All-rounders are an asset to the game of cricket. They possess the special ability to impact the game with both batting and bowling. One such all-rounder who had a huge influence on New Zealand cricket was Daniel Vettori. In this article, we will take a look at the top 3 best performances of Daniel Vettori in Test cricket.
7/87 vs Australia, 2000
Daniel Vettori delivered his best bowling performance in Test cricket against the Trans-Tasman rivals Australia in 2000 at Auckland. It was the first match of the Test series where Vettori dominated the Aussies. In the first innings, he had already picked up 5 wickets but the best was yet to come.
New Zealand conceded a lead in the first innings and the Kiwi bowlers needed to restrict Australia to a low score if they had to stay in the game. Vettori rose to the occasion and dismissed 7 Australian batters to bring his team back into the game.
7/130 vs Sri Lanka, 2006
This phenomenal bowling effort came in a losing cause but it once again established Daniel Vettori and his ability to deliver when his team needed the most. The left-arm orthodox registered 7 scalps to his name against Sri Lanka in the second innings which included some prominent Sri Lankan names including Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene. Daniel Vettori’s performance kept New Zealand in the contest but his team eventually lost the match by 217 runs.
140 vs Sri Lanka, 2009
Another notable performance against Sri Lanka but this time with the bat. The Kiwis toured the island nation in 2009 and Daniel Vettori showcased his batting skills in the second Test of the series at Colombo. Chasing a massive target of 494 runs the Kiwi top order crumbled but Vettori fought with Jacob Oram to guide his team to victory.
He scored 140 runs and was the last one to be dismissed. New Zealand lost the match by 96 runs but the margin of loss was reduced by Vettori’s splendid batting effort.