Which is New Zealand's best overseas performance in a Test series

[Heisenberg111]

So, I have been looking at New Zealand's best away performances in a Test series. Following five are the ones which come to mind.

1) Winning in Australia 2-1 in 1985/86. Sir Richard Hadlee was in full flow taking 34 wickets in the series helping NZ to win their first ever series in OZ.

2) Winning 2-1 in England in 1999. Brilliant all round performances from Cairns and Nash and some astute captaincy from Stephen Fleming resulted in England losing the 4 match series.

3) Drawing 0-0 in Australia in 2001 against an ATG Australian side. NZ came within 10 runs of winning the 1st test when they were chasing a target of 284 set by Australia and were 274/6 when the match was drawn. In the 3rd test NZ set Australia a target of 440 and were well on course for victory till Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist defied them and Australia finished at 381/7 when the match was drawn.

4) Drawing 0-0 in India in 2003 against a strong Indian side. In the 1st test NZ finished on 272/6 while chasing a target of 370 set by India. In the 2nd test Mark Richardson and Craig Macmillan scored tons. New Zealand scored 630/6 in the 1st innings and then India was asked to follow on when they were dismissed for 424. India finished 136/4 in the 2nd innings when the match was drawn.

5) Drawing 1-1 in Australia in 2011 against a strong Australian team. Doug Bracewell bowled an excellent spell in the 2nd test at Hobart to square the series 1-1. NZ won by just 7 runs in the 2nd test as David Warner was left stranded on 123.

So which among these five is NZ's best performance overseas?

 

[Ab Fan]

NEW Zealand in UAE 2018 series 2-0 win was their best ever win since that Aus win in 1985-86 and 2001.

 

[waheed_sofi]

Winning 2-1 in UAE against Pakistan in 2018??

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Winning in UAE 2018 was massive considering that they hadn't beaten Pakistan in Asia in nearly 50 years ?

 

[Heisenberg111]

Winning in UAE 2018 was massive considering that they hadn't beaten Pakistan in Asia in nearly 50 years ?

I thought about that but that Pakistan side was weak, and technically UAE is a neutral venue.

 

[Heisenberg111]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] What do you guys think ?

 

[Mamoon]

Performances against Pakistan don’t count anymore.

Holding Australia to 0-0 in 2001-02 was the best performance followed by avoiding defeat in India.

 

[Hasan123]

Surely the 1985/1986. Those drawn series were amazing. But I think drawn series get celebrated too much.

For me it's 1985/1986 against Australia.

 

[Mesozoic]

Surely the 1-1 draw in Australia 2011.

Winning in UAE against Pak recently is a close second.

 

[szrana007]

You are missing a few series. In 2002, NZL beat a good West Indies away as well. Same West Indian team beat India 2-1 earlier in the summer of 2002. For me NZL's best away performances are 1986, 2001 and 2011 against Australia ( Australia is the toughest place for any visiting team) followed by the 2002 series win in the West Indies. UAE 2018 was a good win as well for NZL.

 

[Last Monetarist]

1. Australia 1985/86
2. England 1999
3. Australia 2001-02
4. England 1986
5. Pakistan 1996-97

 

[Junaids]

Drawing 0-0 against Australia’s greatest ever team in 2001-02.

That was the series in which Shane Bond emerged, but it was also where we saw Chris Cairns and Adam Parore show that they were top class Test cricketers.

The 85-86 win in Australia was against a rubbish team, so I don’t rate it highly at all.

 

[Last Monetarist]

My memories of the 2001-02 series might be a bit skewed due to the fact that New Zealand should have been hammered in Brisbane and Hobart if it wasn't for the weather. They had the better of the test at the WACA, of course.

Steve Waugh, who was an ordinary tactician, came across really complacent throughout that series and ran out of ideas as soon as the New Zealand batsmen built a partnership. If it wasn't for Glenn McGrath changing tack to bowl defensively in the final half-hour, Waugh's insipid leadership after declaring on the final day would have cost them the first test at the Gabba too.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

I thought about that but that Pakistan side was weak, and technically UAE is a neutral venue.

