- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 218,133
The Boxing Day cricket test will write a new chapter in New Zealand this summer.
After previously being staged at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, then Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, the on-off fixture this year moves to Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval, with the Black Caps taking on Pakistan in the first test of a two-match series.
Ahead of its return to the calendar, Stuff looks back on the seven previous editions, which have thrown up no shortage of action.
1998 – New Zealand v India, Basin Reserve, Wellington
India 208 (M Azharuddin 103no; S Doull 7-65) and 356 (S Tendulkar 113; D Nash 3-20) lost to New Zealand 352 (D Nash 89no, D Vettori 57, N Astle 56; A Kumble 4-83) and 215-6 (C McMillan 74no, C Cairns 61; J Srinath 3-82) by 4 wickets.
Man of the match: Simon Doull
In the first-ever Boxing Day test on Kiwi shores, Simon Doull snared a seven-wicket haul on the opening day against India.
The inaugural Boxing Day test on Kiwi soil was the crowning glory of Simon Doull’s career.
More than 9000 fans baked in the heat at the Basin Reserve and rose and chanted Doull’s name as they were treated to an extra helping of Christmas goodness with his stunning 7-65.
Under an injury cloud with a calf strain going into the match, the right-arm swing bowler defied his troubles to produce what at the time were the fourth-best test innings bowling figures by a New Zealander, and which to this day remain eighth.
After India won the toss and elected to bat, Doull set the tone in striking with the final ball of the day’s first over to dismiss Navjot Sidhu, and soon enough added the scalps of Rahul Dravid, Ajay Jadeja and Sourav Ganguly to have the visitors in dire straits at 16-4.
After lunch, Doull returned to dismiss The Little Master – Sachin Tendulkar – and Nayan Mongia in the same over, then Anil Kumble to bring up his seven-for, before any thoughts of a Hadlee-esque nine-for, or even the full 10, were distinguished when the bottom three batsmen fell to other bowlers.
The December 27, 1998, edition of the Sunday Star Times shows how the fans were loving Simon Doull’s Boxing Day exploits.
A fighting 103 not out from captain Mohammad Azharuddin pushed India’s total to 208, which looked to be competitive when the hosts were seven down at the same score. However, some late-order heroics from Dion Nash (89 not out) and Daniel Vettori (57) saw New Zealand register a 144-run lead.
Tendulkar’s second-innings ton (113) got India to 356 and set the home side 213 to win, which looked a tricky task at 74-5 and with Nathan Astle retired hurt, but Craig McMillan (74no) and Chris Cairns (61) combined in a crucial stand to see it home before tea on the final day.
With the first match in Dunedin washed out and the third match in Hamilton drawn, the win meant New Zealand claimed the series 1-0.
1999 – New Zealand v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington
New Zealand 518-9 dec (M Sinclair 214, N Astle 93, S Fleming 67; R King 4-96, F Rose 3-113) beat West Indies 179 (B Lara 67, A Griffith 67; C Cairns 5-44) and 234 (B Lara 75; D Nash 4-38) by an innings and 105 runs.
Man of the match: Mathew Sinclair
The Boxing Day test concept was seemingly here to stay, and this time 10,000 punters poured through the gates on the opening day. They were again treated to a memorable performance from one of the home side’s players.
After an injury to opener Matt Horne in the first test win in Hamilton, Craig Spearman moved up to open with Gary Stead and one Mathew Sinclair came in at No 3 for a test debut.
And the 24-year-old, who was banging on the door by averaging above 45 at first-class level, delivered big time, with a stunning double century.
When his first scoring shot was a French cut for four, Sinclair thought it might just be his day. And so it proved, as he dined out on the Windies’ short-pitched attack to become the fifth New Zealander to score a hundred on test debut. His unbeaten 123 left his side in command at 263-3 at stumps on day one after being sent in.
Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming embraces Mathew Sinclair following his Boxing Day hundred at the Basin Reserve.
Then came day two and more magic from the swashbuckling right-hander, who continued to flay the tourists' attack in a huge 189-run stand with Nathan Astle (93).
Hooking Courtney Walsh (0-112 off 41 overs for the great quick) for four brought up the double hundred for the man known as ‘Skippy’.
In the end, he finished with 214 (off 447 balls, in 534 minutes, with 22 fours), which at the time was the second-equal highest score by a test debutant, and is still third-equal best.
