GREAT MOMENTS . . .
1 Who will ever forget that humid November day in Brisbane in 1985 when Richard Hadlee took nine for 52? It was a summer worth of highlights rolled into one superb bowling spell. It was perhaps the best display of fast bowling ever seen. Paddles was simply majestic.
2 In March, 1974 opener Glenn Turner became the first New Zealander to score back-to-back 100s in each innings of a test. More importantly, his fantastic double helped New Zealand beat Australia for the first time. He carried his bat in the second innings to make certain of victory. Superb.
3 Hadlee again. This time for taking 11 wickets in the final test in Perth in 1985 to help New Zealand complete its first series victory against Australia. He took 33 wickets during the three-match series and was the man-of-the-match in first and third tests.
4 On a helpful Eden Park pitch in March 1986, the stooped figure of John Bracewell took six for 32 to destroy Australia's second innings. The offspinner became just second New Zealand slow bowler to take 10 wickets in a match.
5 Hadlee took nine for 52 and grabbed the headlines. But Martin Crowe helped complete a huge win with a masterful innings of 188 - the highest score by a New Zealander against Australia. His stand of 224 for the third wicket with John Reid was a New Zealand record against all countries.
DARK DAYS . . .
1 The first official test against Australia in March 1946 was a dreadfully one-sided encounter with Australia winning by an innings and 103 runs. Heavy rain had damaged the pitch and the game was played on a substitute wicket. Bill O'Reilly and Ernie Toshack proved to be unplayable, picking up 14 wickets between them. On the strength of that performance Australia refused to play New Zealand until 1973.
2 Imagine a top six including Blair Pocock, Dipak Patel and Chris Harris. And a bowling attack featuring Richard De Groen and Murphy Su'a. That devastating line-up fronted for the second test in Hobart in November 1993. The result - New Zealand's heaviest loss to Australia. An innings and 222 runs. Ouch.
3 November 2004. Brisbane. Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath blazed half-centuries. McGrath even tonked a six. New Zealand collapsed to be all out for 76 in its second innings. Very big loss. Enough said.
