The top sporting moments of 2014.
Brendon McCullum the first New Zealander to score a test 300. Wellington. February.
There were morning queues outside the Basin Reserve as the New Zealand captain resumed his innings against India on 281 and he reached the 300 mark after 13 hours of batting.
New Zealand great Martin Crowe, who hit 299 against Sri Lanka at the same ground, reckoned: "I've said for a while it's time we joined the other test playing nations in the triple-century list."
An Englishman first cracked the test 300 mark in 1930, no doubt to a very different fanfare from what McCullum received. Former Australian batsman Dean Jones tweeted: "I am standing in my lounge applauding BMAC ... You are a ROCKSTAR Young Punk!!!"
Photo / Greg Bowker
Valerie Adams named world athlete of the year. November.
Shot put colossus Val Adams won the IAAF award, shared with French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie. The double Olympic and four times world champ has won 56 straight, including all the Diamond League events. On receiving the award, Adams thanked everyone else, as well as her mental strength and high pain tolerance. Whatever she goes through, it can't be anything next to the pain suffered by anyone with designs on her crown.
Photo / Greg Bowker
Lydia Ko will go back to school (and many other things).
A big year for the 17-year-old Ko, but every year will be big for the North Harbour golf sensation. Ko ended the year by announcing she would attend university in Korea to study psychology. Fees won't be a problem - the 2014 year included being named top US rookie, winning three events, plus a $1 million bonus. In April she was named among Time magazine's 100 most influential people. Rory McIlroy announced himself as the finest golfer on the planet, winning two majors and triumphing in the Ryder Cup. He also dumped his fiancee, Danish tennis player and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, in May after 300 invitations to a New York wedding had been sent out.
Germany crushes Brazil 7-1, Fifa World Cup semifinal, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. July.
Hosts Brazil capitulated in extraordinary fashion against a clinical German display, leaving the football-mad country shocked and humiliated. Four German goals came in a six-minute burst against a Brazilian team distracted by the absence of Neymar, and badly missing suspended captain and key defender Thiago Silva. Brazilian players were in tears ... at halftime. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari described it as "six minutes of nightmares".
Germany beat Argentina in the final.
Photo / AP
Luis Suarez bites an opponent. Brazil. June.
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez caused a a worldwide uproar at the Fifa World Cup in Brazil, after biting Italian opponent Giorgio Chiellini on the left shoulder during their Group D match. Suarez had been nabbed for biting offences twice before. He was suspended for nine internationals and fined $130,000 - loose change to him. He promised never to do it again.
Steven Gerrard slips against Chelsea, and Liverpool's bid to win their first EPL title falls over. Anfield. April.
The Liverpool icon's slip, under no pressure, against Chelsea wrecked their bid for an EPL title. After earlier beating Manchester City, who went on to claim the title, a fired-up Gerrard demanded his teammates "not let this f!@#$%^ slip". Contender for quote of the year.
Auckland City - an unexpected treat. December.
National league side Auckland City gave us three mornings of amazing, surprising TV viewing in coming ridiculously close to facing Spanish giants Real Madrid - Cristiano Ronaldo and all - in the Fifa club World Cup final in Morocco. The "amateur" Auckland side stunned the football world by first beating a Moroccan club and then African champions ES Setif from Algeria. Auckland dipped out in extra time to South American champions San Lorenzo of Argentina after playing superbly in the semifinal.
"Winning our first game was the greatest day of our lives, but today we were on another level and it's hard to explain the feeling," said goalscorer John Irving, after they made the semifinal.
Kiwi's Tour de France heartbreak. July.
A surprise candidate for the most dramatic sports watch of the year. With his Garmin-Sharp team leader out, 29-year-old Jack Bauer had free licence and came within 50m of becoming the first Kiwi stage winner. In a remarkable performance, Bauer and a Swiss rider led from almost go to whoa, for 222km, but Bauer was swamped by the pack near the line and burst into tears after finishing. Moving on as they say, Bauer scored a Commonwealth Games silver medal in the Glasgow road race a few weeks later.
Aaron Cruden v Konrad Hurrell.
Cruden became the first All Black dropped for missing a flight
, thanks to a drinking session before the team headed to Argentina in September.
Power-packed Warriors centre Hurrell starred in a selfie sex-act video
. And the winner - Cruden. An All Black missing a flight is akin to flag burning in this rugby-fearing nation.
