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Best of Trans-Tasman Test series

3 minute read

From Richard Hadlee's heroics in 1985 to the drawn series of 2001 and 2011, the Trans-Tasman Test series has made for some of the best battles.

BEST TEST SERIES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

1973-74 in New Zealand (1-1)

New Zealand snatched their first Test win over Australia to draw the series off the back of Glenn Turner's runs and Richard Collinge's 17 wickets. After a drawn first Test where bat dominated ball in Wellington, Turner hit an unbeaten 110 to help New Zealand chase down 230 to claim a historic five-wicket win in the second Test. Australia fought back to win the third convincingly, leaving the series level at 1-1.

1985-86 in Australia (New Zealand 2-1)

Again the scene of a New Zealand triumph and their only series win in Australia. Richard Hadlee was at his best taking 9-52 and 6-71 in the first Test in Brisbane to help the Black Caps to a monstrous innings-and-41-run victory. Australia chased down 260 with four wickets in hand to win in Adelaide, but Hadlee again starred with 11 wickets in Perth to claim the series.

1993-94 in Australia (2-1 Australia)

Shane Warne's domination of New Zealand began with 18 wickets at 16.94, while Steve Waugh also averaged 216 for the series. The first match was drawn in Perth but the Aussies did a job on the Black Caps in Adelaide and Brisbane.

2001-02 in Australia (0-0)

The 0-0 scoreline didn't do justice to how good the three-Test series actually was. New Zealand needed 15 runs and Australia required four wickets off the last over in Brisbane to claim a win in a rain-affected Test, after Steve Waugh set the Black Caps 284 for victory. Rain ruined the second Test in Hobart, while Australia were 7-381 chasing 440 at stumps on the final day in Perth after New Zealand twice declared their innings nine down.

2011-12 in Australia (1-1)

Australia's dominance looked set to continue when a Michael Clarke century set up a nine-wicket win at the Gabba. In the second Test the hosts rolled New Zealand for 150 in the first innings in Hobart but from there it was all the visitors andmostly Doug Bracewell. The Kiwi quick took 3-20 in the first innings and then 6-40 in the second. It helped have the Aussies all out for 233 chasing 241, as David Warner's maiden Test century proved in vain. It was New Zealand's first Test win over Australia in 18 years.