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James Neesham Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 4 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth17 September 1990

Age34 Years

BirthplaceAuckland, New Zealand

ProfessionCricketer (Batting all-rounder)

NationalityNew Zealander

Marital statusUnmarried

James Neesham Biography

James Douglas Sheahan Neesham is a New Zealand batting all-rounder known for powerful strokeplay and useful medium-pace bowling. A left-handed batter and a

Early life and background

James Douglas Sheahan Neesham was born on 17 September 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand. Commonly called Jimmy, he grew up in his hometown of Auckland and attended Auckland Grammar School. He is a New Zealander by nationality and is described as a Christian. Physically, Neesham stands about 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and has brown hair and brown eyes.

Career

Neesham established himself in New Zealand domestic cricket before moving between several domestic and franchise sides internationally. He began his professional career with Auckland and later represented the Otago Volts. His all-round performances in limited-overs cricket helped him earn recognition and selection for higher-profile competitions, including the Champions League T20.

He made his international Twenty20 debut on 21 December 2012 against South Africa in Durban. His One Day International debut followed on 19 January 2013 against South Africa at Boland Park. Neesham made his Test debut on 14 February 2014 against India at the Basin Reserve, a match in which he scored 137. That century, achieved batting at number eight on debut, was the highest score by a debutant at that position and played a decisive role in New Zealand’s victory in the fixture.

Neesham is a left-handed batter and a right-arm medium-pace bowler. He is known for a strong pull shot and has worn jersey number 50 for New Zealand and number 5 while with Otago. In domestic and franchise cricket he has moved between teams and competitions: he played in the Champions League T20 where his form drew particular attention, and was named Man of the Match and highlighted by the tournament coverage. In 2014 he was signed by the Delhi Daredevils for the Indian Premier League and later joined Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League that year.

In subsequent seasons Neesham continued to play in various T20 competitions. He was associated with Kolkata Knight Riders for the IPL 2015 season, although injury prevented him playing a match and he was not retained the following season. In 2016 he appeared for Derbyshire in the NatWest T20 Blast; in June 2017 he turned out for Kent in the same competition. Ahead of the 2018–19 New Zealand domestic season, he signed with Wellington.

On the international stage Neesham has produced notable limited-overs performances. On 3 January 2019 in an ODI against Sri Lanka he scored 34 runs that included five sixes; that effort produced the highest number of runs scored in a single over by a New Zealand batsman in an ODI at the time. He was selected in New Zealand’s squad for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. The tournament opener on 1 June 2019 also marked his 50th ODI appearance. During the World Cup he recorded his first five-wicket haul in ODIs in a match against Afghanistan; that effort also brought up his 50th ODI wicket.

Public profile

Neesham’s playing style and on-field exploits have made him a recognizable figure in both New Zealand and franchise cricket circles. He has been noted for his all-round contributions and for moments of match-winning aggression with the bat. He has also attracted attention off the field, including a controversial social media post in May 2019 related to an IPL decision that he later deleted and addressed.

Personal life

Neesham is unmarried. Media profiles have linked him romantically with Alex McLeod, a netball player, though his immediate family details and parents’ names are not publicly listed in the available material. He lists non-vegetarian food preferences and enjoys activities such as rugby and golf. He has cited MS Dhoni and Martin Guptill among batsmen he admires, and Tim Southee as a bowler he respects. Neesham has also mentioned Celine Dion as a favorite singer and Chinese cuisine among preferred foods.

Latest updates

As of the most recent season covered, Neesham continued to represent New Zealand across formats and to be active in domestic and franchise competitions. His move to Wellington for the 2018–19 season and his contributions during the 2019 World Cup, including a maiden ODI five-wicket haul, are among the latest highlighted milestones in his career.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about James Neesham, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

2019 ICC Cricket World Cup

Selected in New Zealand's 2019 World Cup squad; recorded first ODI five-wicket haul and reached 50 ODI wickets during the tournament.

2019
Wellington (2018–19 season)

Signed with Wellington ahead of the 2018–19 New Zealand domestic season.

2018
Otago Volts

Key domestic team where he made a name for himself and wore jersey number 5.

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Career Highlights

  1. Test debut century (137) at number eight against India on 14 February 2014
  2. Named Man of the Match and highlighted in the Champions League T20
  3. Scored five sixes in an over-inclusive innings against Sri Lanka on 3 January 2019, producing the most runs in a single over by a New Zealand batsman in an ODI at the time
  4. Selected for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and took his first ODI five-wicket haul during the tournament
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was James Neesham born?

James Neesham was born on 17 September 1990.

What is James Neesham known for?

James Neesham is known for cricketer (Batting all-rounder).

What is James Neesham’s marital status?

James Neesham's marital status is listed as Unmarried.