Top 5 New Zealand captains in Test match cricket
The New Zealand cricketing history goes way back to 1930 when they played their first ever Test match against England at Christchurch. They had their first taste of victory 26 years later when they defeated West Indies in 1956 at Auckland.
The early days in cricket weren’t too fruitful, but the small country has produced some of finest talents in world cricket. They have established themselves as one of the superpowers of the game.
They are no more the underdogs and here are some captains who were responsible for carrying them this far.
#5 Jeremy Coney
Jeremy Coney captained the Kiwi side from 1984 to 1987 in a total of 15 Test matches.
The side enjoyed huge success under Coney, as they won 3 out of the 5 Test series and lost only one under him. They won a total of 5 matches, lost 4 and 6 ended in draws. Out of the 3 series wins, 2 came against the mighty Aussies.
Due to his stature and abilities in the slip cordon, he was nicknamed as “The Mantis” and later named his autobiography as “Playing Mantis”. He was one of the most successful batsmen of that time for New Zealand. He represented the side in 52 Test matches in which he scored 2668 runs at an average of 37.57.
To go with the runs, he also took 27 wickets to prove his all-round skills, much like many other players from the country, and was also an excellent fielder.
Captaincy record
Year | Opposition | Venue | Winner |
1984/5 | Pakistan | Away | Pakistan (2-0) |
1985/6 | Australia | Away | New Zealand (2-1) |
1985/6 | Australia | Home | New Zealand (1-0) |
1986 | England | Away | New Zealand (1-0) |
1986/7 | West Indies | Home | Draw (1-1) |