Top 10 New Zealand middle order batsmen of all time

#7 Nathan Astle

The dashing right-hander played 81 Tests for New Zealand from 1996 to 2006 and in 80 of those, he batted in the middle-order, number 5 being his preferred position. Astle was a stroke-maker par excellence and remained one of the most important batsmen in the Kiwi line up for a decade.

Perhaps, his most famous innings is the incredible 222 he scored against England off just 168 balls, which included 28 fours and 11 sixes. He brought up his double hundred in only 153 deliveries and it remains the fastest double hundred in Test cricket.

He scored 4480 runs as a middle-order batsman and averaged 36.72. Astle scored 11 centuries and 22 half-centuries during the course of his career.