The List: Recent Black Caps' collapses

The Black Caps are currently playing their seventh test of 2013 and it's fair to say 'batting collapses' have been in fashion this season.

They have faced some of the world's best bowlers in the South African and England attacks and it has shown with six genuine collapses coming in 12 innings.

With Herald on Sunday cricket writer Andrew Alderson describing 'the collapse' as a 'dressing room disease', APN colleague Cameron McMillan lists the most recent cases and their symptoms..

Second test v England - Leeds, first innings
From 62 for one to 122 for nine
Take away the 55-run opening partnership and the 52 from Neil Wagner and Trent Boult for the last wicket and that leaves just 67 runs. The seven recognisable batsmen scored 57 between them as the bottom four added 91. Maybe a batting order reversal is on the cards in the second innings.

First test v England, Lord's second innings
From one for none to 68 all out
New Zealand's ninth lowest in test history didn't make great reading at all. Just two batsmen reached double figures with BJ Watling the only one in the top seven to do so. Outside of his 13, the top six scored 29 between them. The side lasted just 22.3 overs, 112 minutes overall.

First test v England, Lord's first innings
From 147 for three to 207 all out.
Seven wickets falling for 60 runs doesn't sound so bad compared to the last two innings but the 68 all out in the second dig at Lord's removed from people's minds that the Black Caps looked in control of the match at 147 for three in the first innings, leaving them 85 behind England's first innings of 232. However Dean Brownlie fell for 23 with McCullum and Williamson departing soon after. New Zealand ended 25 runs behind England's first innings score which proved costly later in the test.

First test v South Africa, Newlands first innings
From seven for one to 45 all out.
Another total innings collapse. New Zealand's third lowest total of all time lasted just three overs less than the 68 at Lord's. The top seven scored just 30 runs between them while extras was the third highest scorer for seven. After South Africa declared with a 302-run lead, New Zealand were looking strong at 229 for four before losing their last six wickets for 46 runs.

Second test v South Africa, Port Elizabeth first innings
From start of innings to 39 for six
Proving it's not just the middle or end of an innings where they can lose quick wickets, the Black Caps had a horror start at St George's Park after South Africa made 525 for eight declared. After spending 153 overs in the field the New Zealand top five scored just 28 runs between them as it looked like another sub-50 score was on the cards. Watling helped the cause somewhat scoring 63 as wickets continued to fall around him and New Zealand were dismissed for just 121.

Second test v England, Basin Reserve, first innings
From start of innings to 89 for five
With the opening test in Dunedin rain out, England took the early initiative in Wellington making 465 after being sent in by Brendon McCullum. Much like Port Elizabeth New Zealand didn't respond after spending more than day and a half in the field. Losing five wickets for 89 runs isn't exactly a major collapse but it's the fashion in which four of those batsmen were dismissed, in pairs. Hamish Rutherford (23) and Ross Taylor (0) fell in successive balls while Dean Brownlie lasted a further three balls after Kane Williamson left the crease. Brendon McCullum (69) and Watling (60) helped resurrect the innings but New Zealand still had to follow on after being dismissed for 211.

- nzherald.co.nz