New Zealand’s 518-9 declared proved far too many for the Windies, as despite the efforts of the great Brian Lara (67 and 75), a Chris Cairns five-for then Dion Nash four-for skittled them for 179 and 234 to seal victory with a day to spare, and claim the two-test series 2-0.
2000 – New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Basin Reserve, Wellington
New Zealand 487-7 dec (C McMillan 142, N Astle 141, M Richardson 75, A Parore 50no; B Strang 3-116) and 153-4 dec (S Fleming 55, N Astle 51no) drew with Zimbabwe 340-6 dec (G Rennie 93, A Flower 79, T Madondo 74no; C Martin 5-71) and 60-2.
Man of the match: Craig McMillan
After two momentous occasions in the first two years of the fixture, the third was an unfortunate bore draw in the Black Caps’ one-off encounter with Zimbabwe.
More than 7000 came through the gates but, thanks to a grey, lifeless deck, they were ‘treated’ to a first day where New Zealand crawled through at just over two runs an over to 190-4 at stumps from their 90 overs.
Groundsman Trevor Jackson seemed to overcook his Boxing Day recipe, and knew in the leadup he was in trouble with not enough grass cover and moisture in the pitch, which he kept covered in the two days before the match.
Thanks to centuries from Craig McMillan (142) and Nathan Astle (141), who shared in a massive 222-run fifth-wicket partnership, the hosts posted a healthy 487-7 declared, though that was early on the third day.
In reply, Zimbabwe then trudged along without much worry, either, with Gavin Rennie’s 93 off 323 balls anchoring an innings where Kiwi spinners Paul Wiseman (54 overs) and Brooke Walker (22 overs) were made to toil.
The tourists declared at 340-6 early on the final day, but the hosts took 40 overs to make their 153-4 declared, which set Zimbabwe 301 from a minimum of 43 overs.
In the end, it was far too unrealistic, and after 30 overs, with the visitors 60-2, the game was called off early, leaving everyone rather frustrated.
2001 – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington
Bangladesh 132 (C Cairns 3-24) and 135 (S Bond 4-54) lost to New Zealand 341-6 dec (M Richardson 83, C McMillan 70, S Fleming 61; M Islam 3-99) by an innings and 74 runs.
Man of the match: Craig McMillan
Boxing Day in 2001 saw New Zealand close catchers surround the woeful Bangladesh batsmen.
The fourth year of the fixture saw the opening-day crowd drop down to 6000, thanks mainly to the not-so-attractive proposition of a touring Bangladesh side who had only gained test status 18 months prior.
The tourists hadn’t offered much in the way of resistance in the first test of the two-match series in Hamilton, slumping to an innings defeat despite the first two days being washed out.
And they didn’t fare much better in the capital. Sent in, Bangladesh were rolled for 132 in 64 overs on a good batting strip, as five of the batsmen got in but fell for between 10 and 18 runs. In reply, the Black Caps cruised to 72-0 at stumps.
While day two was rained out, the Black Caps charged to 341-6 declared on day three, with first-test centurions Mark Richardson and Craig McMillan again leading the charge – the former with 83 off 167 balls and the latter with 70 off 71.
Shane Bond then ripped the top off the Tigers' order to send them to stumps at 67-5, and New Zealand duly wrapped things up on the first session of day four, bundling the Bangladeshis out for 135 to sweep the series 2-0.
2003 – New Zealand v Pakistan, Basin Reserve, Wellington
New Zealand 366 (J Oram 97, M Richardson 82; S Akhtar 5-48, S Ahmed 3-87) and 103 (S Akhtar 6-30) lost to Pakistan 196 (M Yousuf 60; I Butler 6-46) and 277-3 (M Yousuf 88no, I ul-Haq 72no, Y Hameed 59) by 7 wickets.
Man of the match: Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar terrorised the New Zealand batting lineup with an 11-wicket haul in the 2003 Boxing Day test.
The Boxing Day test went on a one-year hiatus in 2002 due to preparations for the 2003 World Cup, which saw an ODI against India played at Auckland’s Eden Park instead.
It returned to the calendar a year later, for what proved to be the Black Caps’ first home loss in the fixture, thanks to a dramatic second-innings collapse that saw Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar claim a remarkable 11-wicket match haul.
