David Leggat: NZ's top 10 test victories

England's Geoff Boycott is bowled out for 1 by NZ's Richard Collinge in 1978. Photo / Herald file

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New Zealand have won 66 tests out of 348 going into the first test against India. So what were the finest, the most memorable? Since 1990, New Zealand have had 39 wins as they have developed into a tougher test nation with a winning belief. Many have been outstanding. Any wins over Australia are treasured, beating South Africa by nine wickets in 2004 was significant, clipping the West Indies ticket by 204 runs in Barbados was pretty tasty too.

Yet none later than 1990 make this list. Why? Because the following 10 all contributed to New Zealand's growth as a test-playing nation. What followed was the spin-off of those earlier years. David Leggat picks his top 10 test victories.

1: March 9-13, 1956, Eden Park
Beat West Indies by 190 runs

The daddy of them all, the first test win. It had been 27 years in the making.

It came after the West Indies, on the back of the brilliant Everton Weekes' string of centuries, had won the first three tests. But at Eden Park, with new captain John Reid running the show, it all changed.

The game contained 370.3 overs, for 634 runs, so it wasn't a canvas of scintillating strokeplay. Doesn't matter.

The West Indies were left 258 for the clean sweep. They didn't get close. There was no comeback from 22 for six. Legspinner Jack Alabaster then induced a pull high towards square leg by Weekes. Noel McGregor waited an age before pouching the catch. The end came nine runs later amid unprecedented scenes of jubilation as former West Indian wicketkeeper Sam Guillen stumped his old teammate Alf Valentine.

From there, the floodgates would open, right? Er, no. It took six years for the next win.

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2: 1985, Brisbane
Beat Australia by an innings and 41 runs

Perhaps the finest win of all, and a deserving second place. A comprehensive beating of New Zealand's nearest and dearest rivals.

It was the first win on Australian soil 39 years after rivalries began, but only 12 years since Australia began to take New Zealand seriously.

It wasn't the finest Australian team but they were no mugs.

The match produced New Zealand's best bowling figures and an all-embracing performance.

Australia were dismissed for 179, with Richard Hadlee taking nine for 52.

Trivial pursuit question: Vaughan Brown got the other wicket, the ninth of the innings. The catch was taken by ... Hadlee.

Centuries by Martin Crowe and John F. Reid pushed New Zealand to 553 for seven, at the time their highest test total and still the seventh best.

Hadlee's six for 71 dismissed Australia second time round for 333. His 15 for 123 are the 10th best match figures ever; his nine for 52 has been bettered just five times. It was the greatest triumph by the country's greatest bowler.

A couple of weeks later the series was won at Perth, 2-1. Glory days.

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3: February 10-15, 1978, Wellington
Beat England by 72 runs

One of Kiwi cricket's great images came from this win, New Zealand's first over their oldest test rivals, and which brought a tear to many an old international's eye.

When England needed 137 to win it seemed a straightforward matter. However, Richard Collinge saw it differently.

The big lefthander rumbled in and yorked England's captain and anchor Geoff Boycott for one.

Players whooped, the crowd went berserk and, suitably fired up, Hadlee took over on a frenetic, sun-drenched afternoon.

Hadlee took six for 26 - 10 for 100 in the match - and Collinge three for 35.

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4: March 8-13, 1974, Christchurch
Beat Australia by five wickets

The first victory over Australia, therefore high up among the best test occasions.

For decades Australia had treated New Zealand as a second class cricket nation. This helped change their thinking. On a pitch which helped the seamers, New Zealand stared down tough opponents in a 200 test.

Australia 223, New Zealand 255, Australia 259 left New Zealand 228 to win. Glenn Turner had made 101 in New Zealand's first innings and in the second played his most important test innings, 110 not out in six hours 10 minutes of defiance.

At 62 for three, things looked like following an old plotline, but Turner, with help from Brian Hastings in a 115-run stand for the fourth wicket, kept his head when others were losing theirs.

