You can’t necessarily tell by looking at him, but there are few who can hit a cricket ball as hard or as far as Mitchell Santner.
And yet, after another Santner special helped the Black Caps secure a One-Day International series win over the West Indies, the white ball captain’s heroics with the bat are arguably becoming his most important contribution to the side.
Walking to the wicket at 194/5 needing 54 runs off 29 balls, Santner hammered three fours and cleared the ropes twice to be 34 not out off just 15 balls, as the Black Caps chased down 248 from 34 overs with three deliveries to spare in Napier.
“Credit to Mitch, and the way he’s been playing not only in this game, but throughout the summer so far,” said Devon Conway, who himself made 90 at McLean Park.
“He’s been awesome with the bat. He’s been putting bowlers under pressure, he’s been striking it really well. [He’s] leading from the front with bat and ball.
“He’s just a good leader all round. There was a moment there when we lost a couple of wickets, and we were on the back foot.
“But the way he came in and got 30 off 10, at one point, was outstanding.”
Standing at 1.83m tall, Santner is built more like a long distance runner than the kind of power hitter that modern cricket showcases.
But for all the time batters spend in gyms and range hitting in the nets, Santner’s natural ball-striking ability speaks for itself.
Since his international debut in 2015, the first string to Santner’s bow has been his left-arm spin. His ability to deliver the ball from that height, coupled with his skills in varying his pace and flight has made Santner one of the best in the white ball game.
And while those skills are not in question by any means, Santner’s batting has - you could argue - moved him into the category of being a genuine all-rounder.
Across all three forms of the game this year, Santner has held the No 7 position in the Black Caps’ batting order.
In five ODIs to start the home summer, he’s scored 133 runs at an average of over 44 and a strike rate of nearly 139. In T20s, those numbers read 113 runs from four innings at an average of 56.50, and a strike rate of over 209.
Holding that No 7 position is no easy feat, especially in T20 cricket.
At best, you arrive at the crease with a few balls left in the innings, all of which should be attempted to hit to the boundary. At worst, you’re coming in after a top order collapse, and having to rebuild.
With a T20 World Cup on the horizon, Santner’s ability to finish innings off are a luxury that Black Caps coach Rob Walter will relish, especially given the lack of seam bowling all-rounders at New Zealand’s disposal.
For the Black Caps, Santner’s ability to strike the ball is nothing new. The 33-year-old has been a scratch golfer since his teens, and is renowned for his ability to drive in excess of 300 yards.
Generally, the cliche with all-rounders is that it takes twice as long for a player to truly develop into the full package, given that your time in training is split between both skills.
But now in his mid-thirties, Santner’s opponents are learning that he might be touching his full potential.
Already this summer, Santner has hit a vital 34 not out to guide New Zealand to a series-sealing win over England in Hamilton, before hitting a ball out of Wellington’s Sky Stadium against the same opponents three days later.
Then, as the West Indies arrived in New Zealand, an unbeaten 55 from just 28 balls nearly rescued victory from the jaws of defeat in the first T20 at Eden Park.
And while cameos of 18 not out and 11 followed in Auckland and Christchurch respectively, Santner’s latest innings has earned the ire of the tourists.
“Santner has been a real thorn in our backs,” said bowler Matthew Forde. “Well played to him.
“He’s a very good player, a very experienced player. We’ve tried different things at him. So far, he’s been able to counter everything.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.