Australia v New Zealand
VB Series, Match 10
Tuesday, January 29, 2002

I'd hoped for better quality in this match, but Australia were still very tentative. This was the best one-day track we've had so far - bouncy, but without the sideways movement, and taking just enough spin - but in the field Australia were as bad as I've seen them. Their pressure throws were way off and they were all far too tense. In the end Michael Bevan realised he had to beat the Kiwis on his own - and apart from a bit of support from the tail this was not a team effort at all.

But Bevan's innings was one of the best I've seen him play. It reminded me very much of a match in South Africa in 1996-97, when he made 90-odd in pursuit of 280 at Centurion, and it was also very similar to Chris Cairns' knock at Brisbane last week. The remarkable thing was the way he kept turning the ones into twos - it gave the Kiwis too much to think about and they eventually ran out of ideas. They also overran the allotted time for their innings by a good half-an-hour. But I don't think it was so much a case of the Kiwis bottling it, as Bevan's brilliance. They could simply find no answers.

Andre Adams will learn from his spell at the death. He has a reputation for a cool head in New Zealand's domestic cricket, but he lost his rhythm and started bowling off a shortened run-up which proved costly, as he sent down too many half-volleys. It was a chastening experience for a couple of the young guys - Brendon McCullum for example came onto the pitch and immediately dropped that catch.

Chris Harris took a bit of tap today, but I thought he might have been worth a pop at the death, and the quicks seemed to entirely forget about the short ball. It wouldn't have been much use in the last over or two, but around the 40th over, when Bevan was looking to move things along, a quicker one in the ribs might have produced a miscued pull. Cairns' class was certainly missed at the bitter end, though at 6 for 82, no-one was thinking about him.

Australia's top-order underachieved yet again. The openers, and Ponting, and Martyn are all out of form - or heading that way - and it has been a feature of this series that the runs have only flowed when the pressure is off, late in the innings. What this win will do for them remains to be seen. Confidence-wise they will all benefit, but will that translate into an improved run of form? Bevan was magnificent, as was the tail, but the top-order haven't got a lot to take from this game.

The main difference between this series and the last is the lack of variety in Australia's gameplan. They have been far too stereotypical - six batters, an allrounder, four bowlers. Last year every option was firing, and so it was good to see Steve Waugh having a rare bowl. He wants to get as many irons warm as possible, so that he can turn to them at the crunch, but I thought he bowled for too long. Three overs would have been ideal.

The only people who will take any genuine confidence from this game are the South Africans. They've had the wood on New Zealand all series, and it is vital for their chances that they kick them while they are down. Sunday's match is going to be huge.

Stephen Fleming has been reported to the match referee for dissent, but I would be disappointed if he got anything more than a firm slap on the wrists. A serious fine is a distinct possibility, as players should not tell umpires how to do their job, but Darrell Hair was at fault with his no-ball call, and in fact acknowledged this by changing his mind. If Fleming gets any more than the minimum, then the umpires should be punished as well, and I would hope that their report to the match referee is not too critical.

Ian Healy, one of the game's greatest wicketkeepers, is now a commentator for Channel 9 in Australia. He is giving his verdict on every match in the VB Series on Wisden.com. He was talking to Andrew Miller.

More Ian Healy
Never mind the quality ...
The best New Zealand side I've seen

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd