Jimmy Neesham registers highest Test batting average ever by a New Zealand cricketer

James Neesham celebrates his century against West Indies at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica

The New Zealand all-rounder went on to create history by reaching a batting average of 277, highest by any Kiwi, during the course of his 107 in the first innings of first Test match against West Indies at Sabina Park. He achieved this magical number just before he went back to the pavilion after the first innings.

The 23-year-old Neesham, who made his Test debut against India earlier in the year at Basin Reserve, Wellington, scored 33 in the first innings of his Test career. In the second innings, batting alongside Brendon McCullum, who scored a triple century, Neesham made 137 and remained undefeated.

Hence, the left-hander was averaging 170 per dismissal before his second Test.

On Day 2, when he reached his eventual score of 107* in the first innings, he was averaging 277, the highest by a New Zealander and 9th highest overall. Neesham went past his countryman Hamish Marshall’s record of 255 before bursting into the top 10 list of the world. After the dismissal for 20 in the 2nd innings, Neesham’s average has dropped to 99.0.

Interestingly, India’s Rohit Sharma who started off his Test match career with a couple of centuries, finds himself at 6th place in the list of highest averages. Lawrence Rowe of West Indies is at the top with an average of 336.

The table below denotes the highest batting average achieved by any cricketer at some point in their career:

#	Player	Team	Average	Scores	Year
1	Lawrence Rowe	West Indies	336	214, 100*, 22	1972
2	David Lloyd	England	308	46, 214*, 48	1974
3	Tip Foster	England	306	287, 19	1903
4	Jacques Rudolph	South Africa	303	222*, 71	2003
5	Ian Bell	England	303	70, 65*, 162*, 6	2004
6	Rohit Sharma	India	302	177, 111*, 14	2013
7	Frank Worrell	West Indies	294	97, 28*, 131*, 38	1948
8	Faf du Plessis	South Africa	293	78, 110*, 78*, 27	2012
9	James Neesham	New Zealand	277	33, 137*, 107	2014
10	Yasir Hameed	Pakistan	275	170, 105	2003

*Stats as on 12 June 2014