CMC – New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy grabbed a sensational 23 wickets in the just concluded three-Test series against West Indies to become his country’s highest-ever wicket taker in a calendar year.
The 31-year-old pacer, who was named Player-of-the-Series, had only played in one Test match prior to the series against West Indies, but grabbed three five-wicket hauls to end the year with 81 wickets across all formats.
He broke the previous record of 79 wickets set by Richard Hadlee in 1985.
Jacob Duffy was outstanding in the Test series against West Indies, snaring 23 wickets.
Duffy’s 23 wickets at an average of 15.43, also set a new New Zealand record for most wickets in a single home Test series, surpassing Trent Boult’s 20 wickets which he took in 2013, also against the West Indies.
During the series, Duffy emerged as New Zealand’s pace spearhead amid an injury-hit bowling attack that saw the home side lose senior quicks Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke to injuries.
His impressive performance helped New Zealand clinch the Test series 2-0, to go along with their 3-1 victory in the T20I series and 3-0 win in the ODIs.
“I’m just enjoying my career, I don’t know. I don’t look at things too holistically I guess,” Duffy said after the series-clinching win.
“It has been an awesome ride; it’s been testing with all the bowlers going down and obviously the workload is pretty high.
“But I guess the fact that Tommy [Tom Latham] keeps asking me to bowl the ball, I’d like to view that as a bit of a privilege. You just get to trust you to keep bowling and doing the good stuff, so that’s what I’m trying to do,” he added.