Black Caps turn bullies
in third Test

New Zealand has a legitimate opportunity to record a precious Test series victory over Australia after a remarkable day of dominance in the third and decisive Test in Perth.

Nathan Astle and Adam Parore added centuries to go with those already scored by Lou Vincent and Stephen Fleming on day one in a record partnership of 253 for the eighth wicket.

After starting the day a downtrodden 293/7, Astle and Parore could not be separated for two-and-a-half sessions as they pushed the Kiwis to a declaration.

New Zealand declared on 534/9 and Australia, needing 335 to avoid the follow-on, lost the wickets of Hayden and Ponting in the final 15 overs to finish 75/2.

Still 459 behind New Zealand’s massive total, the Australians now find themselves in the unfamiliar position of not only being outsiders to win the match but also the series. Australia has not lost a series at home since it was beaten by West Indies in 1992/’93 and has not lost a home Test since the 1998/’99 season against England.

Having crashed through the middle order the previous evening, the Australians might have expected to finish off the New Zealand innings quickly on day two and begin compiling a large total themselves. McGrath and Gillespie started in a fashion usually conducive to just such an end, but were met with surprisingly stern resistance in a fighting partnership between Astle and Parore, the last recognised pair.

They focussed on occupation against the two leading pacemen, knowing there was no special need for urgency and that there was lots of batting left to do. McGrath and Gillespie afforded them little to hit, bowling a pressure-building line outside off, but neither was tempted by it in a return to the sensible accumulation of the first day prior to the hectic collapse at the end.

The opening bowlers presented the gravest threat so the patience in seeing them off was well justified. Australia had one chance, when Martyn should have run out Astle from gully after the non-striker got half-way down the pitch before being sent back, but his throw could not avoid the batsman.

The lack of reward for effort eventually began to tell on the bowlers before the end of their spells, as McGrath ventured around the wicket and Gillespie, after beating Astle’s edge a couple of times, was drawn into speaking to him, which drew grins from the batsman. Gillespie also called upon a more exotic tactic when, just before delivery, he spread his arms out like wings. It didn’t distract Astle, who slapped the bouncer over mid on. These were clearly signs of frustration, as just 23 runs were scored in the frst hour without the breakthrough Australia desired.

Having survived any lasting affects of the second new ball, Astle and Parore found the going slightly easier against Lee and Warne, with Parore hoisting Warne for a six and four and Astle passing fifty. Their defiance was rewarded as the Australians began to stray towards lunch, the pair adding seventy runs for the session without loss to guide New Zealand to an increasingly competitive 363/7. Determination in abundance, Astle was 62 and Parore 41.

There is a toughness and resilience about New Zealand’s batting, as well as a notable discipline in playing outside off, that Australia did not encounter during the Ashes series. Nathan Astle and Adam Parore embodied it.

Their eighth-wicket partnership put Australia in a rare dilemma from the point of view of achieving a series victory. With everything riding on the Test, it became apparent they would need to bat for two days themselves to be in any kind of position to force a result.

Astle and Parore repeated the tactics of the first session, mainly exercising patience against Gillespie and Lee. With an unsuccessful first session behind them, the Australians became frustrated sooner, and Astle batted with increasing authority.

In the unfamiliar position of having the opposition seven down but without a wicket for half a day, the Australians were somewhat lost. When McGrath and Warne came on, Astle and Parore were in position to set the tempo and they did. Astle took three fours off one McGrath over to reach his hundred, an innings just as valuable as Vincent’s or Fleming’s.

Australia had one opportunity to dismiss Parore, when the ball came off Mark Waugh’s fingers as he attempted a diving slips catch from Warne’s bowling, but other than that he scrapped on. With Parore becoming the fourth century maker of the innings, it was just the second time any team had scored four hundreds against Australia in one innings.

After the part-timers were knocked around for a while post-tea, Australia turned to the third new ball. Amazingly, Waugh’s difficult dropped catch had just been replayed on the giant screen, with Warne at first slip good-naturedly pretending to punch the offending second slip fielder, when Warne, hands on knees, reacted late in putting down a flying edge off Astle. It didn’t matter much, as New Zealand were looking to hit out ahead of a declaration, the partnership finally broken when Parore was caught hooking Lee at fine leg for 110. After coming together at 281/7 in the midst of a collapse, Parore and Astle had taken New Zealand to 534/8.

Fleming called off the dogs after Lee bowled Bond for nought, meaning Australia still had not bowled out New Zealand in the series. Astle finished a career-best 156 not out.

With partnerships of 158, 224 and 223 behind them, it was not surprising one of Australia’s openers was destined for an early exit. With only three on the board, the pacey Shane Bond had Hayden caught in the gully for a duck in his first over. Attempting to clip a full delivery to leg, Hayden got himself squared up and slipping over, the leading edge held low by Vincent.

Ricky Ponting came out like he wanted to pass the follow-on mark that evening, a blaze of pulls and drives an impressive way to get the runs flowing but not the safest method against the new ball, though in fairness the bowling of Cairns and Chris Martin was there to be hit. Martin, noted for his ability to seam the ball away from left-handers, collected Ponting for 31 off 37 nicking an attempted square cut. With the form he was in, it was a damaging loss.

Langer (34*), seeking his fourth consecutive hundred, also started brightly as Australia finished 75/2. Having played their best cricket of the series with the bat, New Zealand would surely like to produce their best showing with the ball to really turn the tables on their already shocked hosts.

Scorecard:
New Zealand 1st innings | Australian 1st innings