3rd Orange Test: Australia v New Zealand at Perth, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2001 John Polack |
Australia 2nd innings:
New Zealand 2nd innings: |
With the world-champion Australians still left scratching their heads at how it could all have come to this, further bewilderment came for them in the middle session of the fourth day as Mathew Sinclair (29) was beaten persistently in the half-hour period that followed the players' return from lunch.
Sinclair, somewhat robotic in his movements and reluctant to move his feet too much, struggled for a long period upon the resumption. He had to draw on all his reserves of concentration - and to rely on some seriously good fortune in playing and missing a number of times - to see off Shane Warne (1/75) and Glenn McGrath (1/63) in particular as just a mere single came from his bat in a 46-minute period at one stage.
It wasn't batting to quite suit the situation, and it also contributed in strong measure to the run out of Mark Richardson (30) some 15 minutes into the session. Frustration at the inability to score turned into something resembling desperation when the young right hander cut a Warne delivery straight to Steve Waugh at point and urgently called for a run. Richardson, though immersed in an impressive sprint toward the crease at the striker's end, was never really a chance.
It had been a disappointing quarter-hour for New Zealand - one of its few quiet periods of the entire game. But the balance was quickly restored to proceedings when the belligerent Chris Cairns (42*) received a promotion to the number four position in the order.
Cairns, playing some typically thrilling strokes, undermined the Australians' attempts to slow the tourists' march toward a huge lead - and an almost inevitable declaration - late in the day. His case of knowing exactly how to attack a team was persuasively argued once again as he struck two sixes off McGrath with cleanly-clubbed blows over long on and mid wicket respectively and surrounded them with a mixture of authoritative shots.
He watched Sinclair edge an away-seaming McGrath delivery to the wicketkeeper, ironically shortly after his innings had finally begun to blossom, and then saw captain Stephen Fleming (4) succumb as well, bowled through the gate as he advanced and drove at Warne.
But the lead was building all the while and the position was further consolidated by the arrival of first innings century-maker Nathan Astle (33*) at the wicket. The Cantabrian was in imperious touch, hitting the ball with supreme confidence through the off side at times.
Though the strokeplay of both Cairns and Astle remained captivating, attention accordingly rapidly began to turn to the sort of target and timing that might best suit Fleming as he eyes the right moment at which to declare.
Openers Lou Vincent (54) and Mark Richardson (28*) were the men chiefly responsible for the Kiwis' progress today, combining in fine style to add 77 runs and thus forge easily their team's best first wicket stand of the series.
Vincent survived a run out chance when Ricky Ponting aimed at his stumps from cover point, but otherwise continued his early love affair with Test match cricket. Classical strokes flourished throughout his 88-minute occupation and he was even able to consistently pierce generally defensive Australian field settings. Two sparkling shots from the opening two Shane Warne (0/32) deliveries of the innings were symptomatic of an attacking mindset that predominated, his work ensuring that the scoreboard was whistling along at a run-a-ball rate.
It was only when he chased a short Brett Lee (1/28) delivery outside the line of off stump to carve a catch to Mark Waugh in the gully that his fun ended.
He duly became just the second New Zealander in history to record a century and half-century on Test debut, joining another opening batsman - Rodney Redmond - in that elite bracket.
Richardson, who irritated partisan sections of the Perth crowd by doffing his hat and bowing to them on catching Warne for 99 late yesterday, provided further annoyance this morning with similarly unstinting application. Though more subdued than Vincent, his play has been just as assured and several perfectly controlled drives straight down the ground have featured.
Upon replacing Vincent at the crease, Mathew Sinclair (5*) proceeded to maintain the attacking tempo with a gloriously straight driven boundary off Lee. But he was soon beaten four times in succession by the previously unimpressive Warne, and has played in a far more defensive mould thereafter.
A spectacular thunderstorm hit Perth overnight, and briefly brought torrential rain to most parts of the city. But the skies had dawned fine and clear by the time that play was due to begin at 10:30am and the Black Caps quickly set about making more hay while the sun shone.
For once, it might be the Australians who are forced to resort to organising some mass rain dances in the dressing room.
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Date-stamped : 04 Dec2001 - 06:46