Cricket: New Zealand's top best test wins overseas.
November 8-12, 1985
bt Australia by an innings and 41 runs, Brisbane
AKA Hadlee's test, this remains the most comprehensive beating of the near neighbours. Hadlee's nine for 52 remains the sixth best figures in a test innings; only two players have taken more than his 15 wickets in that match. Add in Martin Crowe's magnificent 188, John F. Reid's century and it was a seriously decisive win. Okay, it wasn't Australia's finest team. They had a flabby middle order and have had far better bowling attacks. Still, it was Australia and the fact that it set up our first series win over them made it more special.
November 24-29, 1988
bt India by 136 runs, Mumbai
Most distinctive memory of a terrific win? When Kapil Dev, who was threatening to rip away New Zealand's grip, slapped John Bracewell hard to point. Captain John Wright, not usually given to over-the-top celebrations, clutched the catch, then danced a jig on the spot. The Indians were strong -- Kris Srikkanth, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Navjot Sidhu, Ravi Shastri, Kapil plus demanding spinners -- but New Zealand, after leading the first innings by two runs, were able to leave a challenging target of 282. Bracewell snared six for 51, giving him eight wickets for the match. Richard Hadlee took 10 for 88.
November 25-29 1994
bt South Africa by 137 runs, Johannesburg
A victory often forgotten because after it, riven by off-field ill-discipline, New Zealand fell apart, losing the second and third tests and playing poorly in the following ODI series against Pakistan and the hosts. But New Zealand completely dominated the test. They passed 400 in their first innings, with solid contributions from the four middle order batsmen, Stephen Fleming, Martin Crowe, Ken Rutherford and Shane Thompson, plus a 57-run sting in the tail from Simon Doull and Richard de Groen. They then dismissed South Africa for 279 and after leaving the hosts 327 to win, left arm spinner Matthew Hart had easily his best test day, taking five for 77. Doull took four for 33 as the last eight wickets tumbled for 89.
December 9-12, 2011
bt Australia by seven runs, Hobart
Hands down the most thrilling of this group. Given a bath at Brisbane a week earlier, no one saw this coming. New Zealand looked to have blown it when dismissed for 150, Dean Brownlie's 56 the only score past 20. But the New Zealand bowlers responded impressively to secure a 14-run lead. The ball continued to duck and wobble about. Australia were left 241 to win. Step up Doug Bracewell who ripped through the middle-lower order. At 199 for nine it seemed all over. But David Warner aided by Nathan Lyon helping out, pulling Australia within two good blows of victory. It was then Bracewell finished it, giving him match figures of 9-60 and prompting emotional celebrations.
November 26-30, 2014
bt Pakistan by an innings and 80 runs
Easily the most bizarre of this set. A match played, from the second day on, in an eerie atmosphere by players who didn't really want to be there after Phillip Hughes's death. Mark Craig took 10 for 203; Brendon McCullum smeared the Pakistani attack for 202, sharing a rollicking, record-setting 297-run second wicket stand with Kane Williamson.
It was test cricket, but not as we'd seen it before. Wickets were not celebrated. The atmosphere was deliberately low key. In time, the New Zealand players will probably reflect on this as one of the finest test wins. Did the tragic backdrop have a significant bearing on the way the match played out? Certainly it did on the manner in which the New Zealanders played their cricket.
By David Leggat of the New Zealand Herald
