With Peter Fulton taking up his position as Men’s Head Coach, this rekindles Middlesex’s affiliation with New Zealand – a country that that has produced a number of world-class cricketers.
Over the years, the Club has been fortunate to have had the services of top cricketers from Aotearoa, and we have taken a look at those who have adorned both the fern and seaxes.
Dion Nash
Middlesex 1995-1996
Dion Nash played for New Zealand over a 10-year period between 1992 and 2002 – featuring in 32 Test matches and 81 ODIs for his country.
The bowling allrounder featured for Middlesex in both 1995 and 1996, playing 21 first-class matches and 22 one-day matches for the county.
In first-class cricket, Nash claimed 53 wickets – taking two five-wicket hauls with best figures of 5/35 against Hampshire at Lord’s. In white-ball cricket he claimed 22 wickets in as many matches.
Stephen Fleming
Middlesex 2001
Stephen Fleming played for New Zealand between 1994 and 2008 – featuring in 111 Tests, 280 ODIs and five T20 matches.
Fleming joined Middlesex for the 2001 season and produced an impressive return during his 14-match stint. He amassed 1,091 runs (including four centuries and six fifties) at an average of 51.95 with a best score of 151 against Nottinghamshire – a county he would go on to represent later in his career – at Trent Bridge.
The left-hander also played 15 List A matches for Middlesex, managing a best score of 73.
Scott Styris
Middlesex 2005-2006
Scott Styris played for New Zealand between 1999 and 2011, featuring in 29 Test matches, 188 ODIs and 31 T20Is for his country.
The county were fortunate to have his services during the summers of 2005 and 2006, where he amassed over 1,100 first-class runs – scoring two centuries and eight fifties. In T20 cricket, Styris scored 425 runs – scoring three half-centuries during his time at the Club.
Iain O’Brien
Middlesex 2010
Iain O'Brien played for New Zealand between 2005 and 2009 – featuring in 22 Test matches, 10 ODIs and 4 T20Is.
During the 2010 season, O’Brien claimed 23 wickets in seven County Championship matches and claimed best figures of 7/48 against Northamptonshire during a match in April of that year.
Kyle Mills
Middlesex 2013
Kyle Mills played 19 Tests, 170 ODIs and 42 T20Is for New Zealand between 2001 and 2015.
In 2013, Mills played 10 T20 matches for Middlesex claiming 11 wickets with best figures of 3/4 against Essex in Chelmsford, where the hosts were bowled out for 74 - their lowest T20 total at the time.
Mitchell McClenaghan
Middlesex 2015-2016
Mitchell McClenaghan played 48 ODIs and 29 T20Is for New Zealand between 2012 and 2018.
He spent two NatWest Blast campaigns at the Club and claimed 14 wickets in seven matches, with best figures of 4/33.
James Franklin
Middlesex 2015-2017
James Franklin played 31 Tests, 110 ODIs and 38 T20Is for New Zealand between 2001 and 2013.
Franklin goes down in Middlesex history, having captained the Club's men's side to County Championship glory in 2016 - securing Middlesex's first title in 23 years.
In 40 first-class matches, he notched three centuries and claimed 30 wickets. In 76 white-ball matches, he scored almost 1,200 runs - recording six half-centuries and a best score of 69.
Brendon McCullum
Middlesex 2016-2017
Brendon McCullum will go down as one of the best cricketers to ever adorn the black cap having played 101 Tests, 260 ODIs and 71 T20Is between 2002 and 2016.
McCullum featured for Middlesex in 15 matches across the 2016 and 2017 NatWest Blast campaigns, scoring 352 runs - notching three half-centuries and recording a best score of 88, which came against Kent at Richmond.
Tim Southee
Middlesex 2017
Tim Southee is one of New Zealand's greatest-ever bowlers having taken 776 wickets for his country in 394 appearances across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
In 2017, Southee claimed 15 wickets in 13 matches - claiming best figures of 3/9 against Gloucestershire.
Ross Taylor
Middlesex 2019
Ross Taylor featured in 112 Tests, 236 ODIs and 106 T20Is for New Zealand between 2006 and 2022.
Taylor played for Middlesex at the start of the 2019 season in preparation for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, which he helped New Zealand reach the final of.
In six Royal London One-Day Cup fixtures, Taylor managed to score two half-centuries with a best score of 94 against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury as the side reached the knockout stages of the competition.
Daryl Mitchell
Middlesex 2021
Daryl Mitchell has played 35 Tests, 59 ODIs and 99 T20Is for New Zealand since making his debut in 2019 - playing a key role with the bat.
Mitchell appeared for Middlesex during the 2021 season, playing both red and white-ball cricket.
Mitchell provided a decent return in the matches that he did play - averaging 33.50 with the bat across the two games with a best score of 73. He claimed nine wickets in first-class cricket for the county with best figures of 4/42.
In eight Vitality Blast matches he claimed eight scalps with best figures of 3/24 to go along with his 209 runs with the bat.
Kane Williamson
Middlesex 2025
Kane Williamson has played 108 Tests, 175 ODIs and 93 T20Is for New Zealand since making his debut in 2010.
Last summer saw Middlesex avail of the services of one of the greatest players of the current generation.
Having featured in every Vitality Blast match of our campaign, Williamson scored 396 runs at an average of exactly 33 and scored three half-centuries with a best score of 63.
Williamson featured in the two Rothesay County Championship matches during the summer block and provided an excellent return.
In those two matches, he amassed 267 runs at an extraordinary average of 113.50 - notching two centuries with a best of 153 against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College.
Williamson was due to feature in the September block of Championship matches, but injury prevented him from playing any more cricket. However, he did stay until the end of the season, offering younger players insight.
