Tom Blundell #statchat

Eight men’s Test debutants have come in at #8 and scored a century. Half of them are @BLACKCAPS. #NZvWI #Statchat

— NZ Cricket Museum (@NZCricketMuseum) December 2, 2017

More gold from the NZ Cricket Museum. But who are the other three?

Today Tom Blundell became the 11th New Zealander to score a century on test debut. And he became the first specialist wicket keeper to do so.

The moment provided the sort of tension that only test cricket can provide, and the sort of tension that is quite hard to explain to people who don’t.

After all, New Zealand had a lead approaching 400, but suddenly he ground became riveted willing one player on to score 10 more runs.

Having batted with confidence since he walked out to the crease yesterday he then became the aggressor this morning with New Zealand 9 wickets down. But when he reached 90 it became a different story.

He spent 41 balls in the 90s.

He, and Boult, kept their composure, with the drama being heightened by a couple of very drawn out DRS reviews. But he made it, and then hit his first international six to celebrate.

The last product of Wellington College made a five ball pair on debut (that translates as surviving three balls out of five). He would later score a test century in South Africa.

In other, non Ben Stokes related, Ford Trophy news BJ Watling is playing as a batsman only for Northern Districts today.

Trent Boult deserves a lot of credit for this too. Blundell was on 55 when Boult came in. His innings of 18 off 60 balls was uncharacteristic but showed that he is a bloody good team mate.

The last wicket unbeaten stand of 78 is the highest 10th wicket stand by New Zealand at the Basin Reserve

Then there is this piece of cricketing stat quirkiness.

Trent Boult has never been dismissed when he’s faced more than 27 balls.

— Michael Wagener (@Mykuhl) December 2, 2017

For the record the other three are Bruce Taylor, Scott Styris and Jimmy Neesham.  And the previous Wellington College old boy was James Franklin.