Top 5 Tests between New Zealand and West Indies

We are only a few hours away from the commencement of the first Test of the New Zealand-West Indies series. The Windies tour the country for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The Test series will begin at Wellington.

So far, both nations have played 45 Tests with both teams winning 13 Tests each and the remaining 19 Tests ending in a draw. Over the past 65 years, both teams have played some exciting and amazing Test matches. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 5 Tests between New Zealand and West Indies.

#5 Dunedin, December 2013

West Indies toured New Zealand for a month between the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. The first Test of that tour was held at Dunedin. West Indies won the toss and skipper Darren Sammy elected to field first.

New Zealand got off to a brilliant start with openers Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton both notching up fifties. However, the real treat for the fans was the partnership between Ross Taylor and skipper Brendon McCullum. The duo put up 195 runs for the fourth wicket and McCullum scored a steady 113 from 134 balls before being bowled by his opposite number Sammy.

However, Taylor continued to dazzle and scored his first Test double-hundred. He received brilliant support from BJ Watling, Ish Sodhi and Neil Wagner who scored 41, 35 and 37 respectively. The hosts declared their innings at 609/9 with Taylor remaining unbeaten on 217.

In reply, West Indies could only manage 213 with veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul scoring 76. The Kiwi bowling was remarkable with Tim Southee picking up four wickets while Trent Boult and Ish Sodhi picked up three and two wickets respectively.

West Indies were forced to follow-on knowing they may very well be on the verge of an innings defeat. However, Marlon Samuels made the difference by smashing 218. He received tremendous support from Kirk Edwards, Narsingh Deonarine and Darren Sammy who scored 59, 52 and 80 respectively.

West Indies scored 507 in their second innings and New Zealand were given a target of just 112 to win the match. However, Shane Shillingford restricted them to 79/4 at the end of the final day to draw the game.

#4 Auckland, February-March, 1969

Seymour Nurse's 168 helped West Indies complete the then second highest run-chase in Tests

Auckland was the venue for the first of three Tests between New Zealand and West Indies in 1969. West Indies won the toss and skipper Gary Sobers opted to field first. The Kiwi batsmen were faltering but thanks to Bruce Taylor’s 111-ball 124 and Bevan Congdon’s 85, they put up 323 in their first innings. Among the Windies bowlers, Richard Edwards and Lance Gibbs picked up three wickets each.

In reply, West Indies lost Roy Fredericks early before Joey Carew and Seymour Nurse added 172 for the second wicket. The former scored a career-best 109 while the latter scored 95. The remainder of the Windies batting did not contribute much and the visitors were dismissed for 276. The Kiwi bowlers took wickets consistently with Dick Motz and Bryan Yuile picking up three wickets each while Bruce Taylor and Victor Pollard picked up two apiece.

In New Zealand’s second innings, fifties from skipper Dowling and Victor Pollard took the hosts to 297/8. They declared at this stage and West Indies were given a target of 345 to win.

Windies openers Roy Fredericks and Joey Carew scored 23 and 38 respectively before the partnership between Seymour Nurse and Basil Butcher began. Nurse and Butcher added 174 for the third wicket before the former was dismissed for a 215-ball 168. Butcher batted on and took West Indies past the finish line at 348/5. It was the second-highest run-chase in Test cricket at the time and continues to be the highest Test run-chase in New Zealand.

#3 Bridgetown, June 2014

Williamson's 161 was instrumental in New Zealand beating the Windies in the deciding Test of the series in 2014

Featuring in this list is the most recent Test match between New Zealand and West Indies. It was the decisive Test of the three-match series which was tied 1-1. Bridgetown was the venue and New Zealand batted first after winning the toss.

A fifty from Jimmy Neesham and scores of 40+ from Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Mark Craig took New Zealand to 293 in their first innings. Suliemann Benn picked up five wickets while Kemar Roach picked up four.

In reply, West Indies scored 317 thanks to fifties from Kirk Edwards and Kraigg Brathwaite and useful contributions from Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin and Jason Holder.

In the second innings, Williamson played a brilliant knock of 161 and Jimmy Neesham scored 51 as New Zealand declared their innings on 331/7. West Indies were given a target of 308 to win the match. Trent Boult and Tim Southee went on a rampage in the second innings, sending the Windies batsmen back to the pavilion in quick succession.

West Indies were struggling at 144/7 before skipper Jason Holder and Shane Shillingford gave them some hope through their 77-run partnership. Holder reached his fifty before being bowled by Craig. Benn and Jerome Taylor tried to assist Shane Shillingford in keeping West Indies in the hunt. However, both were dismissed and New Zealand won the match by 53 runs to take the series 2-1.

#2 Auckland, March 2006

Shane Bond's fifer helped New Zealand snatch a win against West Indies from the jaws of defeat

West Indies’ tour of New Zealand began disastrously as they lost the one-off T20 and then the ODI series 1-4. They would now play three Tests, the first of which would be held at Eden Park in Auckland. West Indies won the toss and skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul opted to field first.

New Zealand were off to a poor start, struggling at 69/4 before a 71-run partnership between Nathan Astle and Scott Styris brought them back in the game. Astle was dismissed for 51 but Styris kept on dominating the Windies bowlers, eventually reaching his century. Styris remained unbeaten on 103 as New Zealand ended their first innings at 275. Ian Bradshaw and Dwayne Smith both took three wickets each.

In reply, West Indies scored 257 thanks to fifties from Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo. Chris Martin was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 3/80 while Shane Bond, Styris and Daniel Vettori took two wickets each.

In the second innings, New Zealand again struggled before Brendon McCullum’s 74 put them in a decent position. McCullum formed partnerships of 64 and 62 with Vettori (33) and Bond (18) respectively as the hosts were dismissed for 272. West Indies were given a target of 291 to win with over two days left.

They got off to a terrific start as openers Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga added 148 for the first wicket. Astle broke the partnership by dismissing Gayle for 82. Then, Bond took centre stage by picking up wickets in quick succession. Astle picked up his second wicket by dismissing the dangerous Ganga for 95. The remainder of the Windies batting crumbled. Bond eventually took a five-wicket haul to give New Zealand the narrowest of wins by 27 runs.

#1 Dunedin, February 1980

Richard Hadlee produced one of his finest all-round performances to help New Zealand edge out West Indies

Low-scoring Test matches often turn out to be thrillers. West Indies won the toss and skipper Clive Lloyd opted to bat first. Richard Hadlee tore the mighty Windies batting apart with his 5 for 34. Lloyd managed to score 55 but the Windies were bundled out for 140.

Hadlee impressed with the bat as well, as his 51 and Bruce Edgar’s 65 took the hosts to 249 in their first innings. Colin Croft was the pick of the Windies bowlers with 4/63.

In the second innings, Hadlee dazzled once again as he took 6/68. However, Desmond Haynes’ 105 took West Indies to 212. Nevertheless, New Zealand had to chase only 104 to win the match.

However, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft bamboozled the Kiwi batting with their brilliant bowling and New Zealand were staring at a defeat at 54/7. However, Hadlee and Lance Cairns added 19 crucial runs for the 8th wicket before the former was bowled by Garner. Cairns and Gary Troup kept their calm and batted patiently to take New Zealand to 100, four runs short of the win.

Then came another twist in the tale as Holding dismissed Cairns with West Indies now needing just a wicket to win. Troup and Stephen Boock took their time and patiently scored the remaining four runs to script a narrow and memorable win for New Zealand. They don’t get much better than this, do they?