The Ultimate Test Series: New Zealand's lone win in Australia vs a Windies-Pakistan thriller
Ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final, we’re looking to crown The Ultimate Test Series – a Test series that would stand out in any era for both its significance to the sport’s rich history and the level of cricket played.
We’ve whittled it down to 16 Test series from all time, we’ll reveal day by day. Here's where we'll need your help.
Keep your eyes across our social channels and get voting when the time comes.
On day three, New Zealand's only ever series win in Australia takes on Pakistan's brave effort to defeat the West Indies in the Caribbean.
West Indies vs Pakistan, 19881-1 across three Tests
Pakistan under the leadership of the mercurial Imran Khan visited the Caribbean hoping to become the first side to beat the mighty West Indies in their own backyard in 15 years. And they came excruciatingly close to achieving the task in hand.
The skipper, with an outstanding bowling effort of 11 wickets in the match, sealed a stunning nine-wicket victory for Pakistan in the opening Test in Georgetown. A pulsating draw would then follow in Port of Spain, as Pakistan held on by the skin of their teeth with a famous series win in sight.
A green top then awaited the visitors in Bridgetown as the West Indies backed their strengths to avoid a rare failure at home. With the match evenly-poised in the first innings, West Indies were set a target of 266 to chase down. Despite Wasim Akram’s fiery spell, in which he took four wickets, the hosts just about nudged over the line, sealing victory with two wickets in hand. A riveting end to a riveting series.
Australia vs New Zealand, 19851-2 to New Zealand across three Tests
A series win unlikely to ever be forgotten by New Zealand. A tour in which they managed to seal a series victory against their Trans-Tasman rivals away from home - their Test only success in Australia to date.
The visitors started off with a bang in Brisbane, registering a comfortable victory by an innings and 41 runs. Martin Crowe played a mammoth knock of 188 and Richard Hadlee would scalp 15 wickets in the match to set up the win.
Australia would bounce back at the Sydney Cricket Ground with David Boon’s 81 helping them chase down a total of 260.
Hadlee was then back to his lethal best in Perth, with his 11-wicket haul helping the Kiwis triumph in a six-wicket victory. Despite their best efforts, no Kiwi side has yet matched the feat accomplished by the side which visited Australian shores in 1985.
