Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Neil Douglas McKenzie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, South Africa |
24 November 1975 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting style | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling style | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relations | Kevin McKenzie (father), Megan McKenzie (sister) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 277) | 20 July 2000 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 6 March 2009 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 59) | 2 February 2000 v Zimbabwe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 30 January 2009 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI shirt no. | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2016 | Hampshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2004/05–2009/10 | Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008 | Durham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007 | Somerset | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1999/00–2003/04 | Northerns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1997/98–1998/99 | Gauteng | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1994/95–1996/97 | Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 27 April 2013 |
Neil Douglas McKenzie (born 24 November 1975) is a South African former cricketer. He is a right-handed opening batsman who played for South Africa, making his first appearance in 2000. Strong on the leg side, he is also a very good player of spin. He plays for the Highveld Lions in South African domestic cricket and has also played county cricket for Somerset and Durham. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in January 2016.
Educated at King Edward VII School, McKenzie was a promising junior cricketer, captaining the South African Schools and Under-19 sides. McKenzie is married to one of the most famous South African models, Kerry McGregor. His sister, Megan, is also a leading model in South Africa.
His Test debut came as an opening batsman in a tour of Sri Lanka but like his father Kevin McKenzie he soon cemented his place in the South African middle order before returning to the side as an opener later in his career. McKenzie made his maiden Test hundred against New Zealand in 2000–01. Another century soon came, against Sri Lanka at Supersport Park but it would be his last for seven years. From there on in he could not convert his twelve 50s into hundreds although he came close when he was run out by Damien Martyn for 99. After a series of low scores was dropped from the side. After showing excellent form in domestic cricket, and due to successive poor performances by opener Herschelle Gibbs, he was recalled to the South African Test squad three and a half years later for the second Test against the West Indies at Newlands. Opening the innings, McKenzie scored 23 before a torn calf muscle meant he was unable to bat in the second innings and would miss the third Test of the series. A further development as a result of his recall was that Somerset announced that it was unlikely that McKenzie would return to the club for the 2008 season, having played in 2007 as a Kolpak player. It was subsequently announced that he would play part of the 2008 season for Durham as an overseas player.