Having missed the first-test draw in Hamilton with hamstring and calf strains, Akhtar somewhat ominously reduced the Black Caps to 1-2 on the first morning, when he snared both Lou Vincent and Stephen Fleming in his second over after the hosts had opted to bat in front of 6000 windswept souls.
Richard Jones didn’t last long in what was to be his only test, though Mark Richardson hung in for a typically gutsy 82 off 286 balls, then Jacob Oram top-scored with 97 to propel the hosts to a healthy 366 despite Akhtar’s 5-48.
That total looked even better when Ian Butler ripped through the Pakistan lower order, claiming 6-46 as the visitors collapsed on day three from 168-4 to 196 all out, losing their last four wickets for just two runs.
However, while New Zealand got to 75-3 at stumps for a lead of 245, a big sense of complacency surely crept into the ranks, as in the first 17 overs on day four they crumbled in the face of Akhtar and company.
The Rawalpindi Express, as Akhtar was known, finished with a stunning 6-30 as the home side lost an unbelievable 6-8 to be bundled out for just 103.
That left Pakistan right back in it, chasing 274 with more than five sessions up their sleeves.
Captain Stephen Fleming leads the Black Caps off following their miserable defeat to Pakistan which brought an end to their record unbeaten run.
And thanks to half centuries from Yasir Hameed (59), Mohammad Yousuf (88no) and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (72no), the tourists cruised to their target, three down, just a few overs into the final day, to seal a 1-0 series victory.
Losing the game ended a nine-test unbeaten run for the Black Caps, which to this day remains their equal-longest streak without defeat.
THE BIG BREAK
And that sour note for New Zealand fans was made to stick around for more than a decade, as the Boxing Day test was swiftly scrubbed from the calendar in favour of white-ball matches on, and around, the public holiday.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said that allowed more people on holiday to be able to see the national team play, and denied the decision was largely revenue-driven, though also noted that while first-day crowds for the tests had been healthy, they had then dropped right off.
So instead, over the next 10 years the Black Caps played two ODIs and four T20Is at Auckland’s Eden Park, a T20I in Port Elizabeth on their tour to South Africa in 2012, while in 2005, 2009 and 2011 they were in a period of inactivity around December 26.
2014 – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
New Zealand 441 (B McCullum 195, J Neesham 85, K Williamson 54; A Mathews 3-39, S Lakmal 3-90) and 107-2 beat Sri Lanka 138 (A Mathews 50; T Boult 3-25, N Wagner 3-60) and 407 (D Karunaratne 152, A Mathews 66; T Southee 4-91, T Boult 4-100) by 8 wickets.
Man of the match: Brendon McCullum
And then came the return of the Boxing Day test in 2014.
This, though, chiefly came about in order to give the Black Caps an uninterrupted run of ODIs leading into the 2015 World Cup.
New Zealand Cricket also decided to move the fixture away from Wellington and opted for Christchurch, which had been starved of international cricket since the 2011 earthquake.
So, it made for a momentous occasion for Hagley Oval, hosting its first-ever test. And the day couldn’t have turned into a better celebration for the near-8000 fans, thanks to the fireworks of hometown Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum.
After more than three years with no international cricket, Christchurch fans got the Boxing Day test come to Hagley Oval in 2014.
After being sent in, New Zealand were 88-3 early in the second session. Enter captain courageous.
At his typically belligerent best, McCullum put the Sri Lankan bowlers to the sword in a stunning 195, which featured 18 fours and a whopping 11 sixes.
It was the continuation of a magnificent 2014 for the skip, whose previous 50-plus scores that year were turned into a triple century and two double centuries, and who during this knock became the first Kiwi to score 1000 runs in a calendar year.
McCullum’s century came off just 74 balls, which at the time was the quickest by a New Zealander, beating his own record from just a month earlier (the following season he would go on to make the still-current world record).
He then fell agonisingly short of what would have been the fastest-ever test double century in history, holing out to long-off on his 134th delivery, which still leaves Nathan Astle’s 153-ball effort against England in Christchurch in 2002 at the top of the charts.
McCullum’s sizzling display steered New Zealand to 441 in just 85.5 overs, and the shellshocked Sri Lankans duly folded in their turn at bat, skittled for more than 50 less than McCullum’s own total – 138 all out in only 42.4 overs.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s 152 ensured they put up much more fight in the follow on, posting 407, but it still left the Black Caps needing just 105, and they cruised to an eight-wicket win just after tea on day four in the first test of a series they would go on to claim 2-0.
