New Zealand find a new lifesaver in run-scoring machine Daryl Mitchell

Daryl Mitchell celebrates reaching his 50 during the third Test cricket match between England and New Zealand. Pic/ AFP

Five innings, 2 hundreds, 2 fifites, 451 runs, and an average of 150, makes for pretty incredible reading. But these numbers haven't been posted by Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli or Babar Azam. These numbers have been posted by...Daryl Mitchell.

Less than a year ago, people could be forgiven for not knowing who Mitchell is, but a whirlwind rise that started during the World T20 last October still continues to this day.

In all three Test matches against England so far, New Zealand have found themselves in sticky situations only to bailed out by the 31-year-old middle-order batsman.

It's worth noting that were it not for an injury to Henry Nicholls ahead of the first game, Mitchell may not even have played the series. Now he has scores of 108, 190, 62' and 78' (at the end of day's play in the third Test). Mitchell's latest rescue act has seen him take New Zealand from a vulnerable 83-4 to an advantageous 225/5.

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Such is New Zealand's new found batting depth, and Mitchell's fantastic form, that he slotted in seamlessly and did the sort of rescue jobs former wicketkeeper BJ Watling became known for.

Mitchell now appears to be a pivotal part of the Blackcaps' Test and T20I team, it seems only a matter of time before he rules the roost in the ODI setup as well where he already has 1 hundred in 2 innings.