The international year for the BLACKCAPS ended with them so close to completing a test series victory against Pakistan but being forced to sit and watch the rain come down in Napier.
2009 has had many memorable moments. The year started with an ODI series win against the West Indies, then a tied 2-2 Chappell-Hadlee series against the Australians (where rain also conspired against a memorable victory), and continued with the home series against the “Rockstar” Indian team.
Away from home the BLACKCAPS demonstrated their limited-overs prowess, making the playoffs in the ICC World T20 and then the final of the ICC Champions Trophy – only the second time in history the BLACKCAPS have made a final of a world event.
The BLACKCAPS also completed their first ever away series win against Pakistan, with a 2-1 ODI victory in the UAE.
This was followed by the very competitive test series against Pakistan played in New Zealand, which saw a magnificent victory to the BLACKCAPS in Dunedin, followed by a stirring comeback for the Pakistan team, who convincingly won the second test in Wellington. The third test was shaping up to be a classic until rain intervened in the final session of the last day.
Standout individuals
However some of the most memorable performances were those by individuals in the BLACKCAPS unit.
They were led from the front by the inspirational captain Daniel Vettori. Vettori had his finest ever year of international cricket, and demonstrated his amazing all-round ability.
In the test arena, Vettori became only the eighth player in history (and the second New Zealander) to achieve the double of 300 test wickets and 3,000 test runs. During the calendar year Vettori scored 779 test runs at an average of 60, including 3 centuries, and took 27 test wickets. He finished ranked as the world’s second best all-rounder (behind South Africa’s Jacques Kallis).
In limited overs cricket Vettori is ranked the best in the world for ODI bowling, taking 24 ODI wickets during 2009.
2009 also saw the return to international cricket of Shane Bond. Bond made an immediate impact and showed he had lost none of his speed and competitiveness. He finished the year inside the world’s top 10 for bowling in both test and ODI cricket.
Ross Taylor finished the year ranked as the 10th best test batsman in the world – the first time a Blackcap has made the world’s top 10 since Mark Richardson achieved this in 2004. During 2009 Taylor scored 782 runs at an average of 56, including two centuries.
In ODI cricket Brendon McCullum finished the year at a career-high 15th position on the world rankings after scoring 750 runs over the course of 2009. Martin Guptill had a dream first year, compiling 738 ODI runs during 2009 at an average of 41, including a century on debut against the West Indies. To cap off his stellar 2009 Martin was selected in the ICC World ODI Team of the Year.
In the bowling department, Kyle Mills finished 2009 as the number five ranked bowler in ODI cricket after taking 32 wickets during the year. In the test arena Chris Martin (test ranking 20) and Iain O’Brien (test ranking 21) both took 30 wickets.
The final test of 2009 in Napier marked the retirement of O’Brien from international cricket. The lionhearted BLACKCAPS made great strides in 2009 and ended his international career on a high with some superb bowling against Pakistan. He will be sorely missed from the Blackcaps team.
2009 was a season of great improvement for the BLACKCAPS, and now 2010 is shaping up to a big season for the team, with home series against Bangladesh and the Australians, followed by the ICC World T20 in the Caribbean. The winter programme gives the team significant time in the sub-continent with a tri-series in Sri Lanka (also involving India) followed by full series in Bangladesh and India. These series will provide excellent competition and experience as the team will have one eye on peaking for the World Cup, being played in Asia in early 2011.
