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The opening Test at Auckland ended in a draw, highlighted by John Wright and Martin Crowe’s 241-run partnership for the third wicket in New Zealand’s second innings—a record for New Zealand against any opposition. The West Indies claimed the second Test at the Basin Reserve, enforcing the follow-on after gaining a lead of 261. Despite Martin Crowe’s fighting century, Walsh’s 5–73 secured a ten-wicket victory on the final afternoon.
The third Test at Christchurch brought a turnaround. After the first day was washed out, New Zealand dismissed the West Indies for just 100. Richard Hadlee took 6–50 and Ewen Chatfield 4–30. Half-centuries from Jeff and Martin Crowe and John Bracewell extended New Zealand’s lead to 233. Martin Snedden then achieved his best Test figures of 5–68, leaving just 33 to win. Walsh took 3–16, before New Zealand crawled to a five-wicket victory—their 26th Test win. It was also captain Jeremy Coney’s 52nd and final Test. He had led New Zealand in 15 matches, winning five and losing four.
The West Indies later swept the ODI series 3–0, with the Basin Reserve match abandoned due to rain.
Almost eight years later, the West Indies returned under Courtney Walsh, joined by stars Brian Lara, Jimmy Adams, Curtley Ambrose, and Kenny Benjamin. They again dominated, taking the ODI series 3–0 and the two-Test series 1–0. The rain-affected first Test at Christchurch was drawn, with Adam Parore scoring his maiden century and Danny Morrison taking 6–69.
At the Basin Reserve, the visitors piled up 660–5 in 169 overs—still the highest Test total ever against New Zealand—thanks to Adams’ 151, Lara’s 147, and Junior Murray’s unbeaten 100. New Zealand collapsed for 216 and 122 in reply, losing by an innings and 322 runs, their heaviest-ever Test defeat at the time. Walsh’s 13 wickets remain the best match figures by a visiting bowler in New Zealand.
The 1999/2000 tour saw Brian Lara lead a less formidable side, though it still included Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jimmy Adams, and the veteran Courtney Walsh.
In the Hamilton Test, the West Indies collapsed from 276–0 to 365 all out, with Dion Nash taking four wickets and Chris Cairns three. Cairns (72), Stephen Fleming (66), and Craig McMillan (51) gave New Zealand a slender lead, before Cairns destroyed the visitors with 7–27 as they were bowled out for 97. Chasing 70, New Zealand lost only Gary Stead to win by nine wickets.
The Boxing Day Test at the Basin Reserve was even more emphatic. Mathew Sinclair marked his debut with 214, supported by Nathan Astle’s 93, as New Zealand reached 518–9. Cairns’ 5–44 helped dismiss the West Indies for 179, and the follow-on was enforced. Though Lara and Chanderpaul resisted with 70 apiece, the visitors fell 105 runs short, handing New Zealand their 44th Test win.
New Zealand then swept the five-match ODI series, with Nathan Astle scoring 320 runs at an average of 80. No West Indian batter managed more than 200 runs.
The West Indies returned in February 2006 under Shivnarine Chanderpaul, alongside Lara, Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, and Fidel Edwards.
The one-off T20 game at Eden Park ended in a tie at 126 each, with New Zealand winning the deciding “bowl-out.” New Zealand then claimed the first four ODIs comfortably. Nathan Astle struck 118 at Christchurch, while Lou Vincent made 102 at Napier. The West Indies finally broke through in the last ODI at Eden Park, winning by three wickets— their first victory in New Zealand since 1994/95—thanks to Runako Morton’s unbeaten 110 and Dwayne Smith’s 5–45.
The Test series began at Eden Park, where Scott Styris with 103* gave New Zealand a slim first-innings lead. Set 291 to win, the West Indies made a strong start with Gayle and Ganga putting on 148, but once Lara fell first ball, the remaining nine wickets added just 106. Shane Bond took 5–69 to set up a 27-run win.
Bond missed the second Test at the Basin Reserve through illness, but James Franklin filled the gap with a five-wicket haul. Stephen Fleming top-scored with 97 as New Zealand took a first-innings lead of 180. Chasing just 36 to win after dismissing the visitors for 215, openers Hamish Marshall and debutant Jamie How knocked off the runs in eight overs. It was New Zealand’s 61st Test victory
The final Test at Napier was ruined by weather, with only two days' play possible. The West Indies reached 256–4, Lara contributing 83—taking his tally for the series to 90 runs from five innings. Later that year, aged 37, he retired from Test cricket, closing one of the game’s greatest careers.
