Pulling Stumps 2025

By Margot Butcher -Republished from Outright 59 (winter 2025)

Cricket retirements are often not the screeching halts they used to be, more a series of waves rolling in. As we draw a line in the sand for another 12 months to mark fond farewells, it’s with provisos: hanging up this cap, that cap — or all caps?

The jet-setting routines may not even slow too much, depending on franchise or overseas opportunities, but for the core New Zealand fanbase, family, teammates and friends, that last salute always resonates.

HAYLEY JENSEN left the domestic door open when she announced her White Ferns retirement in May. At 32, the pace allrounder’s packed so much cricket into her career that it made sense to take stock of her reserves.

Commuting from Australia to Dunedin to play for the high-flying Otago Sparks added to the commitment, but it’s been a journey she wouldn’t have missed for the world — and may continue — with a phenomenal 144 List A and 204 T20 career matches behind her. 

As a senior player and T20 captain, Jensen’s been a big part of the Sparks’ recent success story on and off field, since joining from Canterbury in 2019 — bringing with her rich experience from gigs with the Melbourne Stars and Renegades, Hobart Hurricanes, Victoria, ACT, Perth Scorchers and the Trinbago Knight Riders.

Her “Sparkies” defended their one-day crown this summer, made the Super Smash grand final, and are churning out new Ferns. Jensen won her own maiden New Zealand selection in 2014, with ODI and T20I debuts coming against the Windies before hurtling into her first World Cup in Bangladesh. It was something she’d wanted to do since she was a sport-loving Christchurch 10-year-old.

She made her Canterbury debut in the lofty environs of Redwood Park. Cricket, with swings and see-saws. Maybe that’s not the worst metaphor for a cricket career. Jensen’s had her fair share of ups, downs and frustrating injuries. Earning a second innings in her White Ferns career — in 2017/18, after three years out of the frame — is right up there in the mental highlights reel, and led to a life-changing NZC contract.

“Ever since I came home from my first cricket tournament as a girl, I knew I wanted to be a White Fern,” Jensen says. “The chance to live that dream is something I’ll always treasure — filled with challenges, growth, unforgettable experiences, and the best group of people I could’ve hoped to share it with.

“It’s never easy to move on from something that’s meant this much, but I know in my heart it’s time.” 

MARTIN GUPTILL’s formal Blackcaps retirement came in January, 27 months after his last international game. Now 38, he’s been both a captivating star and a remarkable stayer with a packed resumé of international and franchise cricket around the globe.

The announcement led to a last twirl and NZC presentation on the outfield of Eden Park, during an ODI innings break. He’s been candid about his disappointment over the way his career at that level ended. Not being selected for the 2023 World Cup was understandably difficult, and what followed would have felt like a period of being on the periphery. It’s not the farewell usually afforded to players of his stature.

Guptill’s New Zealand career as an elegant, top order powerhouse and brilliant fielder spanned 14 amazing years, 47 Tests (2,586 runs), 198 ODIs (7,346 runs) and 122 T20is (3,531 runs).

His white-ball prowess shines through the record books. The highest ODI score for the Blackcaps is his 237 not out off 163 rocks against the Windies at the Cake Tin in the 2015 World Cup quarterfinal, still the second highest ODI score globally. He has three of the top four entries on the Blackcaps list, with 189 not out in England in 2013 and 180 not out in Hamilton against the Proteas as well. He won the 2011/12 Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, and sits in the top trio of all-time BLACKCAPS one-day run-scorers — 18 centuries, with two T20i and three Test centuries.

“Gup” sprung from Suburbs New Lynn CC, making Auckland age-group teams from when he was 13. He debuted for the Aces on 7 January 2006 and, despite rarer appearances in recent seasons, still owns the Aces’ records for most one-day tons (10); best T20 score (120 not out off 60 balls, in Rangiora, 2012) and most T20 runs (a phenomenal 2,598 — only Hamish Rutherford and Neil Broom made more T20 runs than that for a men’s team in New Zealand).

