All eyes have been on BLACKCAPS captain Daniel Vettori for the last 13 years since he first debuted for the Northern Knights at the age of 17. This week he plays his 100th Test for New Zealand and we take a look back at the road Vettori took from being a teen prodigy to becoming the best spin bowler in the world.
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1997
January
His First Class debut came against an England XI side and he took the prized wicket of England batsman Nasser Hussain for only 7 runs – just a prophesy of what the future held for the young, driven Knights player.
* Image of Daniel Vettori bowling against Zimbabwe in 1997
February
Vettori made his Test debut on 6 February 1997 against England. Batting at number 11 he made two unbeaten scores of three and two. He was called upon to bower more overs than any of the New Zealand bowlesr during that Test with a return of two for 98 off 34.3 overs.
1999
Vettori often refers to the 1999 series victory in England as a career highlight. By then an established member of the team, he took nine wickets and scored 114 runs in the series, including a five wicket bag in the final Test to help seal the win.
2000
March
In the first Test against the Australians Vettori took a career best 12 wicket including seven in the second innings, but it was unable to stop an Australian victory. During that Test he became the worlds youngest spinner to take 100 Test wickets.
12/149 v Australia, Eden Park, Auckland
2003
December
Vettori scores his maiden Test Century at his home ground at Seddon Park in Hamilton against Pakistan. He made an unbeaten 137.
137* v Pakistan, Hamilton
2004
12/170 v Bangladesh, Chittagong
2005
Vettori was named New Zealand’s Player of the year, giving him the nod for his performance during the season which including taking 42 Test wickets.
He was also acknowledged by being named in the World XI along side cricketing greats such as Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting.
127 v Zimbabwe, Harare
2006
He wins the player of the year for the second year in a row.
10/51 v Sri Lanka, Wellington
2007
November
He takes over the Test captaincy permanently from Stephen Fleming
2008
Vettori wins his first Test series as captain. A two-nil win over Bangladesh at home.
2009
March
118 v India, Hamilton
August
Vettori is named as a selector for the BLACKCAPS
140 v Sri Lanka, August
October
He wins the New Zealand player of the year once more and also fills the coaching boots during the Pakistan and Bangladesh series.
December
134 v Pakistan, Napier 2009
* Image of Daniel Vettori batting against Australia in 2010.
