New Zealand’s wicketkeeper-batter, Tom Blundell, made history during the only four-day Test match between Ireland and New Zealand at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast. Blundell, batting at number six, scored an impressive 186 runs off 292 balls on the second day of the Test. His innings featured 22 boundaries and three sixes, giving New Zealand a strong advantage in the match.
Blundell’s performance marked a significant milestone as it became the highest individual score by a New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter in an away Test match. This broke a 50-year-old record that had been held by Warren Lees, who scored 152 against Pakistan in Karachi in 1976.
Tom Blundell Breaks Major New Zealand Records
Blundell’s century was a remarkable display of batting by a New Zealand wicketkeeper outside of home soil. Here is a breakdown of the highest individual scores for a New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter in away Tests:
- Tom Blundell – 186 vs Ireland (2026)
- Warren Lees – 152 vs Pakistan (1976)
- Brendon McCullum – 143 vs South Africa (2004)
- Brendon McCullum – 122 vs Zimbabwe (2005)
- Adam Parore – 119 vs Zimbabwe (2001)
With this century, Blundell joined an exclusive list of cricketers who have achieved multiple away Test centuries as a wicketkeeper-batter. The list includes:
- BJ Watling – 3
- Brendon McCullum – 2
- Tom Blundell – 2
- Warren Lees – 1
- Adam Parore – 1
This was Blundell’s second century as a wicketkeeper-batter in an away Test match. He is now only the third New Zealand wicketkeeper after BJ Watling and Brendon McCullum to have at least two away Test hundreds to his name.
Where Does Blundell Rank Overall?
Despite breaking the record for the highest individual score by a New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter in an away Test, Blundell still ranks behind BJ Watling in the overall list of highest Test scores by a New Zealand wicketkeeper. Watling holds the record with a score of 205 against England in Mount Maunganui in 2019. He is also the only wicketkeeper from New Zealand to have scored a double hundred in a Test match.
Blundell now stands in second place on the list with his knock of 186 against Ireland. Here is the current ranking of highest Test scores by a New Zealand wicketkeeper:
- BJ Watling – 205 vs England (2019)
- Tom Blundell – 186 vs Ireland (2026)
- Brendon McCullum – 185 vs Bangladesh (2010)
Four-Day Test Format
The match between Ireland and New Zealand is being played as one of the four-day Tests introduced by the ICC in 2017. This format provides opportunities for Test cricket with a follow-on target reduced from 200 to 150, and a minimum requirement of 98 overs per day. This adjustment allows for shorter matches while maintaining the integrity of the game.