He’s been loyal, and feels “incredibly lucky and proud to have played 367 games for my country. I will forever cherish the memories made wearing the silver fern, alongside a great group of guys.” 

TIM SOUTHEE’s career arc runs parallel to a great era for the Blackcaps. He burst on the scene in February 2008 at just 19. Sir Richard Hadlee was the head selector, and saw the future dividends in Southee’s rhythm and swing. Just weeks later, Southee was opening the Test bowling attack with Chris Martin against England in Napier, taking 5/55 on debut and slapping 77 not out off 40 balls.

He retires as one of the elite handful of Blackcaps to have got near Sir Richard’s 431 Test wickets, once the world record, with 391 Test victims from 107 Test appearances.

Like Hadlee had Ewen Chatfield, Southee had Trent Boult as a career-long running mate. With Neil Wagner at first change, New Zealand had a brilliant attack.

Test cricket felt like the pinnacle of the game to Southee personally. It ended full-circle against England in December last year, and included the massive highlight of winning the inaugural World Test Championship mace at Lord’s, as well as captaining his country in the last couple of years.

You can’t squeeze an 18-year career of this magnitude into a few paras and do it justice, but 221 ODI wickets; a Blackcaps ODI record 7/33; the Blackcaps’ record for most T20i caps (126); a national T20i record haul of 5/18; the 2022 Sir Richard Hadlee Medal award, and this year’s King’s Birthday ONZM honour speak volumes.

The standing ovation after his last act for the Blackcaps fittingly came on home turf in Hamilton, having represented Northern Districts throughout — one of Northland’s greatest contributions to New Zealand sport. An extensive T20 franchise career has since continued as a sought-after senior statesman of the art of swing bowling.

Northern Brave keeper-batter BERNADINE BEZUIDENHOUT brought down her international curtain just three days after last year’s Outright ‘retirements edition’, after representing both South Africa (2014 to 2015) and the White Ferns (from 2018).

Bezuidenhout has continued on Domestically, while also founding a non-profit social enterprise, The EPIC Sports Project Charitable Trust, and raising awareness of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), which derailed her health and career for two years in the middle of her New Zealand chapter.

The 31-year-old said finding the right balance after her heartfelt pivot to her off-field projects was at the forefront of a difficult decision to retire, after 49 international appearances in all.

Central Hinds stalwart MIKAELA FRANKS (née Greig) can meanwhile look back on a sole White Ferns cap, and it’s a special memory even though she got run out for a duck by her partner.

Franks debuted for Central fresh from Levin’s Waiopehu College, and gave 12 seasons of service before calling time at the end of March. Captain in both formats for the Hinds in her final season, she was on fire with the bat and had her best summer in 2023/24,  winning NZ A as well as White Ferns selections for the first time. Making the previous summer’s Super Smash Grand Final and winning the HBJ in 2019 are other proud highlights from a gritty career conducted from the backblocks of Shannon.

Another Central stalwart officially now in life-after-cricket mode is BEN SMITH. Now 34, he started his career from Whanganui, representing the Stags from 2010/11 until the end of 2023 in 71 one-day, 71 first-class and 42 T20 matches.

The top order nugget’s record includes 3,506 Plunket Shield runs at a 30+ average and six first-class hundreds — including a knock of 244 which is the Stags' fourth highest of all time, from a summer in which he scored three first-class centuries.

“Smudge” could be just as immutable in one-day cricket, producing an unbeaten 149* at Saxton Oval in 2019/20, and 145 in Hamilton two years ago in a 252-run partnership with Brad Schmulian. He averages over 30 in that format as well, holding the Stags’ second-wicket List A record of 224 from that Nelson exhibition with George Worker.

