Top 5 Tests between New Zealand and West Indies

#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.