Then there was Shivnarine Chanderpaul - quiet, polite and unassuming, but deadly with the bat.
The unorthodox left-hander has had a brilliant year and is expected to shine again when his side plays the Black Caps in the first test at the University Oval, starting on Thursday.
The 2008 ICC cricketer of the year was quick to play down his success.
"It has been a pretty OK year so far. I'm just hoping that will continue and I'm looking to keep on top of my game," he said in what was possibly the understatement of the year.
Chanderpaul tops the ICC test batting rankings and is the fourth-ranked ODI batsman.
He scored a staggering 442 runs at an average of 147.33 in the home series against Australia earlier this year.
Only Brian Lara, Viv Richards and Garry Sobers have scored more runs for the West Indies in tests.
Chanderpaul needs just 32 more runs to pass Sobers (8032), widely considered one of cricket's greatest players.
Milestones are nice but what motivates the 34-year-old is a desire to keep improving and to help his side improve.
"I want to see us back on top of the world table."
It is the first time the West Indies have played a test in Dunedin since the acrimonious 1980 match, when Michael Holding kicked down the stumps after his appeal for having John Parker caught behind was denied.
New Zealand won the dramatic match by one wicket when Stephen Boock and Gary Troup sneaked through for a leg bye.
Meanwhile, new Black Caps coach Andy Moles had his plans fly out the window yesterday as poor weather forced the Black Caps to train inside.
"It's frustrating," he said.
"Obviously, I'd been looking forward to the first training session . . . woke up very early at 5.30pm . . . looked outside and it was raining. So it all changed."
