Best ever New Zealand batting lineup

[Bahnz]

Thanks to the outstanding work of Robelinda, we've recently all been able to reminisce on the days when the New Zealand batting lineup was capable of consistently posting challenging totals, and occasionally even winning games. It got me thinking about the New Zealand batting lineup over the years, and how rarely we've had the sort of quality that allows us to compete with the bigger nations. In my mind two sides stand head and shoulders above the rest.

The New Zealand side of the mid 1980's, which featured Crowe, Wright, JF Reid, Coney, Andrew Jones, Hadlee and Ian Smith.

More recently the New Zealand side of the early 2000's had the likes of Richardson, Fleming, Astle, McMillan, Parore (and later McCullum), Cairns, Styris and Oram.

Which side (or if there are any others, feel free to suggest them) do you think had the best batting lineup?

 

[Mike5181]

Thanks to the outstanding work of Robelinda, we've recently all been able to reminisce on the days when the New Zealand batting lineup was capable of consistently posting challenging totals, and occasionally even winning games. It got me thinking about the New Zealand batting lineup over the years, and how rarely we've had the sort of quality that allows us to compete with the bigger nations. In my mind two sides stand head and shoulders above the rest.

The New Zealand side of the mid 1980's, which featured Crowe, Wright, JF Reid, Coney, Andrew Jones, Hadlee and Ian Smith.

More recently the New Zealand side of the early 2000's had the likes of Richardson, Fleming, Astle, McMillan, Parore (and later McCullum), Cairns, Styris and Oram.

Which side (or if there are any others, feel free to suggest them) do you think had the best batting lineup?

Richardson, Fleming, Astle, McMillan, Parore (and later McCullum), Cairns, Styris and Oram. That was probably our best ever batting line up tbh can't think of a huge amount of individual great players like Crowe surrounded with other great players like that side does.

 

[Days of Grace]

It`s difficult because those players in the early 2000s never all really peaked at the same time. And we never really had a good opener to partner Richardson, apart from Vincent for a brief spell.

I`d consider the 2003/04 batting lineup vs. South Africa at home as the best I saw. The one that toured England in 2004 matched it on paper, but underperformed.

 

[Flem274*]

I don't think JF Reid and Jones ever played a test together, but the 80s line up edges it slightly. The idea the 80s line up was all Crowe with a bit of Wright is a myth. Coney was a hell of a hometown bully, and taking away his first fail year in tests he averages over 40.

I don't think Fleming, Astle, Cairns etc final averages matched up to their abilities though. I always thought they were far better players than that, though NZ players do have a habit of being thrown in a year or so too early.

 

[Mike5181]

I think we were at our strongest when particularly Fleming and Astle were performing on a relatively consistent basis. Richardson was sound at the top- 45 with the bat.Then we had talented players like Cairns-35 with the bat, McMillian-38 with the bat. Oram and McCullum were ok but not the batsmen they became later on. Then there were others that came in and performed short-term like Sinclair, Vincent, Marshall.

 

[Flem274*]

What swings it for me is the 80s side had a set top three. The 1999-2005 side had Richardson then rotated through openers and number three's before leaving Fleming at three permanently. The 2000s team had awesome middle order depth, with good competition for places, but the top order was lacking. The 80s team was pretty well rounded.

 

[Bahnz]

The one that toured England in 2004 matched it on paper, but underperformed.

Not sure I entirely agree with this. While the middle-order (particularly Astle, McMillan and with the exception of one innings Styris) weren't too flash, the top 3/4 were outstanding throughout the series, and it was really only our very, very weak bowling that lead to the 3-0 scoreline.

 

[Flem274*]

I have just seen Richardson charge down the pitch to loft Giles over his head for four.

Does not compute.

 

[Bahnz]

I have just seen Richardson charge down the pitch to loft Giles over his head for four.

Does not compute.

He really displays the full array of Richardson strokes in that innings: the squirt through gulley, the crashing cover drive, and the slog sweep over midwicket. Really shows you how hard he must've worked to be so succesful with such a limited range of scoring shots.

He played another innings in the third test of that series were he raced to about 40 off 40 balls. People were whispering about whether someone had snuck Brendon McCullum out wearing a Richardson mask. But then he promptly scored 0 from the next ten overs before being dismissed by Giles, and all was right with the world again.

 

[Flem274*]

Don't forget the cut and the leg glance.