Pakistan lost to even weaker sides in Pakistan like Zimbabwe and SL and drew with an extremely weak NZ in 1996/97. In fact, NZ achieving a series win in UAE should rank higher since barely anyone had beaten Pakistan at fortress UAE.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Drawing 0-0 against Australia’s greatest ever team in 2001-02.

That was the series in which Shane Bond emerged, but it was also where we saw Chris Cairns and Adam Parore show that they were top class Test cricketers.

The 85-86 win in Australia was against a rubbish team, so I don’t rate it highly at all.

Yes. The first test in which 150 overs were lost and the 2nd one in which 220 odd overs were lost. Fantastic achievement by NZ to stop a marauding Australoa by manipulating the weather.

 

[Titan24]

NEW Zealand in UAE 2018 series 2-0 win was their best ever win since that Aus win in 1985-86 and 2001.

Just a correction; it was 2-1.

 

[andy0204]

Surely the 1-1 draw in Australia 2011.

Winning in UAE against Pak recently is a close second.

2011 Australia team were weak, England beat them, South Africa bowled them out for 47.
Apart from series win in Srilanka they don't have any accomplishments but then again even WestIndies drew the series in Srilanka in 2010 after Murali retired.

 

[szrana007]

Pakistan lost to even weaker sides in Pakistan like Zimbabwe and SL and drew with an extremely weak NZ in 1996/97. In fact, NZ achieving a series win in UAE should rank higher since barely anyone had beaten Pakistan at fortress UAE.

NZL were handed a record thrashing though in 2002 by an innings and 350 odd runs. I remember Shoaib bowled them out for 70 odd in scorching heat in Lahore.

 

[szrana007]

2011 Australia team were weak, England beat them, South Africa bowled them out for 47.
Apart from series win in Srilanka they don't have any accomplishments but then again even WestIndies drew the series in Srilanka in 2010 after Murali retired.

No, that Aussie team under Clarke was good. They thrashed India 4-0 in their next series after NZL drew 1-1 there.

 

[andy0204]

No, that Aussie team under Clarke was good. They thrashed India 4-0 in their next series after NZL drew 1-1 there.

That Indian team were already gotten whitewash by England and were about to lose a test match against WestIndies at their home.

 

[Mesozoic]

2011 Australia team were weak, England beat them, South Africa bowled them out for 47.
Apart from series win in Srilanka they don't have any accomplishments but then again even WestIndies drew the series in Srilanka in 2010 after Murali retired.

No Australian team is/will ever be "weak" on home soil. Smith's South Africa and Strauss's England were great teams who were good enough to take advantage of a somewhat ageing Aus middle order and their inexperienced bowling attack.....

New Zealand were nowhere near those teams and they usually have a mental block against Aussies even before entering the field of play.

 

[tyron_woodley]

Drawing 0-0 against Australia’s greatest ever team in 2001-02.

That was the series in which Shane Bond emerged, but it was also where we saw Chris Cairns and Adam Parore show that they were top class Test cricketers.

The 85-86 win in Australia was against a rubbish team, so I don’t rate it highly at all.

For the first tinw in his life junaids speaks the truth. Well done to you.

 

[Heisenberg111]

My memories of the 2001-02 series might be a bit skewed due to the fact that New Zealand should have been hammered in Brisbane and Hobart if it wasn't for the weather. They had the better of the test at the WACA, of course.

Steve Waugh, who was an ordinary tactician, came across really complacent throughout that series and ran out of ideas as soon as the New Zealand batsmen built a partnership. If it wasn't for Glenn McGrath changing tack to bowl defensively in the final half-hour, Waugh's insipid leadership after declaring on the final day would have cost them the first test at the Gabba too.

Yes, you are spot on about Waugh's captaincy in that series. Thats why Ian Chappell rates Waugh a tier below Taylor, Border and Ponting as captains.

