Tony Blain

A technically brilliant wicket-keeper who was also a combative batsman, Tony Blain was unlucky to not have represented New Zealand for a longer period of time. Majority of his career was spent in the shadows of Ian Smith and later on, Adam Parore, both of whom hogged the limelight. Blain did try at making the cut as a specialist batsman in domestic cricket but that never really worked out and he had to be content with being the understudy to two men, who arguably were legendary glovemen in their own rights. Whenever any of the two were unavailable, the onus was on Blain who rarely disappointed in the opportunities that he got despite knowing that his future was never stable. With the bat, grit and determination were allies, which made him a reliable name in domestic cricket and ensured that the first-choice keeper slot was just a distance away. He loved to play the longer format and his style of play was also better suited to the same. After retirement, he spent time as a commentator before shifting to the teaching profession.