Review of Eng-NZ Tests-Dec 2019-1

New Zealand won the 2-Test series 1-0. as they had in 2017-2018. This series was not part of the World Test Championship.

The overall summary of Tests between these countries:

New Zealand is slowly beginning to show better performances at home.

Looking at individual performances:

Batting

Most Runs (1000 and above):

MD Crowe has the most centuries (5) while several others have 4. The most scores of 50+ are 11 by JG Wright while several other have 10. R Taylor (1145) has the most runs among current players.

Highest innings (150 and above):

Root and Watling scored double centuries in this series.

Best batting average (Min 20 innings, all instances):

Cowdrey has the highest average here. Root and Taylor have the highest averages among current players. Williamson has not played enough against England.

Best strike rate (Min 1000 balls faced, 45.00):

McCullum leads by a large margin. Taylor, Root and Watling represent current players.

Bowling

Most wickets (25 and more):

Sir Richard leads by a large margin, although current player Broad is next. Southee, Boult and Wagner are also moving up.

Best innings bowling (includes all instances of 7wi):

No instances from the last few years.

Best match bowling (includes all instances of 10wm):

Note the duopoly at the top from Underwood and Lock who have the 5 best performances. Nothing from recent years.

Best bowling average (Min 2000 balls bowled, all instances):

Underwood and Willis have the best bowling averages, Underwood and Illingworth the best economy while Underwood and Anderson have the best strike rates. Boult and Wagner have the best averages among current players.

To be continued.

Review of NZ – SL Tests-1

This is the first Test series to be completed under the World Test Championship (although the Aus-Eng series started earlier and in in progress as this is written). As the 2-Test series was drawn 1-1, NZ and SL each got 60 points.

A total of 36 Tests have been played between these sides. New Zealand leads Sri Lanka 16-0 with 11 draws.

In New Zealand, the hosts lead 11-2 with 6 draws in a total of 19 Tests.

In Sri Lanka, however, New Zealand trails 5-7 with 5 draws in a total of 17 Tests.

Going to individual performances, starting with

Batting

Most runs (500 or more):

Williamson and Latham are rising swiftly up this table, although the current Sri Lankan players are some distance away.

Highest innings (110 or more):

The highest score in this series was Latham’s 154, although he had made two larger scores in the previous series in 2018.

Strangely enough, the highest scores between these teams for NZ (299 by Martin Crowe) and SL (267) were in the same Test in 1991.

Highest batting averages (Minimum 20 innings, all instances):

Fleming and (surprisingly) Mathews lead this table. R Taylor is the only other current player here.

Highest strike rates (Minimum 1000 balls faced, all instances):

After Aravinda and Sangakkara, there are R Taylor, Williamson and several other current players.

To be continued.