Australia's 5 best Test wins in New Zealand ft. 2024
Australia pulled off one of their biggest come-from-behind victories over New Zealand in the second Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday.
With half their side gone while chasing 277 runs in the fourth innings of the game, wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey and T20I captain Mitchell Marsh played stellar knocks to turn the tide in their favor.
As always, it was left to skipper Pat Cummins to walk out to bat after Marsh and Mitchell Starc departed off successive deliveries and hit the winning boundary. It gave his team a whopping 2-0 whitewash over the Kiwis.
In this article, we bring to you the five best Test wins that Australia have had over their arch-rivals.
#1 AUS vs NZ, 2nd Test, 2024
The second Test that Australia won over New Zealand at the Hagley Oval in 2024 will go down as one of their best-ever wins in the format. Chasing a massive total of 279, Australia seemed down and out at one stage when they were reduced to 80/5.
That is when Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey came together to stitch together a brilliant partnership. The former eventually got out for 80, but Carey carried on with skipper Pat Cummins to pull off a spectacular win.
The wicketkeeper was unfortunate to remain unbeaten on 98, while Cummins made his way to 32 not out.
#2 AUS vs NZ, 1st Test, 2010
The first Test that Australia won in the 2009-10 Chappell-Hadlee Trophy against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington will go down as being one of their finest wins ever.
Having put up a mammoth total of 459/5 declared in the first innings, the Aussies bowled New Zealand out for 157. Following on, the Kiwis put up a sumptuous total of 407 on the board thanks to a ton by Brendon McCullum.
The Aussies needed no second invitation to let the late Phillip Hughes loose on the Kiwis, who scored an unbeaten 86, while Simon Katich remained unbeaten at the other end to win this game by 10 wickets.
#3 AUS vs NZ, 2nd Test, 2010
Having been beaten comprehensively in the first Test in Wellington, New Zealand tried to come back strongly in the second Test, played at Seddon Park.
Bowling the visitors out for 231 in the first innings, the Kiwis responded with 264, securing a small lead of 33. That was what got them into trouble, as the Aussies put up a huge score of 511/8 declared in their second dig, thanks to a ton from Simon Katich, 90 from Marcus North and runs in general from everyone else.
The BlackCaps got to 302 in the fourth innings of the game before they were bowled out and eventually lost the game by 176 runs.
#4 AUS vs NZ, 1st Test, 2016
Another massive win that Australia enjoyed in New Zealand was in the first Test of the 2016 Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.
After bowling the Kiwis out for a mere 187 in the first innings, Australia put up a mammoth total of 562 in reply. Adam Voges scored a fabulous double-century, while Usman Khawaja had a fine century.
New Zealand fared better in their second innings, scoring 327, but still lost to the Aussies by an innings and 52 runs. Josh Hazlewood, Peter Siddle, and Nathan Lyon were the chief architects of this win for Australia.
#5 AUS vs NZ, 2nd Test, 2016
Having won the first Test of this series by an innings and 52 runs, Australia came to the Hagley Oval in Christchurch with confidence raging.
New Zealand batted better than they had in Wellington and put up 370 runs in the first innings. Australia, however, responded with another fine score, putting up 505 thanks to stellar centuries from opener Joe Burns and Steven Smith.
New Zealand responded with 335 in their second innings, with Kane Williamson missing out on a ton by a mere three runs. The Aussies, however, chased their target down with seven wickets in hand.