Apparently it's called "the glorious uncertainty" of cricket. Not only did it rain in Perth today - a rare enough event - but a couple of visiting batsmen played as if the WACA pitch was just another flat track on which bowlers were reduced to the workhorses some say they are born to be. Then, just when New Zealand were in a powerful position, they lost wickets and undid much of the good work of the middle part of the day. Despite the late collapse we have a fascinating contest on our hands. Australia, the world champions, must win this match to take the series and retain the two points in the ICC Test Championship that every mug punter would have given them before this series began.

New Zealand's middle-order batting today was excellent; well, at least that of the two who produced the fine partnership that steered their side out of some typical early-match Perth trouble. Debutant Lou Vincent and captain Stephen Fleming played superbly, Vincent as if this was his 50th Test rather than his first, and Fleming like the senior statesman that his standing as national captain says he is.

Sadly the first two Tests were non-events because of the rain. But now, unless Perth has been turned upside down like the rest of the cricket world and some other region's rain falls on the remote western edge of the continent, we have four days in which to see whether Australia can win a Test match that did not go all their way today.

That task is well within Australia's capabilities as the late burst of wickets showed. It is also well within New Zealand's limitations. It will soon be up to New Zealand's bowlers to answer the challenge of bowling on the WACA. The Australian middle order is not out of form, just out of runs. There is a difference. Every batsman makes a few low scores at some stage but if two or three of the Australians can manage starts on this pitch another big score is well within their grasp.

Perth is a difficult place to bat for newcomers. Equally it can be the best place in the world to bat for those accustomed to it. Once you have assessed the pace and bounce which, however extreme, are wonderfully true, you can play your shots with confidence in the knowledge that the fast outfield will bring full value.

Unless New Zealand's bowlers perform as well as Vincent and Fleming did today, they will still be in for the mauling which the weather spared them in the first two Tests.

Mark Ray has covered Australian cricket since 1987 and is also the author of a number of books on the game.

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