THE SUMMER OF 2020-21: HOW THE PLAYERS RATED

TOM LATHAM 5 innings, 203 runs at 40.6, highest score 86 Rating: 7

Didn’t add to his tally of 11 centuries but another solid summer for the country’s premier opener who was a tick below his career figure of 42.34. Endured some torrid early periods when sent in by West Indies and dodged a potential broken forearm from a painful Shannon Gabriel strike in Wellington.

TOM BLUNDELL 5 innings, 113 runs at 22.6, HS 64 Rating: 4

A year on from that magical MCG knock, remains a head-scratcher as a test opener with just one score over 20 this summer. Was LBW or bowled four times and Brendon McCullum highlighted a technical flaw transferring his weight forward on defence when the new ball is seaming. With Devon Conway and Will Young pushing hard the selectors have viable options at the top.

WILL YOUNG 2 innings, 48 runs at 24, HS 43 Rating: 5

Gets a pass mark for his three-hour vigil against West Indies in tough conditions at the Basin, after a lengthy wait for a test debut. Delivered a bonus with a brilliant one-handed catch as a sub in Christchurch. Still ahead of Conway in the pecking order. KANE WILLIAMSON 4 innings, 639 runs at 159.75, HS 251 Rating: 10

Three big centuries and a little daughter. Plus the world No 1 ranking. What a five weeks for the skipper who gained worldwide cricketing plaudits for his understated run gluttony and leadership. Here’s some numbers: Williamson spent nearly 29 hours at the crease, faced the equivalent of 184 overs and hit 76 fours and three sixes. And in the field, unflustered when it got tense at Bay Oval, throwing the ball to Mitchell Santner and getting the result. Even snared his first wicket as captain. Where does it end?

ROSS TAYLOR 5 innings, 141 runs at 35.25, HS 70 Rating: 5.5

There remains a nagging doubt about Taylor and the way he’s seeing the ball, after another lean series by his stellar standards. The first innings 70 at Bay Oval was invaluable against Pakistan’s lively attack but the smooth flow of previous years remains elusive.

HENRY NICHOLLS 5 innings, 405 runs at 81, HS 174 Rating: 8

Read it in the scorebook, is the ageold cry. Yes, if Darren Bravo had held one of those two simple chances, and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s right boot hadn’t overstepped the line, then it’s a very lean Nicholls summer and some awkward questions are asked. But luck also plays a massive part in cricket, and the left-hander dug in, cleared his mind and made the tough runs.

BJ WATLING 4 innings, 115 runs at 28.75, HS 73; 18 catches Rating: 7.5

Shook off a worrying hamstring injury in hometown Hamilton and was back in the groove with the gloves, tumbling everywhere and safely pouching 14 catches in the Pakistan series alone. Not at his best with the bat by his standards but if the body remains stable the 35-yearold has plenty more to give.

DARYL MITCHELL 3 innings, 153 runs at 76.5, HS 102no 14 overs, 1 wicket at 41, BB 1-7 Rating: 8

Carried over his super early season form for new team Canterbury into a memorable test season-ender at Hagley Oval with some superb ball striking and a maiden test century. Combined with some brief but handy spells of medium pace, the injured Colin de Grandhomme would have been shifting anxiously in his seat.

MITCHELL SANTNER 2 innings, 25 runs at 25, HS 19 25.3 overs, 2 wickets at 29.5, BB 2-52 Rating: 6

Underwhelming numbers but gets points for his brilliant match-turning run-out of Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s best player, and the testclinching caught and bowled at Bay Oval in a Williamson masterstroke. Still not a genuine test spinner, more a holding allrounder which always seems unfair on Ajaz Patel who misses out because his batting is inferior.

KYLE JAMIESON 143.2 overs, 27 wickets at 12.25, BB 6-48 4 innings, 133 runs at 66.5, HS 51no Rating: 10

Can we give an 11? You could say, not since Sir Richard Hadlee and Shane Bond has a pace bowler stated his arrival so emphatically, but even those two made comparatively slow starts to their test careers. The numbers speak for themselves and Jamieson’s bounce, swing and aggression will trouble all the top batsmen and lifts the pace quartet to new heights.

TIM SOUTHEE 165.4 overs, 18 wickets at 24.05, BB 5-32 Rating: 8.5

A quiet test at Hagley but a mammoth contribution in their rise to No 1 as the most-used home bowler of the summer. Snared plenty of wickets himself with that lethal outswing and surprise variations on the crease, and the pressure built up early alongside Trent Boult allowed Jamieson to capitalise.

NEIL WAGNER 107 overs, 13 wickets at 22, BB 4-66 Rating: 9

Colin Meads (broken arm) and Buck Shelford (torn, um, you know), played on for the All Blacks. Now Wagner joins this particular hall of fame as he hobbles about in a moon boot with two fractured toes. In a mindboggling display, Wagner defied endless needles and extreme pain to charge in and help bowl New Zealand to victory at Bay Oval.

TRENT BOULT 157.3 overs, 14 wickets at 35.07, BB 3-43 Rating: 6.5

Not poor by any measure, but also not at the standards we’ve become accustomed to. Bowled some wonderful spells without luck, as at the Basin, but also strayed too often at Hagley when the ball was hooping around corners.

MATT HENRY 32 overs, 1 wicket at 93, BB 1-68 Rating: 3

Bowled better than his figures suggested on day one, but a solitary wicket across 83 test overs on his home ground (against Australia and Pakistan) tells a story.

Selected but ruled out through injury: Colin de Grandhomme (foot), Ajaz Patel (calf).

Selected as cover but not used: Devon Conway