Top 5 Tests between New Zealand and West Indies

#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?