Cricket: Merchants of Speed - five of NZ's biggest bogeymen

Australia's Brett Lee needs no introduction to New Zealand fans. Picture / Paul Estcourt

WAQAR YOUNIS (Pakistan)

Possibly best known in New Zealand for producing the delivery that had test batsman Rod Latham offering a copybook forward defensive shot, with bat and pad closely aligned, front elbow pointed high, and the middle and off stumps disintegrating behind him.

A world-class performer whose 416 ODI wickets rates as the second best in history, Waqar fashioned a scarcely believable record against New Zealand, taking 79 wickets in 37 games at an average of 15.84, including six-wicket bags on two occasions and five-wicket hauls on three.

His best effort came at Auckland in 1994 after New Zealand had ripped out the tourists for a mere 161 and were expected to canter to a comprehensive win in the second half of the contest. Waqar ended with six for 30 that day to force a hair-raising tie, but he also took six for 44 at Sharjah two years later, to go with his three five wicket bags in 1990 - at Sharjah, Peshawar and Sialkot.

JOEL GARNER (West Indies)

A giant of a man, "Big Bird" used his extreme height to maximum effect, producing steeply rearing deliveries that usually meant a stern test for the ribcage, forearms, hands and thighs, particularly if there was any pitch assistance in terms of pace and bounce. A near folk-hero of the 1980s, he was a key member of the most feared pace combination in the history of the game and took great delight in making life difficult for New Zealand batsmen - even though he met them on just 10 occasions.

The most memorable was at Port of Spain in 1985, when he rubbed out Geoff Howarth, John Wright, Jeff Crowe and Martin Crowe for the cost of just 10 runs, as the West Indies dismissed New Zealand for 116 and went on to win by 10 wickets.

Garner's overall record was impressive enough, but his effort against New Zealand was astonishing: 20 wickets in 12 games at an average of 13.20, with an economy rate of a mere 2.58.

SHOAIB AKHTAR (Pakistan)

If anyone has made a habit of dining out on New Zealand batting in the past it's been the Rawalpindi Express, who has gorged himself seemingly at will in both the test and ODI format, even if his consistency and action have often been questioned.

You don't have to look far back to find the trail of destruction he's wreaked against New Zealand, but the first ODI of the 2002 tour at Karachi seems a reasonable place to start, given Akhtar found himself firing on all cylinders in that match and ended with the remarkable figures of six for 16. That was the game in which New Zealand were chasing an unlikely 276 to win and Shoaib was the fourth bowler to be used, coming on after spells from Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and Abdul Razzaq and reaching speeds up to 159km/h.

As it turned out, New Zealand fell over so quickly in the face of such pressure (for just 122) that the game was all over with 20 overs still to be bowled, and Shoaib hadn't even bowled his full compliment of 10.

Worse was to come however. Less than a week later Shoaib exploded into action during the first test at Lahore, taking six for 11 as New Zealand collapsed for an embarrassing 73 - in reply to Pakistan's reasonably useful total of 643. Then, at Auckland in 2001, he snared five for 19 in the first ODI, as New Zealand were skittled for 149 in the 36th over and eventually lost by six wickets.

Shoaib has taken 32 wickets at 19.81 in 18 ODIs against New Zealand, which compares favourably with his overall record of 125 games, 192 wickets at 23.44.

BRETT LEE (Australia)

Lee needs no introduction to New Zealand fans after his exploits last Saturday, when he took three for five, conceded just one scoring shot, reached speeds of 156km/h and completely spooked the home side's top-order.

It's not the first time he's done it either. A more painful blow came during the 2003 World Cup match at Port Elizabeth, when New Zealand had high hopes of chasing down Australia's 208 and giving their second round prospects a huge boost.

Having just watched Shane Bond take six for 23, Lee found conditions in his favour midway through the innings and produced a brilliant display of reverse-swinging pace, his last four wickets coming in less than four overs. He ended the match with five for 42 and more importantly, gave his side's title defence even more momentum as they approached the Super Sixes.

Lee also played a key hand in Australia's 5-nil rout of New Zealand last summer, producing blistering pace as he pushed for a test recall and almost single-handedly demolishing the international careers of batsmen Michael Papps and Mathew Sinclair.

WASIM AKRAM (Pakistan)

New Zealand always seemed to have problems against quality left-armers, and Akram's additional pace and the ability to swing the ball both ways meant that he invariably left a trail of bewildered batsmen in his wake. All the more potent because Waqar Younis was usually operating from the other end and maintaining just as much pressure, Akram is the only bowler in the world to have eclipsed 500 ODI wickets. He will almost certainly remember his exploits against New Zealand with great delight.

The most cutting blow probably came at the 1992 World Cup when Akram took four for 32 at Christchurch, a performance that set up the agonising semifinal re-match at Auckland.

But his most successful effort against the Kiwis came on Boxing Day, 1992, at Wellington: five for 19 as New Zealand were dismissed for just 108 in the 40th over, still 50 runs shy of Pakistan's unimpressive total of 158.

Two years later he was at it again, taking four for 23 at Auckland. He finished his career against New Zealand with 64 wickets in 38 ODIs at an average of 18.50 and an economy rate of 3.80.