New Zealand in focus at ICC Champions Trophy

Continuing our series of articles focusing on all the sides taking part at the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, our attention shifts to New Zealand.

The Blackcaps were the second-ever winners of the tournament when they beat India in the 2000 final – when it was known as the ICC Knock-Out Trophy.

This year they come into the ICC Champions Trophy ranked 4th in the MRF Tyres ODI rankings, looking to claim the trophy 17 years after their first and only success.

Ahead of this summer’s tournament in England and Wales, we took a trip down memory lane to look back at some of the Kiwis’ top performers at ICC Champions Trophy tournaments gone by.

• New Zealand have played at every ICC Champions Trophy, winning the tournament back in 2000 and finishing as runners-up in 2009
• Their record appearance maker at the tournament is Daniel Vettori, who turned out 17 times for the Blackcaps
• As a side, their highest total came in 2004 against USA, when they racked up a mammoth 347/4 from their 50 overs
• Individually, Nathan Astle recorded New Zealand’s highest score at the ICC Champions Trophy when he knocked 145* in that game against the USA
• Their highest run scorer at the tournament is former captain Stephen Fleming with 441 runs from 12 innings
• Fleming is also New Zealand’s joint-record holder for scores of 50+ at the tournament with Craig McMillan – who’ve both passed 50 on three occasions
• The Blackcaps have hit just two centuries at the ICC Champions Trophy – one being Astle’s knock of 145* and the other coming from Chris Cairns

• Roger Twose has the best average of any Kiwi at the tournament, as he scored 203 runs in 3 innings at an average of 67.66
• All 203 of those runs came in the 2000 tournament, which is the highest amount scored by a New Zealand player in any one edition of the ICC Champions Trophy
• The most destructive batsman for New Zealand is Craig McMillan, who hit nine sixes at the tournament – seven of those coming in one innings against USA in 2004 when he hit 64* off 27 balls; a joint tournament record
• With the ball, not only is Kyle Mills the highest wicket taker for New Zealand, he’s also the leading wicket taker in the tournament’s history with 28
• The best figures by a New Zealander came from Jacob Oram against USA in 2004 when he took 5-36

• The most economical New Zealand bowler at the ICC Champions Trophy is Daniel Vettori – who had an economy rate of 3.65 from his 142.4 overs bowled at the tournament
• The most potent bowler is Mitchell McClenaghan, who has a strike rate of 13 after taking 11 wickets from 23.5 overs
• All 11 of McClenaghan’s wickets came at ICC Champions Trophy 2013, a record amount of wickets taken by a New Zealand bowler at any one edition of the tournament
• The record for best bowling average goes to Grant Elliot who took 4 wickets for 49 runs at an average of 12.25
• Finally, behind the stumps it’s no surprise to see Brendon McCullum hold the record for most dismissals by a New Zealand wicket-keeper – he had a hand in 15 dismissals in 11 innings (14 catches and one stumping)