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5: February 8-13, 1980, Dunedin
Beat West Indies by 1 wicket

The West Indies arrived with a swagger and a growing reputation as the heavies of test cricket. But they came badly undone at Carisbrook as Richard Hadlee snared 11 for 102, seven of them lbw.

Come the denouement, New Zealand needed only 104 to go 1-up in the series, but they sweated buckets over it as the Windies quicks dialled up the pressure.

They were already wound up about the umpiring when John Hastie gave John Parker not out to a catch at the wicket. It was too much for speedster Michael Holding who smashed the stumps over with a spectacular kick.

At 54 for seven, it seemed all over, but Lance Cairns and Gary Troup added 27 to take New Zealand to the point of victory, which was achieved, with fingernails chewed to the quick and nerves rattling round the old ground, by a frantic leg bye by Stephen Boock and Troup.

There were recriminations later but the win remains among New Zealand's most dramatic.

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6: July 28-August 1, 1983, Leeds
Beat England by 5 wickets

The first win over the Mother Country in their backyard. Lance Cairns bagged 10 for 144, John Wright, Bruce Edgar and Hadlee got important runs, as New Zealand were left 101 for victory.

Bob Willis took five wickets but New Zealand got the job done. Cue big celebrations.

A remarkable footnote: the win was achieved without a wicket from the bowling spearhead. Hadlee finishing with overall figures of 47-18-89-0.

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7: February 13-17, 1976, Wellington
Beat India by an innings and 33 runs

The arrival of a New Zealand legend. Hadlee, then a tearaway speedster, had been playing test cricket for four years but he became a hero as India began their second innings 114 behind.

In 8.3 overs, Hadlee ripped through a decent batting lineup, taking seven for 23, giving him 11 for 58 in the match. The last six wickets fell for just six runs as India were cleaned out for 81.

Hadlee had had fine moments before; this was a turning point in how he was perceived. Great things would follow.

* * *

8: February 16-20, 1962, Port Elizabeth
Beat South Africa by 40 runs

New Zealand had their first win overseas in the third test at Cape Town but they trailed 2-1 going into the finale (fancy that, a five-test series for a New Zealand team).

Wellington batsman Paul Barton's only test ton, 109, got things started and when South Africa were left needing 314 to win, a strong bowling attack - Cameron, Motz, Bartlett, Alabaster and Reid - did the business, dismissing South Africa just before the end, no 15 overs in the final hour rules in those days.

Reid's triumphant march through the republic ended with an outstanding analysis of 45-27-44-4 with his aggressive medium pace.

New Zealand had won their first test overseas and drawn an away series, with wins, for the first time. The self-belief grew.

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9: October 30-November 2, 1969, Lahore
Beat Pakistan by 5 wickets

This should be a double whammy incorporating the third test which followed at Dhaka when a marvellous final-day defiant ninth wicket stand between Mark Burgess and Bob Cunis ensured a draw and New Zealand's first overseas series victory.

The solitary win happened in a low-scoring contest, Pakistan out for 114 and 208, New Zealand left with a tantalising 82 to win. Hastings and Burgess eased the worries, secured the win and, Dhaka shortly after, rounded off a memorable tour.

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10: February 9-14, 1985, Dunedin
Beat Pakistan by 2 wickets

Carisbrook again and more drama.

This time against a Pakistani side boasting a young Wasim Akram.

A heroic finale as New Zealand turned probable defeat into a courageous victory.

Left a demanding 278, things were grim when Cairns departed having been clunked on the head by an Akram bouncer. At 228 for eight - effectively nine - and Chatfield coming out to join Wellington chum Jeremy Coney.

They battled away for a while, then a while longer and no hope became some hope.

Chatfield had his defensive push going well while Coney got to his grittiest test century. When the stand reached 50, the game was won.

Coney finished on 111 after 385 minutes, the most memorable of his three test hundreds. Chatfiield had his highest test score, 21 not out.

Akram finished with 10 for 128. A star had been born but Pakistan were left wondering where it went wrong.