Cricket greats: A tour of the world's best players - New Zealand

Hello Everyone, you know that I am a huge fan of Cricket. Cricket is a sport with a vivid history with thousands of memories. It has produced many great players, who revolutionized the game and sealed their names on the elite list.

So, I have started an article series to talk about Cricket Greats from different countries, their carriers, and their impact on the game. You can read my previous editions about Cricket Greats in Sri Lankaand in Austraila, in West Indies, in India, in Pakistan, and in South Africa. Today, let's talk about New Zealand.

Let's see the top three of South Africa and these are just my personal preferences.

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Sir Richard Hadlee

He is widely regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the history of the game and also a fine all-rounder. He has a long career of 17 years from 1973–1990 for New Zealand. He is known for his pace and also the swing from the new ball. He is the first baller to take 400+ Test wickets and still NZ's highest wicket taker. He is a pretty aggressive low-order batsman as well.

Richard Hadlee of New Zealand in 1986, Via Getty Images

Jacques Kallis has taken 431 wickets, with an average of 22.29, and made 3124 Test runs at 27.16 in just Test 86 matches. In 115 ODI matches, he has taken 158 wickets and has scored 1751 runs. He has taken 36-five wicket hauls, highest by a pacer and the third overall. In 1990 he was knighted for the service to Crcket and was inducted into the ICC Hall of fame in 2009.

Martin Crowe

He is considered one of the greatest batsmen to have played for New Zealand. He is known for his elegant batting, amazing footwork and innovative captaincy. He played for the NZ from 1982-1995 for 77 Test and 143 ODI matches. At the time of he retired, he is the highest run-socrer for NZ in both ODI and Test. Later he became a coach, commentator.

New Zealand batsman Martin Crowe cuts the ball in 1984, via Getty Images

In Tests, Crowe has scored 5444 runs at an average of 45.36 with 18 fifties and 17 hundreds. In ODI s he has scored, 4704 runs at an average of 38.55 with 34 fifties and four hundreds. In 1992, ODI World cup he lead NZ for the semis and he became the player of the tournament with being the leading run-scorer. We lost him in 2016 due to a cancer.

Stephen Fleming

He is considered the most successful captain in New Zealand cricket history, leading the team in 80 Test matches and 280 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and one of the greatest batsmen ever. He led NZ for their only ICC trophy, ICC Champions Trophy in 2000. He is known for his tactics and later joined with many leagues as a coach especially in IPL and Big Bash as well.

New Zealand's cricket teamcaptain Stephen Fleming in 2007, via Getty Images

In 111 Tests, Crowe has scored 7172 runs at an average of 40.06 with 46 fifties and 9 hundreds. In 280 ODI s he has scored, 8037 runs at an average of 32.40 with 49 fifties and 08 hundreds. And he is still the highest run-scorer for NZ in ODI s and Tests.