Roger Federer wins his first Davis Cup, Lille, France. November.
Federer claimed the one major title to elude him in his magnificent tennis career. The Fed's Grand Slam haul stalled on 17 in 2014 but he fell to the clay and cried with joy as Switzerland beat a dishevelled France 3-1 in the Davis Cup final. A bizarre build-up involved a bust-up with Swiss teammate Stan Wawrinka, after Wawrinka was taunted by Federer's wife Mirka when the two men met in the London ATP world finals.
Kiwis beat Australia 22-18 in the Four Nations final, Westpac Stadium, Wellington. November.
New Zealand's fourth major title in 10 seasons confirmed Australia's dominance of the world league patch was over. It was also the Kiwis' first consecutive win over Australia since the Super League divide of the late 1990s or the early 1950s, depending on which historian you talk to. Shaun Johnson slayed the Australians with a brilliant solo try and laid on another with his classic dance moves.
Kiwis coach Steve Kearney said: "Playing in front of their people and on their land is what really drove the boys. I'm just really, really pleased for them." Really pleased? Come on man, get excited.
A dreadful injury to Newcastle NRL forward Alex McKinnon.
These are the most humble and inspiring words from a sportsperson in 2014. "I've spent the last five months not dwelling on what could have been but now towards a focus of what I want to make a success. Yes, rugby league was my drive before, though my real drive in life is to succeed and if that be in a new career, then that I will do."
They came from the 22-year-old in September, six months after he was left facing life as a quadriplegic due to an illegal tackle gone horribly wrong by Melbourne's Jordan McLean, suspended for seven matches for the dangerous throw.
Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu set remarkable marks.
The numbers are staggering.
The 33-year-old McCaw became the first player to captain his side in 100 tests
, scoring his 88th victory in charge when the All Blacks won their final international of the year in Cardiff.
Mealamu, 35, played his 362nd first-class game
in Cardiff breaking Colin Meads' mammoth record.
Springboks lower the All Blacks, Johannesburg, South Africa. October.
A reverse way of complimenting the All Blacks, who are so dominant even a South African victory at Ellis Park ranks as a mild upset. Referee Wayne Barnes and his TMO had a long look at Liam Messam's no-arms hit on Schalk Berger's head, before Pat Lambie nailed the 55m penalty which ended the All Blacks' 22-match undefeated run.
Brodie Retallick scoops awards. November/December.
Tight forwards aren't regulars on top of podiums but Retallick, the 23-year-old Chiefs and All Black lock, won the IRB and New Zealand player of the year gongs, a tribute to his work rate and impact. Wild, celebratory quotes from Retallick are in short supply, this being rugby.
Black Ferns suffer shock loss at the World Cup. France. August.
The Black Ferns were seeking a fifth consecutive title but didn't even make the playoff for third place. Their coach was vilified, spat on, yelled at - just kidding. A 20-match unbeaten run was ended by Ireland in pool play.
Irene van Dyk retires from tests. June.
Netball's most famous player quit the Silver Ferns on the eve of her 42nd birthday and the announcement of the Commonwealth Games squad. The former South African international nailed a stunning 90 per cent shooting average during a world record 217 tests, spanning 20 years. But the numbers were trending in another direction, and she had even been benched by the Pulse.
San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals in the longest post-season game. October.
"Nine innings of post-season baseball drain you enough," reckoned San Francisco Giants superstar Buster Posey. "Doubling that is pretty tough."
This 18-innings game ran for six hours and 23 minutes, going past the previous record by just over half an hour. Losing pitcher Tanner Roark turned 28 during the game, which went past midnight.
Cricketer Lou Vincent is banned for life. June.
The former New Zealand and Auckland batsman admitted 18 breaches of corruption rules. He became the first professional NZ sports- person to be banned for life, the charges relating to English short-form club games in 2008 and 2011.
"My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat," his statement began. "I have shamed my country. I have shamed my sport. I have shamed those closest to me."
Photo / Greg Bowker
Chris Cairns faces perjury charge. October.
Great cricket all-rounder Cairns, 44, appeared in a London court accused of perjury by lying in written testimony during his successful 2012 High Court libel action against Indian Premier League founder Lalit Modi. Cairns had stated he "never cheated at cricket and would never contemplate doing so". Cairns' lawyer in the libel case, Andrew Fitch-Holland, is accused of asking Lou Vincent to give a false statement. Both men will contest the charges, according to their lawyers. Cairns' case comes to court in October, when players who are prosecution witnesses become available.