2018 – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
New Zealand 178 (T Southee 68; S Lakmal 5-54, L Kumara 3-49) and 585-4 dec (T Latham 176, H Nicholls 162, J Raval 74, C de Grandhomme 71no) beat Sri Lanka 104 (T Boult 6-30, T Southee 3-35) and 236 (K Mendis 67, D Chandimal 56; N Wagner 4-48, T Boult 3-77) by 423 runs.
Man of the match: Tim Southee
Christchurch would remain the Boxing Day destination for the Black Caps, though it was ODIs which took place at Hagley Oval from 2015-2017, before NZC felt their schedule meant there was a good opportunity to restore the test in 2018.
Four years on from their drubbing in the corresponding fixture at the same venue, there would have been some bad memories to overcome for the Sri Lankans, though with Brendon McCullum in retirement they may well have breathed a bit easier.
After a draw in the first test in the capital, it was winner take all in Christchurch, and the tourists started right on top in front of the 8000-capacity crowd, winning the toss and knocking New Zealand over for 178, which could have been a lot worse had it not been for Tim Southee’s hard-hit cameo of 68.
Trent Boult was in stunning form with the ball in New Zealand’s huge Boxing Day test win over Sri Lanka in 2018.
However, the hosts then fought back strongly with the ball, and early on the second morning Sri Lanka spectacularly crumbled from 94-4 to 104 all out, thanks to Trent Boult’s wonder-spell, where he claimed three wickets in one over and two in another, wrapping all of the bottom four on the pads for ducks, to finish with a sublime 6-30.
The Black Caps’ batsmen then went to work, and thanks to big hundreds from Tom Latham (176) – backing up from a double ton in the first test – and Henry Nicholls (162no), they racked up a huge 585-4 declared, to set the tourists an essentially impossible 660 to win in six and a half sessions.
Boult and Southee each struck in their first over to have Sri Lanka two down at stumps, and while the visitors negotiated the fourth day, the hosts needed all of 14 balls on the final day to claim the final three wickets to secure a massive 423-run win, along with a series victory.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/crick...ry-of-boxing-day-cricket-tests-in-new-zealand
After previously being staged at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, then Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, the on-off fixture this year moves to Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval, with the Black Caps taking on Pakistan in the first test of a two-match series.
Ahead of its return to the calendar, Stuff looks back on the seven previous editions, which have thrown up no shortage of action.
1998 – New Zealand v India, Basin Reserve, Wellington
India 208 (M Azharuddin 103no; S Doull 7-65) and 356 (S Tendulkar 113; D Nash 3-20) lost to New Zealand 352 (D Nash 89no, D Vettori 57, N Astle 56; A Kumble 4-83) and 215-6 (C McMillan 74no, C Cairns 61; J Srinath 3-82) by 4 wickets.
Man of the match: Simon Doull
In the first-ever Boxing Day test on Kiwi shores, Simon Doull snared a seven-wicket haul on the opening day against India.
The inaugural Boxing Day test on Kiwi soil was the crowning glory of Simon Doull’s career.
More than 9000 fans baked in the heat at the Basin Reserve and rose and chanted Doull’s name as they were treated to an extra helping of Christmas goodness with his stunning 7-65.
Under an injury cloud with a calf strain going into the match, the right-arm swing bowler defied his troubles to produce what at the time were the fourth-best test innings bowling figures by a New Zealander, and which to this day remain eighth.
After India won the toss and elected to bat, Doull set the tone in striking with the final ball of the day’s first over to dismiss Navjot Sidhu, and soon enough added the scalps of Rahul Dravid, Ajay Jadeja and Sourav Ganguly to have the visitors in dire straits at 16-4.
After lunch, Doull returned to dismiss The Little Master – Sachin Tendulkar – and Nayan Mongia in the same over, then Anil Kumble to bring up his seven-for, before any thoughts of a Hadlee-esque nine-for, or even the full 10, were distinguished when the bottom three batsmen fell to other bowlers.
The December 27, 1998, edition of the Sunday Star Times shows how the fans were loving Simon Doull’s Boxing Day exploits.
A fighting 103 not out from captain Mohammad Azharuddin pushed India’s total to 208, which looked to be competitive when the hosts were seven down at the same score. However, some late-order heroics from Dion Nash (89 not out) and Daniel Vettori (57) saw New Zealand register a 144-run lead.
