Those NZ men Test Centurions on Debut
0And so now there are twelve. And it’s an eclectic list with a range of careers, and life after cricket. Eight players have scored a test century on debut batting at number 8, and half of them are on this list
Jack Mills 117. The first person to do this was Jack Mills in New Zealand’s second ever test. Read this; nothing more to be added.
Number of test centuries. 1
35 years later Bruce Taylor 105 achieved a unique feat that has yet to be replicated by anyone in test cricket anywhere. A test century and 5WI on debut.
And he did it by being the first New Zealander batting at 8.
There were some troubled times ahead, but that was one hell of a test debut.
Number of test centuries. 2
Rodney Redmond 107
The great enigma. Move over C. W. McCall, this was the one hit wonder from the 70s with the highest batting average for a New Zealander until Devon Conway came along for now. He backed it up in the second innings too.
A few months later he toured England, but he had no county experience so they picked John Parker instead. Well, that was the theory anyway.
Rodney, rightly, got pissed off and moved to Perth.
Number of test centuries. 1
Mark Greatbatch 107*
The child prodigy; Martin Crowe the lesser, made his debut on a turgid Eden Park pitch with a fifth day second innings century. Later reinvented as a top order ODI pinch hitter it seemed a bit of unfulfilled test career.
He kept up the tradition of left handed batsmen scoring centuries on debut though.
Number of test centuries. 3
Mathew Sinclair 214
Still the highest score on debut by a New Zealand. And, finally, we have a right-handed batsman, and it seemed like a star was born.
Yet it was never as simple as that. A career with a lot of lowlights; interspersed with some great knocks. He scored another double century, yet his greatest innings was probably this one
Number of test centuries. 3
Lou Vincent 104
Thrust into the unfamiliar role of opening in Perth against one of the greatest bowling attacks of all time was tough. And it wasn’t easier when New Zealand found themselves 19/2.
But Vincent became one of four centurions in an innings where nobody ended up in double figures.
He had a decent, if not staller, test career where his versatility probably counted against him, but he is the only New Zealander to score a double century in April. His troubles post international cricket are well documented.
Number of test centuries. 3
Scott Styris 107
It is easy to forget that Styris started his international career as a bowling career before turning into a decent number 4. A few weeks earlier he had claimed the then best NZ bowling figures in an ODI.
In his first test he came in at number 8 and made a century on debut. Just as significant was his rearguard knock of 69* in the second innings which, assisted by some rain, meant New Zealand could hold on for its first series win in the Caribbean.
Number of test centuries. 4
Kane Williamson 131
The odd one out, so far, in this list. New Zealand’s greatest ever batsman has more test centuries than the rest of this list combined.
He started his test career batting at number 6 before his eventual rise to 3. And for future reference in your next pub quiz, he shared a debut with Hamish Bennett.
Number of test centuries. 24
Hamish Rutherford 171
There could be no bigger contradiction in starts to a test career than those of Hamish Rutherford and father Ken
How we all laughed that it took Ken 17 test innings to pass the total of his son on debut..
Sadly, it never really kicked on from there.
Number of test centuries. 1
Jimmy Neesham 137*
When the record 6th wicket stand between McCullum and Watling was broken at that famous test at the Basin in 2014, New Zealand was 204 runs ahead, and the third new ball had just been taken. The match was far from over.
But Neesham held his nerve, scoring at almost a run a ball, and was there at the other end when McCullum passed 300.
He is the only player on this list, so far, who also scored a century in his second test; also batting at 8.
Number of test centuries. 2
Tom Blundell 104
The only player on the list to walk home in his whites after his innings.
This was an innings that purred along until he got into the nineties.
Since then he has been used as a makeshift opener, and is the only New Zealander to score a test century at the MCG. The rest of his career will resume shortly with the pending retirement of BJ Watling.
Number of test centuries. 2
Devon Conway 200
The most anticipated New Zealand debut since Martin Crowe almost seemed predictable. Again a makeshift opener, the only real question remaining is where in the order he will end up batting.
Number of test centuries. 1