New Zealand v West Indies, 2013-14

At Hamilton, December 19-22, 2013. New Zealand won by eight wickets. Toss: New Zealand.

When New Zealand were dismissed on the third afternoon for 349, a deficit of 18 on a pitch offering considerable help for Sunil Narine on his return to Test cricket, the match was on a knife-edge. But 31 overs later the series had been decided, after another inept batting performance from West Indies. This time they were shot out for 103 - so quickly, in fact, that New Zealand were batting again before the close. The seamers, led by the increasingly dynamic duo of Southee and Boult, dismantled West Indies once more, but they were given a considerable helping hand. "We keep hearing the same song," said a dejected Sammy. It was New Zealand's first series victory over anyone other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe for eight years, since beating West Indies at home in 2005-06.

For two and a half days this match had produced the most compelling cricket of the series. The pattern at the toss continued: for the tenth Test in succession in New Zealand, the captain winning it had bowled first. But this was a much drier surface than normal, and there was significant spin in the first session. Though relieved the result had gone his way, McCullum later admitted he had made the wrong call.

Yet when West Indies slid to 86 for five it did not seem to matter. They were missing Bravo, ruled out on the morning of the game after being hit on the arm in the nets by Sammy. But his replacement, Kraigg Brathwaite - in his first innings of the tour after arriving late because of visa problems - showed real application before steering Southee to gully to trigger the loss of four for nine.

The innings was revived by Chanderpaul and Ramdin, who added 200 in 50 overs of counter-attack. Ramdin was the main aggressor, particularly strong through the off side, although he was given a life on 57 at midwicket by Williamson as he slog-swept Sodhi's leg-spin. Ramdin's fourth Test hundred came up with a slash over the slips, before he jabbed a full delivery to the keeper off Anderson, who continued to excel in his fourthseamer role. On the second morning Chanderpaul proceeded calmly to his 29th century, in the process overtaking Allan Border's 11,174 runs to become the sixth-highest scorer in Test cricket. He chiselled out 60 for the last two wickets with Permaul and Best.

West Indies soon applied pressure with the ball, especially through Narine, who had been recalled in place of the suspended Shane Shillingford. He struck in his first over, having Fulton brilliantly held at leg slip by Sammy - the first of his three sharp catches - and tilted the match in his side's favour with the scalps of Williamson and McCullum. But Taylor stood in their way again, though even he struggled against Narine's variations. Once past fifty, however, another century felt inevitable - and he eventually became only the second New Zealander to score hundreds in three successive Tests. Still, after Taylor carved to third man, Narine mopped up the last three wickets to leave New Zealand vulnerable. Or so it appeared.

Brathwaite's ugly swipe across the line of an inswinger set the tone for West Indies' second innings, and by Boult's fifth over he had removed the top three. This time, New Zealand's catching was outstanding, particularly Williamson's fine effort to remove Chanderpaul in the gully: the ball was behind him when he grasped it, full stretch to his right. Southee then burst through to take the last three in five balls, the second of which (Permaul lbw) was his 100th Test wicket. On the fourth morning the chase was a formality once Narine had been unable to create any early panic. Williamson punched nine fours in a classy half-century, and Taylor's brief stay lifted him to 495 runs in the series.
Man of the Match: L. R. P. L. Taylor.