While the entire BLACKCAPS line-up contributed to the successful tour of Zimbabwe, four individual performances will stick in the minds of New Zealand cricket supporters for many years.
It was pleasing to see that two of these were completed by a fit , who appears to be be back to his best after a lengthy lay-off with injury.
In the first Test against Zimbabwe at Harare, the BLACKCAPS speedster took six for 54 in the first innings and four for 48 in the second to record his first 10 wicket bag in Test cricket. Bond followed this up in the one-day tri-series where he destroyed the Indian top-order in one match with career best one-day figures of six for 19.
While he took most of the accolades from the first Test, played one of the great lower order innings in the same match. His 82 ball century was the fastest by a New Zealander in Test cricket and the fifth time a BLACKCAP has achieved the feat in a single session.
Not to be outdone, Lou Vincent had his own point to prove in the first game against Zimbabwe in the tri-series. Opening the innings, he plundered the Zimbabwe attack to all corners of the ground. His 172 was the highest ODI score by a BLACKCAP, going past the previous record set by Glenn Turner. Vincent's runs were scored off just 120 deliveries.
These performances and others by the rest of the team were responsible for the New Zealanders winning the Test series so comprehensively and then defeating India in the final of the Videocon Triangular Series. Nathan Astle's match-winning innings in that game was another highlight of the tour.
