Hobart Test, Day 1, Tea
Thursday, November 22, 2001

A big opening stand followed by mid-innings collapse - New Zealand will like to think there are parallels with the ways things went at Brisbane. But I don't agree. At Brisbane the bowlers made things happen by chasing the game and forcing the errors, but here they haven't done much at all. The only reason Langer and Hayden are not still out in the middle is boredom, pure and simple. They were cruising along and then they pressed the self-destruct button. The bowlers really didn't have a whole lot to do with it.

But, that said, two wickets was enough to give New Zealand a sniff – they can now start to get into the game. Daniel Vettori, who benefits from creating momentum, is beginning to settle with the big hitters gone, and Shane Bond is starting to rip in with some good pace.

But it was sheer boredom that brought about the wickets. Langer was lazy. He'd been middling the cover-drive so well all day, but when they blocked up the off side he decided against dropping the ball at his feet, or looking to create runs elsewhere. He just tried to go straight through the field. Hayden got suckered a touch by Vettori – he'd just smacked him straight over his head, and then tried the same thing again to a ball that wasn't quite there. He'd have known as he went through with the shot that he was in trouble, but he went for it anyway!

The bowlers maybe kept a fractionally better line in this session, but they were still pretty poor. But the pressure is off a bit now – there is the prospect of this innings ending before tomorrow night, so now is the time for the New Zealanders to find their focus, go back to absolute basics and support each other as a team.

For Australia, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting will be a good combo – they are a more dour partnership. Waugh's first instinct is to look to dig in, while Ponting's is to play his shots. New Zealand are not back in this match by a long chalk. After these two come Martyn, Gilchrist, Lee, Gillespie, Warne. Australia have such strength in depth they can strike from anywhere in the order.

New Zealand's main man at Brisbane was Craig McMillan, and though less consistent, he had his moments here as well. He's hassled and chipped away with the verbals - at least he's looked as though he wants to be out there! If he can settle though, Vettori will be New Zealand's key this afternoon. The others have been too short, too full, and strayed on both sides of the wicket.

Ian Healy made a record 395 dismissals in 119 Tests for Australia. His comments will be appearing on Wisden.com at the end of every session in the series. He was talking to Andrew Miller.

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