The Other Side of a Collapse: Reviewing New Zealand’s First Test Series Victory over Pakistan Since 1985

As the story goes, the last time New Zealand wrapped up a test series victory over Pakistan a train stopped on the tracks so its passengers could watch it happen.

That was back in Dunedin in February 1985, when Jeremy Coney and Ewan Chatfield carved out a gritty fifty runs for the last wicket to better a tear-away Pakistani seam unit headlined by Wasim Akram.

New Zealand had two collapses in their second innings in that test, at Carisbrook. Four wickets fell for the first 23 runs, and four for the last 48 – but Mantis and Chats got the Kiwis home.

Thirty-one years later, in Hamilton, it was a much different story. Set a just-reachable 369, on a good batting deck, by Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson on the final day, Pakistan cruised into the tea break 158 for 1.

They were likely taking the draw – so a historic series victory would be New Zealand's anyway - but with a pragmatic stoicism frustrating to Williamson's men.

Highlights of the final day of New Zealand's test win over Pakistan in Hamilton. Source: Youtube.

Then, the big collapse. Nine wickets fell in the next 25.1 overs for just 71 runs. Kiwi seamers Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry and Colin de Grandhomme ran a-muck. It was a thriller, with Wagner taking the final wicket, of tailender Imran Khan, with only 53 balls remaining before stumps.

Southee finished Man of the Match, with two second-innings wickets to go with his six in the first.

"To sit here now, the feeling at tea time and now is pretty contrasting," Williamson told media, post-test. "It will go down as a great test victory."

Along with the history of a first home series victory against Pakistan in 31 years – and only second ever in 22 attempts - it will also go down as the definitive start to the Williamson era as New Zealand test captain. This was his first home test series triumph as skipper.

The victory at Seddon Park is certainly an encouraging test uptick for the Black Caps, who'd experienced an ugly start under Williamson.

New Zealand came into their home summer with four straight test defeats, off the back off a 3-0 series whitewash in India and 1-0 defeat in South Africa. In both series, the Kiwis struggled with the conditions and frequently saw their middle order exposed to spin.

Fair to say that the wickets of New Zealand will rarely allow that, but Pakistan did come Way Down Under ranked third in the test world. This result sees them drop to fourth, and the Kiwis rise up to sixth.

What have learnt about the Black Caps in the last two weeks, from New Zealand's eight-wicket victory in Christchurch to the Hamilton win?

Williamson's as a captain is certainly not as cavalier as his old boss Brendon McCullum. His last day declaration was tempting for his opponents, but not as bullish as B-Mac would usually set. He might need more work with the DRS too, with a coupla howlers.

David Leggat, the famed New Zealand Herald cricket writer, described the Hamilton victory as evidence of "a couple of decent steps forward" for Williamson.

"He's finding his way in the captaincy game and you sense he wears a more conservative cloak than McCullum," Leggat wrote.

Williamson will be incredibly happy with the form of Southee over the last two weeks.

The right-armer is slowly getting back to his best after being pretty damn patchy since the World Cup last year. Southee snared 13 wickets in this series at an average of 16.38; a figure which is almost half of his test average (31.52).

The seamer – who missed the Indian series with an ankle injury - didn't bowl a wide or no ball all series, and recorded 31 maidens amongst his 87.4 total overs. All told, the 27-year-old needs only ten more wickets to become the fifth Kiwi to take 200 in tests.

Outside one spell in the first innings in Hamilton, Southee's application and discipline was obvious. With Trent Boult coming back (he was out in Hamilton due to a knee injury), and Matt Henry making another step forward, the Kiwi test seam attack looks strong.

Don't buy the false dawn of Colin de Grandhomme. The South African-born all-rounder impressed with his 6 for 41 in Christchurch, confidence one-day style strike rate with the bat and powerful fielding arm – but he's more of a stop-gap measure before the likes of Jimmy Neesham return to the fold.

He'll probably get another run against Bangladesh in the next home series after New Years, but expect him to drop back to first-class level for the big series of the summer, against South Africa in March.

Mitchell Santner looks the goods, though - as does Jeet Raval. The left-arm off spinner has developed a knack for taking important wickets at important times, kicking off yesterday's Pakistani collapse with the first two of the innings.

Though he didn't fire with the bat in the last two weeks, the 24-year-old looks a lock for the no 8 spot in the order after BJ Watling, providing some real steel for the Black Caps if the top doesn't fire. That'll be needed if Ross Taylor's eye doesn't heal well after his upcoming surgery.

Raval should be a Kiwi test opener for the rest of the summer, given his two confident fifties in his first two tests. Could he and Tom Latham be the openers New Zealand have waited a generation for?

A quick fire one-day series against Australia is next for the Black Caps, which has been criticized across the Tasman as it will rob Australia players first-class preparation for their home series against the Pakistanis.

The one-dayers are Australia's own fault, though. Cricket Australia worked out a deal last year that set in a place a virtual summer-by-summer trans-Tasman short-form comp if the Kiwis played the first ever day-night test in Adelaide, also last season.