Tendulkar’s second-innings ton (113) got India to 356 and set the home side 213 to win, which looked a tricky task at 74-5 and with Nathan Astle retired hurt, but Craig McMillan (74no) and Chris Cairns (61) combined in a crucial stand to see it home before tea on the final day.
With the first match in Dunedin washed out and the third match in Hamilton drawn, the win meant New Zealand claimed the series 1-0.
1999 – New Zealand v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington
New Zealand 518-9 dec (M Sinclair 214, N Astle 93, S Fleming 67; R King 4-96, F Rose 3-113) beat West Indies 179 (B Lara 67, A Griffith 67; C Cairns 5-44) and 234 (B Lara 75; D Nash 4-38) by an innings and 105 runs.
Man of the match: Mathew Sinclair
The Boxing Day test concept was seemingly here to stay, and this time 10,000 punters poured through the gates on the opening day. They were again treated to a memorable performance from one of the home side’s players.
After an injury to opener Matt Horne in the first test win in Hamilton, Craig Spearman moved up to open with Gary Stead and one Mathew Sinclair came in at No 3 for a test debut.
And the 24-year-old, who was banging on the door by averaging above 45 at first-class level, delivered big time, with a stunning double century.
When his first scoring shot was a French cut for four, Sinclair thought it might just be his day. And so it proved, as he dined out on the Windies’ short-pitched attack to become the fifth New Zealander to score a hundred on test debut. His unbeaten 123 left his side in command at 263-3 at stumps on day one after being sent in.
Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming embraces Mathew Sinclair following his Boxing Day hundred at the Basin Reserve.
Then came day two and more magic from the swashbuckling right-hander, who continued to flay the tourists' attack in a huge 189-run stand with Nathan Astle (93).
Hooking Courtney Walsh (0-112 off 41 overs for the great quick) for four brought up the double hundred for the man known as ‘Skippy’.
In the end, he finished with 214 (off 447 balls, in 534 minutes, with 22 fours), which at the time was the second-equal highest score by a test debutant, and is still third-equal best.
New Zealand’s 518-9 declared proved far too many for the Windies, as despite the efforts of the great Brian Lara (67 and 75), a Chris Cairns five-for then Dion Nash four-for skittled them for 179 and 234 to seal victory with a day to spare, and claim the two-test series 2-0.
2000 – New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Basin Reserve, Wellington
New Zealand 487-7 dec (C McMillan 142, N Astle 141, M Richardson 75, A Parore 50no; B Strang 3-116) and 153-4 dec (S Fleming 55, N Astle 51no) drew with Zimbabwe 340-6 dec (G Rennie 93, A Flower 79, T Madondo 74no; C Martin 5-71) and 60-2.
Man of the match: Craig McMillan
After two momentous occasions in the first two years of the fixture, the third was an unfortunate bore draw in the Black Caps’ one-off encounter with Zimbabwe.
More than 7000 came through the gates but, thanks to a grey, lifeless deck, they were ‘treated’ to a first day where New Zealand crawled through at just over two runs an over to 190-4 at stumps from their 90 overs.
Groundsman Trevor Jackson seemed to overcook his Boxing Day recipe, and knew in the leadup he was in trouble with not enough grass cover and moisture in the pitch, which he kept covered in the two days before the match.
Thanks to centuries from Craig McMillan (142) and Nathan Astle (141), who shared in a massive 222-run fifth-wicket partnership, the hosts posted a healthy 487-7 declared, though that was early on the third day.
In reply, Zimbabwe then trudged along without much worry, either, with Gavin Rennie’s 93 off 323 balls anchoring an innings where Kiwi spinners Paul Wiseman (54 overs) and Brooke Walker (22 overs) were made to toil.
The tourists declared at 340-6 early on the final day, but the hosts took 40 overs to make their 153-4 declared, which set Zimbabwe 301 from a minimum of 43 overs.
In the end, it was far too unrealistic, and after 30 overs, with the visitors 60-2, the game was called off early, leaving everyone rather frustrated.
2001 – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington
Bangladesh 132 (C Cairns 3-24) and 135 (S Bond 4-54) lost to New Zealand 341-6 dec (M Richardson 83, C McMillan 70, S Fleming 61; M Islam 3-99) by an innings and 74 runs.
