to 46, more than 7500 runs and a highest score of 290.
Commiserations go to Ian Smith, Jeremy Coney, Ken Rutherford, Ewan Chatfield, John Bracewell, Shane Bond, Bev Congdon, Bruce Edgar, Nathan Astle, BJ Watling and Danny Morrison.
All of this goes to show that sometimes, bountiful resources, big names and much publicity do not always make great teams.
My greatest New Zealand Test XI of the last 50 years
1. Glenn Turner
2. John Wright
3. Martin Crowe
4. Kane Williamson
5. Stephen Fleming (c)
6. Brendon McCullum (vc) (wk)
7. Chris Cairns
8. Daniel Vettori
9. Sir Richard Hadlee
10. Tim Southee
11. Trent Boult
His Test Record shows otherwise, 87 wickets at 22, and made Sehwag and Tendulkar look like shoolboys.
Shane Bond over Southee. Next to Hadlee, the best NZ fastbowler I have seen.
Jeremy
Roar Rookie
I would say it's a fair team, but I would make a some amendments. I would say there are a few players from the 1980s that need to be included. Many people seem to look at statistics and averages, but in the 1980s NZ was mainly amateur's vs professionals, and there were no 'easy-beats' like Zimbabwe etc. Maybe Sri Lanka but this was brief compared to the heavyweights NZ played such as West Indies (with fast bowlers Marshall, Garner, Holding, Roberts etc.) where life and limb were in danger with a battery of short balls bowled all day every day. Nowadays, there are also other advantages such as short boundaries, better wickets, better bats, ability to review umpire decisions, all of which combined help to improve averages, especially for batters. I've based my selection on the years I watched cricket as an 18 year old onwards from 1980 onwards. Edgar and Wright were patient/gutsy in the face of hostile attacks, Smith was the best keeper who conceded less byes and dropped less catches than anyone else and was known as the world's No 1 keeper, Coney was a match winner/saver with the bat in test and ODI (especially in tandem with Hadlee), Bracewell was an excellent spin bowler (who had no 'easy' wickets vs lesser opposition and usually has to operate on seamer wickets) and balances the attack plus he could bat with a century to his name - so this line up bats to No 9, and to open the attack with Hadlee and Bond would have been awesome - a serious rival to Australia's Lille and Thompson. I have included Jamieson, as he offers variety into the seam attack and is wroth the 'risk' even at this point in his career. Coney (slow swing/seam) and Crowe (medium-slow swing/seam) adds variety in the attack. I selected John Reid as 12th man as I would have him in my team - he only played 19 tests but had a mid-40s ave. and Crowe said he learned to concentrate better due to top tips from Reid. I like Andrew Jones too - unorthodox but effective especially vs pace. Chatfield was a tryer with some excellent performances especially when Hadlees was out (injured) and very popular with the public, but misses out to Jamieson. I have chosen Williamson as Captain as he has excellent attributes. My best 11 pick would be as below. PS. I'm sure many of these batsmen would have better averages than the batsmen these days based on the shorter boundaries nowadays alone. What do you think? 1. John Wright 2. Bruce Edgar 3. Glenn Turner 4. Martin Crowe 5. Kane Williamson (C) 6. Jeremy Coney 7. Richard Hadlee 8. Ian Smith 9. John Bracewell 10. Kyle Jamieson 11. Shane Bond 12: John F Reid
Paul
Roar Guru
There's absolutely no doubt in my mind Cairns had a part to play in the match fixing that Vincent was also involved in. To what extent, I doubt we'll ever truly know. I think his legal case highlights the imperfections of legal systems, just as the OJ Simpson murder case did in America and the Ben Stokes bashing case did in England. IMO, all were guilty of the crimes with which they were charged, yet all got off, so being a "responsible" human being, I have accept that. Does that mean I like or agree with the decision - no way. Does that mean I'd have a beer with Chris Cairns - not ever. I'd have a beer with Lou Vincent first. At least he had the decency to own the mistakes he made whereas Cairns has clearly done a lot of truth stretching to suit his narrative about being an honest man, hard done by.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Get your point but if you have seen that doco on the ICL fixing, Vincent and his ex-wife do a pretty convincing job on Cairns as an instigator. I was a massive Cairns fan, his Dad too, but was saddened by this episode and Chris' conduct around it.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Either way the team still has balance, bats deep, and has a penetrative attack...
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Yeah, that's fair although what he did to Vincent, who at least admitted his part, was appalling. Such a gifted cricketer. I do think Jamieson will be better though Carlin; watch this space...
moaman
Roar Guru
Richardson pips Latham for mine. Was averaging 50 for the bulk of his career and in a mediocre side. :cricket: Not sure how you can leave Southee out.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Your XI is a good one. I would definitely look at Mark Richardson or Tom Latham opening the batting ahead of John Wright though. John Wright was a good opener but Latham and Richardson have both compiled better career averages. I think McCullum played his best test cricket when he gave away the gloves. However hard to get either him or Fleming into an all-time NZ test top 5 batting lineup with Crowe, Williamson and Taylor. Both have been two of the best captains NZ have ever had though. The bowling attack you have chosen is good and there would be a good fight for the 2 opening bowlers. Personally I would go Sir Richard Hadlee as he will be on the money and Boult for the left-arm variety.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
I like your team Riccardo. I would switch Jamieson for Chris Cairns though and have Cairns at 7 and Vettori at 8.
Targa
Roar Rookie
I think Chatfield was a better ODI bowler, but yes he was pretty decent. We've had more depth in seamers than batsmen too, so he'd certainly be a contender.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
No Ewan Chatfield Targa? I was really young when he was around but thought he was pretty good. Thought he’d be in one of the top 4 sides and my guess would be the third team
Shooter McGavin
Guest
Agree on those choices, don't know how Fleming could get in front of Taylor or Cairns get in front of Bond when there are other bowling all-rounders.
Paul
Roar Guru
hate them both and have neither.
Micko
Roar Rookie
And the social media crowd. I've never seen the appeal of twitter, facebook etc.
Paul
Roar Guru
I actually thought the same as you about Cairns but there can't have been enough evidence to convict him, just like the court in England let Stokes go free after giving that bloke a hammering a few years ago
Paul
Roar Guru
I fairness, I thought the same as you, but obviously there was not enough evidence to convict Cairns, just as an English court let Stokes walk free, after he beat s**t out of that bloke a few years ago.
Paul
Roar Guru
because the media says so.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Fair enough, Lou Vincent must have thought it was another Chris Cairns who dragged him in, trying to mitigate his involvement. But true, a court did think otherwise.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Yeah when he played that first test against Australia at Perth. So impressive but couldn't buy a wicket.