HOBART, Australia (Reuters)
Craig McMillan has said he will try to build on his record fifth-wicket partnership of 97 with New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming on Monday to shield the lower order from a possible collapse against the second new ball.

McMillan (51*) and Fleming (71*) came together with New Zealand in trouble at 100 for 4 on the fourth day of the rain-interrupted second Test against Australia at the Bellerive Oval on Sunday.

Their stand bettered New Zealand's previous fifth-wicket record against Australia of 92, which was set by Nathan Astle (66) and McMillan (45) in the first match of the three-Test series at Brisbane earlier this month.

New Zealand still require a further 162 runs to avoid the follow-on with one day's play remaining.

"Tomorrow they'll have the new ball so that's an important stage for us," McMillan said. "We want to get through this spell because we don't want to expose the lower order to the new ball.

"It was a tough start when we lost those early wickets [after resuming at 71 for 2 in reply to Australia's 558 for 8 declared].

"When you're chasing a follow-on target of 360-odd you need some solid partnerships. I thought they bowled very well, they are very demanding bowling that channel just outside off stump, and the ball was doing a bit so it made life tough.

"We realised that we had to put our heads down and we've still got a big job to do tomorrow."

McMillan said the constant rain delays, which have washed out almost ten hours of play in the Test - including the entire evening session on Sunday - were unsettling for the batting side.

"Every time the covers go back on, it sweats up a bit so the ball's always doing something," he said.

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