Man of the match: Craig McMillan
Boxing Day in 2001 saw New Zealand close catchers surround the woeful Bangladesh batsmen.
The fourth year of the fixture saw the opening-day crowd drop down to 6000, thanks mainly to the not-so-attractive proposition of a touring Bangladesh side who had only gained test status 18 months prior.
The tourists hadn’t offered much in the way of resistance in the first test of the two-match series in Hamilton, slumping to an innings defeat despite the first two days being washed out.
And they didn’t fare much better in the capital. Sent in, Bangladesh were rolled for 132 in 64 overs on a good batting strip, as five of the batsmen got in but fell for between 10 and 18 runs. In reply, the Black Caps cruised to 72-0 at stumps.
While day two was rained out, the Black Caps charged to 341-6 declared on day three, with first-test centurions Mark Richardson and Craig McMillan again leading the charge – the former with 83 off 167 balls and the latter with 70 off 71.
Shane Bond then ripped the top off the Tigers' order to send them to stumps at 67-5, and New Zealand duly wrapped things up on the first session of day four, bundling the Bangladeshis out for 135 to sweep the series 2-0.
2003 – New Zealand v Pakistan, Basin Reserve, Wellington
New Zealand 366 (J Oram 97, M Richardson 82; S Akhtar 5-48, S Ahmed 3-87) and 103 (S Akhtar 6-30) lost to Pakistan 196 (M Yousuf 60; I Butler 6-46) and 277-3 (M Yousuf 88no, I ul-Haq 72no, Y Hameed 59) by 7 wickets.
Man of the match: Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar terrorised the New Zealand batting lineup with an 11-wicket haul in the 2003 Boxing Day test.
The Boxing Day test went on a one-year hiatus in 2002 due to preparations for the 2003 World Cup, which saw an ODI against India played at Auckland’s Eden Park instead.
It returned to the calendar a year later, for what proved to be the Black Caps’ first home loss in the fixture, thanks to a dramatic second-innings collapse that saw Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar claim a remarkable 11-wicket match haul.
Having missed the first-test draw in Hamilton with hamstring and calf strains, Akhtar somewhat ominously reduced the Black Caps to 1-2 on the first morning, when he snared both Lou Vincent and Stephen Fleming in his second over after the hosts had opted to bat in front of 6000 windswept souls.
Richard Jones didn’t last long in what was to be his only test, though Mark Richardson hung in for a typically gutsy 82 off 286 balls, then Jacob Oram top-scored with 97 to propel the hosts to a healthy 366 despite Akhtar’s 5-48.
That total looked even better when Ian Butler ripped through the Pakistan lower order, claiming 6-46 as the visitors collapsed on day three from 168-4 to 196 all out, losing their last four wickets for just two runs.
However, while New Zealand got to 75-3 at stumps for a lead of 245, a big sense of complacency surely crept into the ranks, as in the first 17 overs on day four they crumbled in the face of Akhtar and company.
The Rawalpindi Express, as Akhtar was known, finished with a stunning 6-30 as the home side lost an unbelievable 6-8 to be bundled out for just 103.
That left Pakistan right back in it, chasing 274 with more than five sessions up their sleeves.
Captain Stephen Fleming leads the Black Caps off following their miserable defeat to Pakistan which brought an end to their record unbeaten run.
And thanks to half centuries from Yasir Hameed (59), Mohammad Yousuf (88no) and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (72no), the tourists cruised to their target, three down, just a few overs into the final day, to seal a 1-0 series victory.
Losing the game ended a nine-test unbeaten run for the Black Caps, which to this day remains their equal-longest streak without defeat.
THE BIG BREAK
And that sour note for New Zealand fans was made to stick around for more than a decade, as the Boxing Day test was swiftly scrubbed from the calendar in favour of white-ball matches on, and around, the public holiday.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said that allowed more people on holiday to be able to see the national team play, and denied the decision was largely revenue-driven, though also noted that while first-day crowds for the tests had been healthy, they had then dropped right off.
So instead, over the next 10 years the Black Caps played two ODIs and four T20Is at Auckland’s Eden Park, a T20I in Port Elizabeth on their tour to South Africa in 2012, while in 2005, 2009 and 2011 they were in a period of inactivity around December 26.
