Pakistan v New Zealand, 2014-15

At Sharjah, November 26-30, 2014. New Zealand won by an innings and 80 runs. Toss: Pakistan.
Phillip Hughes's death in Sydney on November 27 cast a pall over this game, but New Zealand's performance - after losing the toss on a sheen of batting-friendly clay - ranked among the most special in their history. Both teams decided not to take the field on the scheduled second day, so a sixth was added. They joined the #putoutyourbats Twitter initiative by resting their respective green and black caps on their bats during a minute's silence before play resumed on the 28th.

Daniel Vettori, ravaged by injuries for two years, had led New Zealand on to the field in a national-record 112th Test, which he fully expected to be his last. He had been summoned from the A squad, also touring the UAE, to form New Zealand's first threeprong spin attack in a Test since 1998 (Vettori, Paul Wiseman and Mark Priest in Colombo), and had to ask his wife, Mary, to send his battered Test cap by courier to Sharjah. Vettori credited McCullum for the side's serenity: "A lot of us knew Phil, and mourned him as one of our own. Brendon allowed everyone to grieve in their own way. I think the guys accidentally relaxed, and played with a lot of freedom."

On what became the second morning, the absence of a whoop or holler upon Southee's dismissal of Misbah-ul-Haq reflected the change of mood. If you had not noticed the edge, it might have looked as if Misbah was shuffling off to get some new gloves. Likewise, Boult took a candidate for cricket's most undemonstrative catch, reverse-cupping Mohammad Hafeez at deep midwicket to end a Test-best 197. As Pakistan declined from 285 for three to 351, it was as if a mute button had been pressed. Misbah admitted Pakistan had lost their focus, as Craig became the third New Zealand spinner - after Stephen Boock and Vettori (twice) - to take seven wickets in a Test innings.

The New Zealand bowlers delivered no bouncers. That apathy translated into an inadvertent antidote - along with a flat pitch - to deal with the challenge of Pakistani spin. Zulfiqar Babar went wicketless for the first time in the series and, while Yasir Shah took four, both conceded seven sixes apiece.

Records tumbled in New Zealand's favour. They posted 690 - their highest total, and the second-highest conceded by Pakistan (after West Indies' 790 for three at Sabina Park in 1957-58, when Garry Sobers made his 365 not out). For the first time, six New Zealand batsmen reached 50 in the same innings. Trouble was, the whole thing might have been designed by computer programmers: efficient and effective, but lacking joie de vivre. The batsmen did the job in a melancholic void.

McCullum and Williamson erased a 22-year-old record for the second wicket, held by John Wright and Andrew Jones. McCullum's century, from 78 deliveries, was the fastest by a New Zealander (previously 81 by Taylor, against Australia at Hamilton in 2009-10), and his double-century, from 186, was one of only five known to have been brought up at quicker than a run a ball. He joined Don Bradman (1930), Ricky Ponting (2003) and Michael Clarke (2012) in scoring three or more double-centuries in a year.

Later, Boult and Southee applied their swing expertise. In the second innings, armed with a lead of 339, New Zealand were thankful for a breeze which helped Southee take the ball away from the right-handers, and Boult bring it back into them. Pakistan limped to 24 for three before lunch on the fourth day, and Craig advanced the cause with the wickets of Hafeez and Misbah. Asad Shafiq's flourish of 137 added style to a Pakistan innings which lacked substance. Craig's match figures of ten for 203 - to go with a half-century - were the best at Sharjah, eclipsing Shane Warne's two hauls of eight in October 2002. "It is, and probably always will be, bittersweet," said Craig. "But the feeling of belonging has settled in. It's awesome. I wake up, put the kettle on each morning and have a wee smile." That sentiment could apply to the whole New Zealand team.
Man of the Match: M. D. Craig. Man of the Series: Mohammad Hafeez.