NEIL WAGNER will never regret deciding to play one more Domestic season after his last game for the Blackcaps. “Wags” had been trying to win the Plunket Shield, first with Otago and latterly with ND, for 17 years. He succeeded in his final game in New Zealand this summer, with a match-winning bag to boot.

Fairytale endings don’t get better than that, and there were more than a few songs sung in his honour in Dunedin as Northern celebrated their drought-breaking title as well as their champion bowler’s inspirational career.

Wagner intends to continue on to Durham for one last County stint this winter, body permitting. His 849 first-class wickets is a phenomenal tally that ranks him behind only four other New Zealand players over the last century.

With a career away from cricket, JESSE PRASAD is retiring at just 26, after four seasons with the Auckland Hearts followed by two with Northern Districts, tallying 77 Domestic appearances overall.

Last summer delivered her maiden bag (5/40) with her right-arm pace in the HBJ. Cricket’s loss will be everyone else’s gain as she fully focuses now on her rewarding career as a Health Coach, a degree and post-graduate diploma in Health Sciences behind her.

ND also officially farewells ANURAG VERMA, one of their brainy cluster of cricketing mechanical engineers. “Rags” got his BE with first-class honours and at 34, is now an associate director of Beca in Singapore, for whom he was previously a senior engineer in New Zealand.

A sharp young paceman at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup, Verma debuted for ND a few years later in 2011. He also spent three years mid-career with Wellington, but serious back injuries led to frustratingly long periods out of the game. His final game for ND was in early 2022, finishing with 177 wickets overall across the three formats, including a first-class 7/82; 5/44 in The Ford Trophy and a Super Smash best of 4/27.

LOUIS DELPORT’s Auckland teammates are going to really feel it when preseason training kicks off this year. No one brought more energy or a broader smile to the sheds than Delport who will be remembered for a lot more than his celebratory backflips.

Now 37, the left-arm spinner was a late bloomer in Domestic cricket but, from playing on postage stamps in front of a herd of cows at national club champs to entertaining the Super Smash crowds, he took it all in his stride. He’d made his first-class and T20 debuts in South Africa when he was in his late 20s, then emigrated and got his first Auckland call-up in 2017/18.

Even then, it took Delport another couple of seasons to get a white-ball cap, but he retires with 35 T20 wickets at just 22.17, and 51 List A wickets with a best of 4/16 — all for the Aces. He had the massive pleasure of bowling his arm off to Tom Bruce on Auckland’s outer oval during the Plunket Shield this past summer (Bruce scored 345), but his 7/88 and 7/78 in consecutive seasons a few years ago probably ranks higher among his favourite memories. All up, Delport snaffled 97 first-class wickets, and his fearless lower order batting was nothing but entertaining.

Wellington will also head into the new summer without some much loved faces. IAIN McPEAKE put the full stop on his long, loyal Firebirds career with one last wicket to end the last Plunket Shield match at the Basin this season.

It was the Lower Hutt-born paceman's 154th first-class wicket. “Big John” took five first-class bags and a best of 5/21, and one match haul of 10/51 in the format in which he first debuted, at the same ground, in March 2016. He also has a 5/40 List A best.

"For a long time I just wanted to get one game — so to have had the privilege to play for so many years, and be a part of many incredible matches, is something I'll cherish forever,” he said, now turning his attention to finishing his building apprenticeship.

DEANNA DOUGHTY played her last match for Wellington Blaze in early 2023, and has now also officially hung up the boots.

Like McPeake, Wellington was her lifelong Association. Her career and contributions —  almost exclusively with the ball, began as a teen in 2011 and took in a golden era for Wellington women’s cricket. The leg-spinner took 109 one-day wickets in the gold, including two bags and a 5/26 PB. She is one of only four players to have taken 100 List A wickets for the team, and you can add 68 T20 victims, with a best of 4/13 from 155 overall appearances.

The team at NZCPA wishes all our retiring players much success and enjoyment in their next endeavours as we stay connected on the other side of the boundary