3rd Orange Test: Australia v New Zealand at Perth, 30 Nov

3rd Orange Test: Australia v New Zealand at Perth, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 2001
John Polack

Australia 2nd innings: Stumps - Day 4,
New Zealand 2nd innings: Lunch - Day 4, Tea - Day 4,
Live Reports from previous days

AUSTRALIA CONDEMNED TO FINAL DAY FIGHT

A troubled Australia will start the final day of the Third Test with just eight second innings wickets in tact and thus battling for survival after another six hours of New Zealand dominance at the WACA Ground in Perth today.

By stumps on the fourth day of a Test that continues to hold supporters of New Zealand cricket in its permanent thrall, the Black Caps had reduced the hosts to a scoreline of 2/69 as they confronted the daunting target of 440 to win.

That the Australians should have been forced into such a desperate corner in a fight to avert a series defeat owed a deal to some more fine batting from the tourists today on their path to a total of 9/256 before a late afternoon declaration. Batting that produced a rare double for a New Zealander, easily the country's most productive opening stand of the series, and yet more of the intelligent character and brow-beating of the bowlers that had featured on the first two days of the match.

In the midst of a union of 77 runs with Mark Richardson (30) that put the Kiwis' previous opening partnerships in the series in the shade, it was enterprising youngster Lou Vincent (54) who again set the tone.

He survived a run out chance when Ricky Ponting aimed at his stumps from cover point, but was otherwise content to keep fanning the flames of an early love affair with Test match cricket. Classical strokes flourished throughout an 88-minute stay and he was regularly able to pierce an Australian field that tended to revolve around understandably defensive settings.

Exquisite timing and placement ensured that the scoreboard whistled along at a run-a-ball rate while he was in occupation; only when he chased a short Brett Lee (4/56) delivery outside the line of off stump to carve a catch to Mark Waugh in the gully did the fun end.

He duly became just the second New Zealander in history to consummate a century with a half-century on Test debut, joining another opening batsman - Rodney Redmond - in that elite bracket.

Progress slowed dramatically upon his departure.

Mathew Sinclair (29) struggled for a long period, adding just one run in 46 minutes at one stage as he attempted to draw on all of his reserves of concentration in resisting Shane Warne (1/75) and Glenn McGrath (1/63). His frustration was such that it even transformed itself into desperation when an urgent call for a run from a ball hit straight to Steve Waugh at point resulted in the needless run out of Richardson. Sinclair ultimately outside edged at McGrath and captain Stephen Fleming (4) came and went quickly, bowled through the gate as he advanced and drove errantly at Warne.

Yet there still remained little to disturb the general pattern of New Zealand command.

The belligerent Chris Cairns (42) received a promotion in the order and proceeded to play some typically thrilling strokes, duly undermining the Australians' best-laid plans of continuing to restrain the visitors' progress toward their huge lead. 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.

Sound assistance was rendered by first innings heroes Nathan Astle (40) and Adam Parore (16*), and by Craig McMillan (19) too. It all ensured that the lead had not only swelled well beyond the mark of the most successful fourth innings run chase in Test history but also that there were as many as 17 overs left to bowl before stumps by the time that Fleming called his batsmen in.

That meant that the artful and engaging cricket that the Black Caps have played from the outset of this match was able to receive even further expression as Australia's second innings began.

Justin Langer (0) showed great form to be the wretchedly elusive commodity that it is as he survived an imploring lbw shout from Shane Bond (1/27), then perished from the next delivery anyway as he edged a low catch to Daniel Vettori at third slip. A further calamity awaited Australia as Ponting (26), after several magnificent strokes, inside edged a Cairns (1/11) off cutter back into his stumps.

Indirectly, Fleming's declaration produced a rather touching piece of irony too. After it had been New Zealand on the end of jibes for its inability to take ten wickets in any innings in a succession of games at the start of the tour, the early closure meant that it was instead Australia that finished the series without managing to claim all ten New Zealand wickets in a single innings.

Little wonder that frustration was etched across the Australians' faces in the field and at the bowling crease for most of the afternoon.

By the end, such anger even appeared to spill over into a torrent of verbal abuse from Lee at number ten batsman Bond after he had removed his leg bail with an inswinging yorker. Lee will be fortunate if he escapes a hearing before match referee Jackie Hendriks.

And, if Australia fails to play the get-out-of-gaol card tomorrow, then it can only be imagined that there will be even more pain to follow.

DECLARATION LOOMS AS BLACK CAPS' LEAD SWELLS

Examinations of New Zealand's resolve keep coming in the Third Test against Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth, but the Black Caps simply keep passing them. And, at tea on the fourth day, the tourists are arguably in as strong a position as at any time in the match, placed as they are at a second innings scoreline of 4/199 and thus holding an imposing overall lead of 382 runs.

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.

UPPER ORDER BUILDS ON BLACK CAPS' BIG LEAD

New Zealand's sense of command over Australia in the Third Test has continued in near-unabated style on the fourth morning of the match at the WACA Ground. By the lunch interval, the Black Caps have pressed their way to a second innings scoreline of 1/88 and an overall lead of 271 runs with five sessions left to play in the Test.

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.