 

[Heisenberg111]

Pakistan lost to even weaker sides in Pakistan like Zimbabwe and SL and drew with an extremely weak NZ in 1996/97. In fact, NZ achieving a series win in UAE should rank higher since barely anyone had beaten Pakistan at fortress UAE.

I would rate NZ's 1-1 draw in SL in 2012 and their 1-1 draw in UAE in 2014 higher than their 2-1 win in the UAE as that came against stronger sides.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Yes, you are spot on about Waugh's captaincy in that series. Thats why Ian Chappell rates Waugh a tier below Taylor, Border and Ponting as captains.

Out of the last 7 Australian test captains (Border, Taylor, Waugh, Ponting, Clarke, Smith, Paine), I'd rate Waugh only above the two recent ones.

 

[Heisenberg111]

Out of the last 7 Australian test captains (Border, Taylor, Waugh, Ponting, Clarke, Smith, Paine), I'd rate Waugh only above the two recent ones.

Clarke had a much weaker team than Waugh, but still managed to do well.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Wow 0-0 against Australia in 2001 must be a massive achievement!

2-0 against Pakistan is still ordinary considering the great Micky saab selected 3 fast bowlers ad a single spinner in UAE conditions. It's the most disgraceful team selection ever. Still good nonetheless but can't compare with 0-0 and touching distance of defeating THAT side in their home conditions.

 

[szrana007]

Wow 0-0 against Australia in 2001 must be a massive achievement!

2-0 against Pakistan is still ordinary considering the great Micky saab selected 3 fast bowlers ad a single spinner in UAE conditions. It's the most disgraceful team selection ever. Still good nonetheless but can't compare with 0-0 and touching distance of defeating THAT side in their home conditions.

It wasn't 2-0, it was to 2-1 NZL. And Pakistan lost the 1st test by only 4 runs when Azhar Ali couldn't get us over the line. We won the 2nd test by an innings and then proceeded to collapse on the final day of the 3rd test to lose the series.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Drawing 0-0 in Australia in 2001 against an ATG Australian side. I watched it live so that was something

 

[Heisenberg111]

Drawing 0-0 against Australia’s greatest ever team in 2001-02.

That was the series in which Shane Bond emerged, but it was also where we saw Chris Cairns and Adam Parore show that they were top class Test cricketers.

The 85-86 win in Australia was against a rubbish team, so I don’t rate it highly at all.

Bond was good, but Cairns gave one of the best all round performances at the Gabba in the 1st test. Astle and Parore's partnership in the 3rd test at the WACA was magnificent, You could see Steve Waugh had no answers and rant out of ideas completely.

 

[szrana007]

That Indian team were already gotten whitewash by England and were about to lose a test match against WestIndies at their home.

That Aussie team under Clarke only lost one home series and that was to Smith's Saffers in 2012, which was a great side. Otherwise they demolished pretty much every team at home except NZL in 2011.

 

[Robert]

England in ‘99. It was only 1-2 because Tudor played a blinder with the bat in the first test, else would have been 0-3.

 

[Heisenberg111]

England in ‘99. It was only 1-2 because Tudor played a blinder with the bat in the first test, else would have been 0-3.

Yes, that was a great series. I remember before the series started, English press and media, billed NZ as lambs to the slaughter, but as it turned out the tourists dominated that series and NZ could have whitewashed Eng 4-0 , if it wasn't for Tudor's special knock in the 1st test and rain at Old Trafford.

 

[MMHS]

My order will be
1. 2001 Australia: Kiwis were damn unlucky in that series. It could have been 2-0, should have been 2-1 or 1-0 against that frightening Aussies who had a run of 16-0 Test wins either side of that time.

2. Australia 1985-86: it was indeed a poor Australia side, which could & should have lost to India next summer as well; but for a Kiwi side, winning in Australia is something special and they have done it only once in 75+ years!!!!!!

