5 best performances by spinners in New Zealand ft. Daniel Vettori

Glenn Phillips scripted history when he became the first spinner to take a five-wicket haul in New Zealand for the first time in 16 years. He achieved his feat against Australia in the first Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington last week.

Jeetan Patel was the last spinner to register the feat on Kiwi soil when he picked up a five-wicket haul against the West Indies in Napier in 2008.

While New Zealand's fertile green soil has often been lauded for assisting swing and seam movement, it is not quite seen as happy hunting grounds for spinners, especially in red-ball cricket.

However, there have been quite a few spinners who have managed to perform well in New Zealand. In this article, we bring to you the five best performances by spinners in Tests in New Zealand.

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#1 Erapalli Prasanna (8/76)

Former cricketer Errapalli Prasanna, who went on to define what off-spin bowling would go on to look like for modern-day cricketers, comes first on this list thanks to the 8/76 against New Zealand in the first Test in Auckland in 1976.

Prasanna bowled 23 overs in that innings, including five maidens. He gave away his runs at an economy rate of 2.46 and was critical in bowling the Kiwis out for 215 in their second innings. Chasing a modest target, India won the game by eight wickets.

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#2 Phil Tufnell (7/25)

Former England left-arm spinner Phil Tufnell comes second on this list owing to the 7/25 he picked up against New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch in 1992.

Tufnell was known to turn the ball well and give it enough revolution to drift away from the batters just as they were about to play an attacking shot. He was largely responsible for England winning the Test by an innings and four runs. His performance is still remembered fondly by cricket fans on these shores even after 32 years.

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#3 Intikhab Alam (7/52)

Intikhab Alam of Pakistan in action.

Pakistan's Intikhab Alam is a surprise addition to this list, but has his claim to fame due to the 7/52 that he picked up against the Kiwis in the second Test in Dunedin in February 1973.

Alam gave away his runs at a miserly economy rate of 1.85, and is remembered as one of the finest leg-spinners to have played at this ground. Alam's performance eventually helped Pakistan script a famous win over New Zealand in this Test by an innings and 166 runs.

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#4 Mushtaq Ahmed (7/56)

Pakistan's former leggie Mushtaq Ahmed celebrating with wicketkeeper Rashid Latif.

Another Pakistani leg spinner on this list is Mushtaq Ahmed. His claim to fame is the 7/56 that he bagged against New Zealand in the only Test in Christchurch in 1995.

This was another Test that Pakistan won in New Zealand, although the hosts gave them a bit of a fight. However, Mushtaq's stellar showing in the fourth innings of the game was enough to douse whatever fire was burning in the Kiwis' hearth and swing the game completely in favour of the visitors.

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#5 Daniel Vettori (7/87)

Daniel Vettori got into coaching after his retirement.

Unfortunately or not, New Zealand's greatest spinner, Daniel Vettori comes last on this list with figures of 7/87. His figures came against his country's arch-rivals Australia in the first Test at Eden Park in Auckland in March 2000.

Vettori is perhaps the finest left-arm spinner the game has seen at least since the turn of the millennium. The left-arm spinner picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings to go with the seven he bagged in the second.

However, it was not enough for the Kiwis to prevent the Aussies from running away with a 62-run win.