Ross Taylor at 100: Looking at three other New Zealand cricketers who featured in 100 Tests

When Ross Taylor took the field against India in the first Test at Wellington, he created history. He became the fourth New Zealand player to feature in 100 Test matches for his country, and also the first player in the world to feature in 100 matches in all the three formats of the game.

Taylor marked his 100th Test by striking a sedate 44, and put on a crucial 93-run partnership with skipper Kane Williamson that allowed his side to inch ahead in the first Test.

A Kane Williamson 2 takes New Zealand into the lead. The Williamson Taylor partnership now worth 93 at the @BasinReserve. 166/2 Williamson 74* Taylor 44* LIVE scoring | https://t.co/vWdNIMMIwd #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/mXyK0D4At7

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 22, 2020

In this article, let us look at three other New Zealand cricketers who have featured in 100 Tests for their country.

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#3 Brendon McCullum

McCullum is also the only Kiwi batsman to score a triple hundred in Test cricket.

Just ahead of Ross Taylor in the 100-Test club is former wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum. The belligerent right-hander featured in 101 Tests for his country and scored 6453 runs at an average of 38.64. McCullum is also the only Kiwi batsman to score a triple hundred in Test cricket. He scored a masterly 302 against India in the year 2014, and pummelled the Indian bowling attack to all parts of the ground.

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McCullum retired from the game in the year 2016, after his 101st Test which was his last. He marked his farewell Test with a blistering 145 off just 79 balls and destroyed the Australian bowling attack in his final appearance in Test cricket.

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#2 Stephen Fleming

Fleming was the first Kiwi batsman to breach the 7000-run mark in Tests.

Taking the second place is former New Zealand captain and left-handed batsman Stephen Fleming. The Kiwi batsman featured in 111 Tests for his country in a Test career that spanned 14 years. Fleming scored 7172 runs in Test cricket, including 46 fifties and nine hundreds.

He was the first New Zealand batsman to cross the 7000-run mark in Tests, and was one of the leading batsmen of the side during the late 1990’s and the first decade of the new millennium. Fleming retired from Test cricket in the year 2008. He marked his final Test appearance by scoring fifties in both the innings against England.

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#1 Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori is the most capped cricketer for New Zealand in Tests.

Edging past Fleming and taking the top spot in the list is former left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori. Vettori is the most capped New Zealand cricketer in history, having featured in 112 Tests for his country. His ability to get the ball to dip, coupled with his immaculate line and length made him one of the greatest left-arm spinners in Test match cricket.

Vettori took 361 wickets in his Test career for the Kiwis, and is the second-highest wicket taker for New Zealand in white flannels after the legendary Sir Richard Hadlee. Vettori also took 20 five-wicket hauls and three ten wickets in a match hauls in his illustrious career. The wily left-arm spinner retired from the game in the year 2014. He took just two wickets in his final Test appearance against Pakistan.

Vettori was also a handy batsman for his side and scored 4531 runs for the Kiwis, including 23 fifties and six hundreds.