Warren Lees followed Ken Wadsworth into the New Zealand side and soon proved himself a capable wicketkeeper-batsman. In only his third Test, against Pakistan at Karachi in 1976-77, he made 152 at a time new Zealand were in deep trouble and followed with 46 in the second innings to save the match. He was very unfortunate to be left out of the tour of England in 1978, arguably being a better wicketkeeper and batsman than Jock Edwards, his replacement, who was described by one journalists as the worst wicketkeeper he had ever seen! He returned to England the following year as part the New Zealand side which reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, but the emergence of Ian Smith meant that this opportunities thereafter were limited. In 1982-83 he took five catches in an innings and eight in the match against Sri Lanka at Wellington, and played his final Tests on the 1983 tour of England. He returned to coach New Zealand between 1990 and 1993.
Martin Williamson