Photo / Getty Images
Hughes, on the verge of a test recall, was hit by a bouncer from Sean Abbott playing for South Australia in Sydney, dropped to the ground, and died two days later without regaining consciousness. The catastrophic injury - the main artery to his head was split causing too much pressure on his brain - was described as rare in any walk of life. The death of the 25-year-old led to widespread grief and supportive gestures. Australian captain Michael Clarke, who was particularly close to Hughes, won universal praise for his support of the bereaved family and speech at the televised funeral service.
"... and we must play on. So rest in peace my little brother. I'll see you out in the middle," said Clarke, with words that will be long remembered.
Photo / AP
After leading the Miami Heat to four consecutive NBA finals, two of them won, the world's greatest basketballer returned to Cleveland, making the announcement in a Sports Illustrated website essay. James had left Cleveland in acrimonious circumstances and his return was a soap opera.
The Seattle Seahawks obliterated the Denver Broncos in New Jersey, from the moment their defence scored a safety off the first play. As CBS writer Will Brinson put it: "This game was the Seahawks smacking the Broncos in the mouth and Denver standing around and taking it and bleeding all over the field."
Breakers break.
The New Zealand Breakers' run of three successive NBL titles ended with a thud as they finished second to last. A new coach - previous assistant Dean Vickerman replaced the outstanding Andrej Lemanis - plus the loss of Cedric Jackson and new rule interpretations played a part. Defence, the key to their triumphs, turned into an Achilles heel. In a way, the disappointment served to reinforce what an amazing run the club had enjoyed.
Photo / AP
Normal service resumes. August.
The unbeatable Hamish Bond and Eric Murray won their fifth coxless pair world title, having spiced up their Olympic preparations by entering and winning the coxed event for good measure.
Rowers aren't renowned for outlandish quotes, and reviewing their career Murray said: "We were just always pushing the limits and trying to go as fast as we can."
Sam Webster stars at the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow. July/August.
The brilliant New Zealand track cycling team scored yet again, and Aucklander Webster led with two golds and a silver. And yet, silver in the kieran wasn't in his plans.
Webster said: "You're aiming for perfection and I wasn't even close. If we keep pushing for perfection and never get complacent, that's the best thing for us heading towards the Rio Olympics." Some people are very hard to please.
Jock Paget is cleared. August.
The Olympic bronze medallist's wonderful 2013 turned to disaster when his horse Clifton Promise tested positive for a banned substance following their victory at Burghley. Paget had been suspended but an international equestrian tribunal found a supplement had been contaminated during manufacture.
"I feel as though I had my career stripped from me and now someone has said 'hang on, you can have it back'," said Paget, who described the previous 10 months as a "horror".
Melbourne Cup tragedy. November.
Jockey Zac Purton, realising a serious problem, walked favourite Admire Ratki home and the horse died of heart failure soon after. Seventh-placed Araldo was put down after fracturing a leg, having struck out at a rail when a flag was waved by a spectator. Jamie Lovett, a part owner of the winner Protectionist, said: "When you have a dream and achieve it, it is great, but this is awful."
Goodbye worlds. Auckland. April.
The opening round of the world championships was held at Western Springs for the third and final time, as the cost to promoter Bill Buckley - who lost well over $1 million - took its toll. The lack of a Kiwi star was undoubtedly the major problem.
Inspiration. Russia. February.
Canadian Alex Bilodeau celebrated with his brother after winning a freestyle skiing gold medal at Sochi. Frederic Bilodeau was born with cerebral palsy.
Alex Bilodeau said: "Whatever I do in life, my brother is my real inspiration ... he has dreams and most of them are not realisable. With his motivation, he would be four-time Olympic champion. Every step is so hard for him in life and I have an easy path and I need to go after and do the best I can just out of respect to him."
Lewis Hamilton v Nico Rosberg.
Englishman Hamilton emerged the F1 champ for a second time after an angst-ridden battle with Mercedes teammate Rosberg from Germany. The lowlight came in the Belgian GP when Rosberg hit Hamilton's car on lap two, puncturing a tyre. The two men, childhood friends turned bitter F1 rivals, embraced after the final GP in Abu Dhabi when Rosberg said Lewis - who won 11 of the 19 races - deserved the title.
Daily talks with promoters ensure Formula One is ready for any necessary changes.