2014 – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
New Zealand 441 (B McCullum 195, J Neesham 85, K Williamson 54; A Mathews 3-39, S Lakmal 3-90) and 107-2 beat Sri Lanka 138 (A Mathews 50; T Boult 3-25, N Wagner 3-60) and 407 (D Karunaratne 152, A Mathews 66; T Southee 4-91, T Boult 4-100) by 8 wickets.
Man of the match: Brendon McCullum
And then came the return of the Boxing Day test in 2014.
This, though, chiefly came about in order to give the Black Caps an uninterrupted run of ODIs leading into the 2015 World Cup.
New Zealand Cricket also decided to move the fixture away from Wellington and opted for Christchurch, which had been starved of international cricket since the 2011 earthquake.
So, it made for a momentous occasion for Hagley Oval, hosting its first-ever test. And the day couldn’t have turned into a better celebration for the near-8000 fans, thanks to the fireworks of hometown Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum.
After more than three years with no international cricket, Christchurch fans got the Boxing Day test come to Hagley Oval in 2014.
After being sent in, New Zealand were 88-3 early in the second session. Enter captain courageous.
At his typically belligerent best, McCullum put the Sri Lankan bowlers to the sword in a stunning 195, which featured 18 fours and a whopping 11 sixes.
It was the continuation of a magnificent 2014 for the skip, whose previous 50-plus scores that year were turned into a triple century and two double centuries, and who during this knock became the first Kiwi to score 1000 runs in a calendar year.
McCullum’s century came off just 74 balls, which at the time was the quickest by a New Zealander, beating his own record from just a month earlier (the following season he would go on to make the still-current world record).
He then fell agonisingly short of what would have been the fastest-ever test double century in history, holing out to long-off on his 134th delivery, which still leaves Nathan Astle’s 153-ball effort against England in Christchurch in 2002 at the top of the charts.
McCullum’s sizzling display steered New Zealand to 441 in just 85.5 overs, and the shellshocked Sri Lankans duly folded in their turn at bat, skittled for more than 50 less than McCullum’s own total – 138 all out in only 42.4 overs.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s 152 ensured they put up much more fight in the follow on, posting 407, but it still left the Black Caps needing just 105, and they cruised to an eight-wicket win just after tea on day four in the first test of a series they would go on to claim 2-0.
2018 – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
New Zealand 178 (T Southee 68; S Lakmal 5-54, L Kumara 3-49) and 585-4 dec (T Latham 176, H Nicholls 162, J Raval 74, C de Grandhomme 71no) beat Sri Lanka 104 (T Boult 6-30, T Southee 3-35) and 236 (K Mendis 67, D Chandimal 56; N Wagner 4-48, T Boult 3-77) by 423 runs.
Man of the match: Tim Southee
Christchurch would remain the Boxing Day destination for the Black Caps, though it was ODIs which took place at Hagley Oval from 2015-2017, before NZC felt their schedule meant there was a good opportunity to restore the test in 2018.
Four years on from their drubbing in the corresponding fixture at the same venue, there would have been some bad memories to overcome for the Sri Lankans, though with Brendon McCullum in retirement they may well have breathed a bit easier.
After a draw in the first test in the capital, it was winner take all in Christchurch, and the tourists started right on top in front of the 8000-capacity crowd, winning the toss and knocking New Zealand over for 178, which could have been a lot worse had it not been for Tim Southee’s hard-hit cameo of 68.
Trent Boult was in stunning form with the ball in New Zealand’s huge Boxing Day test win over Sri Lanka in 2018.
However, the hosts then fought back strongly with the ball, and early on the second morning Sri Lanka spectacularly crumbled from 94-4 to 104 all out, thanks to Trent Boult’s wonder-spell, where he claimed three wickets in one over and two in another, wrapping all of the bottom four on the pads for ducks, to finish with a sublime 6-30.
The Black Caps’ batsmen then went to work, and thanks to big hundreds from Tom Latham (176) – backing up from a double ton in the first test – and Henry Nicholls (162no), they racked up a huge 585-4 declared, to set the tourists an essentially impossible 660 to win in six and a half sessions.
Boult and Southee each struck in their first over to have Sri Lanka two down at stumps, and while the visitors negotiated the fourth day, the hosts needed all of 14 balls on the final day to claim the final three wickets to secure a massive 423-run win, along with a series victory.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/crick...ry-of-boxing-day-cricket-tests-in-new-zealand
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