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First draw for 24 Tests
Wisden CricInfo staff - November 8, 2001
This draw was Australia's first in their last 24 Tests, dating back to the rain-ruined third Test against Sri Lanka at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club in October 1999. It also ended a run of 12 successive wins for Australia in home Tests.
Steve Waugh's catch to dismiss Adam Parore was his 100th, in his 140th Test. He and his twin, Mark (who currently holds the Test record with 161) are only the second pair of brothers each to take 100 catches in Tests, after Greg (122) and Ian (105) Chappell.
Brett Lee took his third five-wicket haul in five Tests in Australia. His strike rate at home is 32.2 balls per wicket, compared to 49.2 overseas.
In New Zealand's second innings, the new ball was taken by Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie - the first time that Glenn McGrath hadn't taken it in a Test innings in Australia in which he'd bowled. It was the first time he hadn't taken it in any Test since Jamaica in 1994-95 - his 13th Test (this was his 76th).
Adam Gilchrist made 118, his fourth Test hundred and his third this year. He equalled Ian Healy's record number of Test hundreds by an Australian wicketkeeper. But whereas Healy had 181 innings, this was Gilchrist's 31st.
Gilchrist and Brett Lee added 135, a record for Australia's eighth wicket against New Zealand. It was also a record for the eighth wicket in Tests at Brisbane.
Lee made 61, his second Test half-century. His first, 62 against West Indies in 2000-01, also came on this ground. Lee now averages 90.5 in Tests in Australia. His run of scores reads: 27, 62*, 41*, 61.
Gilchrist continued an outstanding run of batting form by Australian wicketkeepers in Brisbane Tests - in the last six matches, starting with the match against West Indies in 1996-97, they average 113.33. The run of scores reads: (Ian Healy) 161*, 45*, 68, 25, 134, (Gilchrist) 81, 48, 118.
Numbers 3-6 in the Australian batting order all failed to reach double figures. This has only happened to them on 14 previous occasions in Tests, most recently against England at Sydney in 1994-95 (David Boon 3, Mark Waugh 3, Michael Bevan 8, Steve Waugh 1). The time before that was in the second innings of the famous game at Headingley in 1981 (Trevor Chappell 8, Kim Hughes, Graham Yallop and Allan Border all 0 – then Rod Marsh 4 from No. 7).
Australia's total of 486 is the highest in Test history to include such a meagre contribution from the middle order - Nos 3-6 scored 12 runs between them. At Sydney in 1907-08 England scored 229, with only ten runs from Nos 3-6 - George Gunn 0, Kenneth Hutchings 2, Joe Hardstaff senior 8, and Len Braund 0.
The stand of 224 between Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer was a new first-wicket record for Australia v New Zealand. The previous record was 198, by Michael Slater and Mark Taylor at Perth in 1993-94.
Hayden hit his fourth century, in his 22nd Test. It was his first against New Zealand, and his first on his home ground at Brisbane.
Langer's century was his ninth in 43 Tests. It was his second against New Zealand, and his second in successive Test innings. He was dismissed for the first time in a Test since March 2001, when he was out for 21 against India at Chennai. His only Test innings since was 102, retired hurt, against England at The Oval in August.
Craig McMillan returned his best bowling figures in Tests, His previous-best also came against Australia – 3 for 57 at Wellington in 1999-2000.
Chris Cairns is playing in his 50th Test match.
The Australians wore black armbands on the first day, in memory of Peter Burge, the former Queensland and Australia batsman, who died on October 5. There was also a minute's silence before play started on the first morning.
Adam Gilchrist, in his 23rd Test, took part in his first draw, after 19 wins and three defeats.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd
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