Tom Blundell is New Zealand’s designated wicketkeeper-batter in the ongoing one-off Test against Ireland in Belfast. On Day 2 of the four-day Test taking place at Civil Service Cricket Club, he entered his name in the history books by breaking a 50-year-old record of the highest individual score by a New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter in an away Test. Blundell played a knock of 186 runs from 292 balls for the Tom Latham-led side in the historic Test against Ireland as a No. 6 batter and scored 22 fours and 3 sixes.
Blundell’s score of 186 runs in the first innings of the ongoing match is 34 more than Warren Lees’ total of 152. Lees scored 152 runs for New Zealand as a designated wicketkeeper-batter in the first innings of the Karachi Test played
against Pakistan from October 30 to November 4 in 1996.
Highest scores by wicketkeeper-batters for New Zealand in away Tests
| PLAYER | RUNS | BALLS | 4/6s | AGAINST | VENUE | YEAR |
| Tom Blundell | 186 | 292 | 22/3 | Ireland | Belfast | 2026 |
| Warren Lees | 152 | – | 21/2 | Pakistan | Karachi | 1976 |
| Brendon McCullum | 143 | 243 | 10/2 | Bangladesh | Dhaka | 2004 |
| Brendon McCullum | 111 | 112 | 15/1 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 2005 |
| Adam Parore | 110 | 243 | 14/1 | Australia | Perth (WACA) | 2001 |
| BJ Watling | 107 | 172 | 12/0 | Zimbabwe | Bulawayo | 2016 |
| Tom Blundell | 106 | 198 | 14/0 | England | Nottingham | 2022 |
| BJ Watling | 105* | 226 | 9/0 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (PSS) | 2019 |
| BJ Watling | 103 | 182 | 6/2 | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 2013 |
The century by Blundell against Ireland in the ongoing Test is his second as a wicketkeeper-batter in an away Test for New Zealand. He is only the third wicketkeeper-batter after Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling to score multiple centuries for the Kiwis in away Tests.
Most 100s by New Zealand WK-batters in away Tests
- BJ Watling – 3
- Brendon McCullum – 2
- Tom Blundell – 2
- Warren Lees – 1
- Adam Parore – 1
The overall record of the highest individual score for New Zealand in a Test match by a designated wicketkeeper-batter is in the name of Watling. Watling played a knock of 205 runs for the Black Caps in the first innings of 2019 Test played at Mount Maunganui.
Interestingly, Watling is the only Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter to score a double century in a Test match.
Highest scores by wicketkeeper-batters for New Zealand in Tests
| PLAYER | RUNS | BALLS | 4/6s | AGAINST | VENUE | YEAR |
| BJ Watling | 205 | 473 | 21/1 | England | Mount Maunganui | 2019 |
| Tom Blundell | 186 | 292 | 22/3 | Ireland | Belfast | 2026 |
| Brendon McCullum | 185 | 272 | 17/3 | Bangladesh | Hamilton | 2010 |
| Ian Smith | 173 | 136 | 23/3 | India | Auckland | 1990 |
| Warren Lees | 152 | – | 21/2 | Pakistan | Karachi | 1976 |
| Brendon McCullum | 143 | 243 | 10/2 | Bangladesh | Dhaka | 2004 |
| BJ Watling | 142* | 333 | 9/1 | Sri Lanka | Wellington | 2015 |
| Tom Blundell | 138 | 181 | 19/1 | England | Mount Maunganui | 2023 |
| BJ Watling | 124 | 367 | 13/0 | India | Wellington | 2014 |
| Brendon McCullum | 115 | 140 | 13/0 | India | Naiper | 2009 |
| Tom Blundell | 113 | 102 | 13/5 | England | Wellington | 2024 |
Blundell is now second in the overall list after playing a knock of 186 runs in the ongoing match, and they are followed by McCullum, who scored 185 runs in the first innings of the February 2010 Test against Bangladesh in Hamilton.
