Richard Baker
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New Zealand v Australia at Napier Richard Baker |
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Australia innings: New Zealand innings: |
Bevan reached 107 before a superb catch from Scott Styris at mid wicket ended his innings but by that stage, 237 for four, he had seen Australia well and truly through to victory.
In partnership with Hayden they put on 96 in 19.1 overs while in combination with Steve Waugh they put on 82 in 12.4 overs. Two killer partnerships which put Australia well on the road to victory.
New Zealand got off to their best start of the series with the two Australian openers back in the shed by the seventh over but the visitors continued to have the upperhand.
The Black Caps current bowling attack just can't contain the Australian batsman so they're desperate for wicket takers. Cairns took two tonight while Doull, Wiseman and Vettori took one each but it wasn't enough. To win the Kiwis need to bowl the Aussies out completely.
Tonight's victory extends the Australian's world record stretch to 14 consecutive victories and with the way the world champions are playing at the moment there's no reason why they can't make it 15 when these two teams meet again for the final match of the series at Eden park in two days time.
They lost Warne cheaply but out comes Steve Waugh and New Zealand seem powerless to stop this juggernaut from rolling on to victory. Australia sit ahead of the Kiwis at the same stage of their innings (190 for four) and looking at New Zealand's last 10 overs where they only scored 53 runs Australia have a very easy assignment for their 14th consecutive One-Day International victory.
The home side needs wickets and urgently. Bevan continues to guide Australia home by regularly piercing the field while Steve Waugh is doing a perfect job of feeding him the strike.
Interestingly enough Waugh just tried to hit Wiseman for six over long on on the last ball of the 40th over and Simon Doull takes the catch on the boundary only to lose his balance and step over the rope. Six to Waugh and that really speaks volumes about this Australian side, they're looking unstoppable.
Even the dropped caught and bowled chance by Wiseman off Bevan in the 17th over when he was on 37 is going to haunt the Kiwis big time in this match as the left hander continues on taking Australia to victory.
Shane Warne, on 4, has joined Bevan, on 61, at the crease for, one suspects, some pinch hitting. To pass up Steve Waugh and Damien Martyn it has to be the only reason.
Bevan is the key for both sides. The dismissal of the left hander would give New Zealand a huge boost towards victory. At the moment he is keeping the Australian innings pulse alive with well worked singles along with the well-timed boundary.
Spinners Wiseman and Daniel Vettori are doing a good job of containing as the pitch is taking a lot of spin but the way Bevan keeps picking them off for runs the Kiwis need his wicket desperately.
The first over brought the dismissal of Waugh, caught by Astle at second slip of Cairns and followed up by the wicket of Gilchrist the Black Caps have Australia under a little bit of pressure.
The game is at the stage now where New Zealand need another wicket. You get the feeling that Michael Bevan and Matthew Hayden, both on 32, are currently ticking the runs over easily and can quite comfortably pick off singles mixed with the occasional boundary to see Australia through.
Another wicket would put extra pressure on the world champions and with the lights coming on the New Zealand slower bowlers could really put the screws on.
They will be disappointed with that after reaching 40 overs at 190 for four. They only put on 53 runs in the last 10 overs at the loss of five wickets.
Nathan Astle's century was the backbone of the innings but somebody needed to stick with him in those last 10 overs for the home side to put in a very competitive total.
The score of 243 will be handy but a total over 250 would have put a lot more pressure on the tourists.
Australia's bowling was exceptional with Ian Harvey, Shane Warne and Damien Fleming, who picked up four wickets, very hard to score off. The way they mixed slow deliveries with quick ones, off cutters and leg spinners was a superb bowling exhibition on a slow and quiet track.
The visitors won't be too worried about chasing this total but if the Kiwis can get Australia a couple down early on then they'll be cause for concern. New Zealand can't get behind the eight ball at any stage during Australia's innings, they have to be on top and stay there from ball one.
