Top 5 New Zealand Test openers of all time

3 Mark Richardson

Mark Richardson

If there was any cricketer at the turn of the millennium who defied natural norms then it was New Zealand's former left-handed opening batsman Mark Richardson. He started off his as a left arm orthodox spinner but injuries forced him to take to batting and once he did so, he turned into one of cricket's great exponents of the art of stonewalling.

Richardson's batting could almost be described as neurotic, due to the way in which he preferred to block most deliveries and when he was in his elements, it was close to impossible to tempt him into playing a shot to balls pitched outside off stump.

Additionally, he was unfazed by either extreme pace or the vicious turn of the subcontinent. All of this was down to his excellent defensive technique. For much of his career, he maintained an average of around 50 but by the end of his short career spanning 4 years and 28 Tests, his average dropped to 44.77.

He scored 4 centuries and 19 half-centuries, which points to an inability to turn starts into centuries.