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New NZ fifth-wicket record
Wisden CricInfo staff - November 22, 2001
Steven Lynch and Andrew Miller hoard the Hobart highlights
Sunday, November 25, 2001
Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan's partnership of 97 is a new fifth-wicket record for New Zealand against Australia, breaking the previous-best of 92, by McMillan and Nathan Astle, set in the first Test at Brisbane.
Ricky Ponting's century was his ninth in Tests, in his 49th match. It was his first against New Zealand, and his first on his home ground of Hobart. In his previous two Tests at Hobart Ponting had scored 4 (v New Zealand in 1997-98) and 0 and 0 (v Pakistan in 1999-2000). Ponting has now scored centuries against seven different opponents - two against England and India, and one each against New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. He has only played one Test against Zimbabwe, and has never faced Bangladesh.
Ponting reached 3000 Test runs in fine style, with a six off Shane Bond. He is the 25th Australian to reach this landmark, and he passed the totals of legendary allrounders Keith Miller (2958 runs) and Warwick Armstrong (2863) during this innings.
Australia's total of 558 for 8 dec was the highest in Tests at Hobart, beating Australia's 544 for 6 dec against New Zealand in 1993-94. That innings included 168 from Michael Slater, the only higher individual score than Ricky Ponting's 157 not out in a Test at the Bellerive Oval.
Justin Langer's century was his tenth in 44 Tests, his third in consecutive matches, and his third against New Zealand. Since his recall at The Oval in August (where he was felled by Andrew Caddick and retired hurt), he has scored 347 runs, for twice out. He is the first Australian to score hundreds in three consecutive Tests since David Boon, at Lord's, Trent Bridge and Headingley, against England in 1993.
Langer and Matthew Hayden's opening partnership of 223 fell one short of their own first-wicket record for Australia v New Zealand Test matches, 224 at Brisbane. It was their third stand of 150-plus in the three innings in which they have opened together, following the Brisbane 224 and 158 against England at The Oval in August. Ironically, given Langer's frenetic first hour here, their alliance was broken up in the second innings at Brisbane, when Adam Gilchrist joined Hayden in pursuit of quick runs.
When he reached 60, Hayden became the second batsman, after South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs, to score 1000 Test runs in the calendar year of 2001.
On 999 runs before the start of his 15th match, Mathew Sinclair took just one ball to record his 1000th run in Test cricket. He made 217 on debut against West Indies in 1999-2000, and in 2000-01 he added a second double-century against Pakistan and 150 in South Africa. Before this match he had scored more than half of his runs – 568 – in just three innings. Against his native Australia, however, he had managed only 87 runs in four matches, at an average of 10.88.
Tasmania's John Smeaton, who started the match as the third umpire, took the field on the third day after Steve Davis injured his knee on the second evening. Barry Jackman took over in the video room.
© Wisden CricInfo Ltd
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