By RICHARD BOOCK
Routine though it has become to report on massive New Zealand victories over the West Indies, the time has arrived when Stephen Fleming's class of '99 can deservedly stand up and take a bow.
Whatever might be suggested about the calibre of the opposition, the New Zealand side so maligned in recent years have surpassed all expectations during the series triumphs over India, England and the West Indies, and now stand as the second-most successful New Zealand team in test history.
Only the famed side of the 80s, when New Zealand twice won three series in a 12-month period, have performed better at test level, and that side included a couple of handy performers in Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe.
The current team might not have the same excesses of talent (although the stars of Chris Cairns, Dion Nash and Daniel Vettori continue to soar) but they have rediscovered the New Zealand tradition of toil, and with that have come 10 test wins in the space of three years.
There was a time when it appeared everyone sat back and waited for someone else to perform. We lost consecutive series against the West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, and could manage only a draw against the struggling Zimbabwean side in 1995.
Perhaps the side needed to explore failure before they could experience success. These days, whatever the predicament, whoever the opposition, someone tends to put up their hand.
A year ago it was Simon Doull, taking seven for 65 against India, and later at Lord's, it was Cairns, Vettori and Matt Horne.
At The Oval, as New Zealand attempted to win just their second series in England, it was Cairns again, with both bat and ball, and a crucial spell of bowling by Nash.
Then at Hamilton, the entire batting order responded to the threat mounted by the West Indies on the first day, Cairns again starred with the ball and New Zealand were able to score one of the more remarkable wins in test history.
It was just more of the same in the second test at Wellington, where Mathew Sinclair made a huge impression on debut, before Cairns and Nash put the tourists to the sword with the ball.
The success of Sinclair was an interesting case in terms of national team selection. In the past it was not uncommon for players to find themselves fast-tracked into the test team, and struggling as a result of their lack of experience.
Sinclair, however, was asked to go around the block a couple more times, and responded with not only determination and confidence, but also a keen hunger. He had to prove his point by scoring four centuries, all over 150, before breaking into the side as a replacement for Horne. Maybe there's a message there somewhere.
Cricket: Class of '99 can take their bow
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