Looking back at the good, bad and ugly

Our sports writers nominate their best and worst moments of the NZ sporting year.

RICHARD BOOCK

Best: New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent's magnificent 104 on debut against Australia in the third test at Perth.

It was one of those rare and special moments in NZ cricket history. A lot of Australians will remember it as well, especially as Vincent added a half-century in his second innings.

Worst: The muted gazes of the All Blacks as they filed out of their Stadium Australia dressing room after the last-second loss in the final game of the Tri-Nations. The worst moment possibly should have been the game-winning touchdown by Toutai Kefu 30 minutes earlier, but who could bear to look?

WYNNE GRAY

Best: David Smail's push into the golfing limelight. Bookend strikes from his early, warming win in the New Zealand Open to the near triumph at the World Cup.

Worst: The fiasco with Wayne Smith and the All Black coaching job. No matter the explanations, no matter the spin, Smith's indecision did not compute.

PETER JESSUP

Best: The Tall Blacks' third test and series win over the more fancied Australian Boomers to take the Oceania spot at next year's world basketball championships in Indianapolis.

Worst: The Kangaroos clinical demolition of the Kiwis in the poorly attended rugby league test at Wellington. It was all over in the first eight minutes when the Kiwis had repeat sets of six on the Australian line but could not score.

The NRL's hand ensured that the Kangaroos came after three State of Origin games. The Kiwis were cobbled together to thrash France then re-arranged with late-arriving players from England. The result was a predictable horror show.

TERRY MADDAFORD

Best: The win by the Tall Blacks over Australia. It showed that good guys can win and gave coach Tab Baldwin the deserved chance to take his team to the world championships.

Worst: The public and not so public in-fighting which threatened to sink the Football Kingz at a time they should have been pressing for honours.

JULIE ASH

Best: The Tall Blacks series win over Australia to secure them a ticket to next year's world championships.

Worst: The Silver Ferns series loss against Australia and the subsequent dropping of coach Yvonne Willering for no apparent reason.

CHRIS RATTUE

Best: The Warriors. Okay, so they fell badly at the end. But the signs are there that good coaching and management is finally putting in place a team that will give their supporters years of real hope, and some glory.

Worst: The sacking of Willering. Unlike the dithering Wayne Smith, she did not have a hand in her downfall. Willering loved the job, wanted to keep it, and the results said she deserved to stay.