The Kiwis reached 190 for four with Astle on 93 and Chris Harris four. Chris Cairns was out in the 37th over, the subsequent ball after hitting McGrath for six over midwicket but having scored at a run rate of 7.60 in the last five overs the Kiwis have got a great launching pad
Six wickets is the key, with Astle about to bring up his hundred the other batsmen can have a go and if it comes off New Zealand should be close to 300.
The Australian bowlers are just playing a containing role at the moment but the telling factor is Warne and Mark Waugh have got five overs between them to bowl. The way they are moving the ball off the pitch they'll play a critical part in what score New Zealand will end up.
Over that period the Kiwis have only put on 60 runs with the sole loss of Roger Twose's wicket. In fact since Twose played on in the 24th over New Zealand has slowed dramatically. Cairns and Astle have collated 19 runs in 6.1 overs.
The last boundary was hit by Twose in the 23rd over, swatting Shane Warne over mid wicket and if New Zealand, in-particular Chris Cairns don't start piercing the field and gathering singles somebody is going to have a rush of blood and get out.
With the introduction at the northern end of Warne and part-time off spinner Mark Waugh from the southern end Australia have really tightened the screws. Unbelievably the 29th over was a maiden courtesy of Warne.
For New Zealand to reach a substantial total these two batsman need to stay together for at least 10 overs because besides Chris Harris the Kiwi batting line up starts getting a little brittle.
Nathan Astle on 48 and Roger Twose with 14 have helped resurrect the Kiwi innings after the home side was 26 for two in the sixth over.
For the second time in two innings Mathew Sinclair has been dismissed for a duck - albeit by a bad call from umpire Watkin as the ball was going over the stumps - while Fleming's stay was another quick fire innings. After hitting Fleming for four he tried again as was caught of a slower ball at cover by Steve Waugh.
After being given a life on nought by Michael Bevan who dropped him at mid off, Astle has punished the Australians. He's firing at more than a run a ball and for New Zealand's sake he needs to get a century today.
He took to Glenn McGrath at the northern end early on by taking three consecutive fours off the speedster's third over and then two more in his fourth. McGrath was consequently replaced by Ian Harvey and the medium pacer has put the brakes on somewhat from the northern end anyway.
Damien Fleming has been inventive from the southern end mixing up traditional out swingers with slow deliveries, one which claimed the wicket of the New Zealand captain.
The pitch isn't assisting the quicks at all. There's a little bit of pace but nothing for the batsman to worry about so the introduction of Shane Warne to the bowling crease won't be far away at all.
The Kiwis are going along well at the moment but you get the feeling if they lose a wicket in the next five overs Australia are right back in the drivers seat.
That's the question throughout many Kiwi fans are asking as both teams prepare for battle in the fifth One-Day International at McLean Park in Napier.
The world champion Australian side has won a world record 13 consecutive One-Day matches including three in this series - the first game was washed out. With two games remaining the Kiwis have already lost the series but they need to save face especially in their bowling to resurrect their season.
The last two games have seen the New Zealand bowling attack concede 310 and 349 with Australia batting first, opener Adam Gilchrist the top scorer in both innings smashing 77 and 128.
It's been a big problem in the last two matches for Stephen Fleming trying to find a bowler who can restrict the runscoring so for this game swing bowler Simon Doull has been named with the purpose of taking wickets.
Previously the Kiwis couldn't buy a wicket let alone slow the run rate so Warren Wisneski has been dropped with Doull in to replace him while the other changes see Craig McMillan and Robert Kennedy left out. Off spinner Paul Wiseman returns after playing at Eden park in game two.
For Australia Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds make way for Glenn McGrath and Matthew Hayden.
Steve Waugh has won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat on a pitch which is dry, very hard and full of runs. Fleming indicated earlier in the week he would bat first to see how many runs New Zealand can get because in the past two games when Australia batted first the game has been already decided after the first 50 overs.
Overhead conditions are pleasant. A little bit cloudy but warm and we should see through the whole match without any interruptions.
Date-stamped : 01 Mar2000 - 22:22