3. India 2003: it was just two Test series, but Kiwis were damn good and in a boxing match, they would have won on points. India in India always a tough opponent and Kiwis dominated that series for most part

4: Australia 2012: its 1-1, in a 2 Test series and Kiwis almost flukes a Test win at Hobert, but still it was in Australia and they had to win a Test.

5. England 1999: They could have won the series 3-0, a tremendous series for Cairns, but NZ had won series in England in past. That wasn’t the best English team of modern time and Kiwis were actually favourites to start with

There are few more but difficult to rank. For me the top 3 stands out.

 

[Robert]

Yes, that was a great series. I remember before the series started, English press and media, billed NZ as lambs to the slaughter, but as it turned out the tourists dominated that series and NZ could have whitewashed Eng 4-0 , if it wasn't for Tudor's special knock in the 1st test and rain at Old Trafford.

That series led to changes in English cricket structure, with central contracts introduced, so England beat a team with Lara, Adams, Chanderpaul, Walsh and Ambrose 3-1 a summer later.

 

[Heisenberg111]

That series led to changes in English cricket structure, with central contracts introduced, so England beat a team with Lara, Adams, Chanderpaul, Walsh and Ambrose 3-1 a summer later.

Yeah, that series was the Nadir of English cricket. England slipped below even Zimbabwe in the Wisden test rankings and ended the millennium as the lowest ranked side in test cricket.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

0-0 in Australia because of how strong the Australians were and how mediocre the Kiwis were.

 

[Markhor]

Wow 0-0 against Australia in 2001 must be a massive achievement!

2-0 against Pakistan is still ordinary considering the great Micky saab selected 3 fast bowlers ad a single spinner in UAE conditions. It's the most disgraceful team selection ever. Still good nonetheless but can't compare with 0-0 and touching distance of defeating THAT side in their home conditions.

Without getting sidetracked, we selected two spinners in Yasir Shah and Bilal Asif not one vs NZ. The batsmen cost us the series.

Anyway, drawing 0-0 in Australia in 2001/02 gets my vote. Stephen Fleming maximised whatever limited resources he had against an ATG Australian side.

 

[Aman]

I would rate NZ's 1-1 draw in SL in 2012 and their 1-1 draw in UAE in 2014 higher than their 2-1 win in the UAE as that came against stronger sides.

This.

The drawn series against Pakistan was better than the series win.

At that time Pakistan were untouchable in the UAE.

 

[Robert]

Yeah, that series was the Nadir of English cricket. England slipped below even Zimbabwe in the Wisden test rankings and ended the millennium as the lowest ranked side in test cricket.

After the last test the crowd chanted “You’re [[[censored]]] and you know you are” at Nasser. He burned with rage and shame.

 

[Heisenberg111]

After the last test the crowd chanted “You’re [[[censored]]] and you know you are” at Nasser. He burned with rage and shame.

Nasser recovered wonderfully from that and led England to away series victories in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a great feat for him.

 

[Marshland]

1) Winning in Australia 2-1 in 1985/86. Sir Richard Hadlee was in full flow taking 34 wickets in the series helping NZ to win their first ever series in OZ.

Not even looking past this.

Though there have been some good ones in recent memory - including the unexpected win in the UAE of all places.

 

[szrana007]

Not even looking past this.

Though there have been some good ones in recent memory - including the unexpected win in the UAE of all places.

Where do you rate the 1-1 draw in Australia in 2011 ?

 

[Marshland]

Where do you rate the 1-1 draw in Australia in 2011 ?

That was great too. Such drama on the final day in Hobart, only discoloured by Warner getting the MoM because of some cheap Channel Nine poll.

 

[Robert]

Nasser recovered wonderfully from that and led England to away series victories in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a great feat for him.

He did. Within a year he had Trescothick to help Atherton, Caddick and Gough protected by central contracts, and Cork back too.

 

[szrana007]

That was great too. Such drama on the final day in Hobart, only discoloured by Warner getting the MoM because of some cheap Channel Nine poll.

Yup, Doug Bracewell should have been the man of the match. Reminds me of Sachin getting MoM in Chennai 1999 in a losing cause.