Kiwis Can Fly

Newcastle Herald

Friday November 21, 2008

By ALEX BROWN SMH

A DEFIANT innings from Michael

Clarke saved the hosts from total

embarrassment but did little to dampen

the notion that this is an Australian

team on the wane.

Clarkes determined, if not classical,

innings of 98 was not enough to steer

Australia through the day, nor to save

them from the ignominy of posting their

lowest total against New Zealand in

Australia since 1985.

It did, however, keep the

Australians in the match, though in

a manner somewhat short of the

emphatic.

Ricky Pontings luck at the coin

toss continued to desert him,

leaving Australias batsmen to

contend with a Gabba surface

enlivened by overnight rain

and a New Zealand bowling

line-up well suited to the

heavy conditions.

The circumstances might

not have been ideal, but the

Australians did little to help their cause

with occasional poor shot selection

and a general failure to readjust from

the skid of the subcontinent to the

bounce of Brisbane. A total of 214 was

presumably not in Pontings script.

New Zealand, fielding a similar attack

to the one that struggled against a

second-string NSW side last week,

pinned Australia on the ropes from the

outset.

The gamble to play teenager Tim

Southee (4-63) for the more seasoned

Kyle Mills paid immediate dividends

when the swing specialist removed

Australias first three batsmen inside

the first session, then returned later to

snare Brett Lee after the tea break.

It was not the first time Southee had

surprised a heavyweight opponent. He

took 5-55 and blasted 77 from 40 balls,

including nine sixes, in his Test debut

against England in March.

It was up there with my first match

against England, but Ive only played

three Tests, so hopefully there is more

days like that, Southee said.

Anyone would take knocking

Aussie over for 214, so I think we are

reasonably happy with that.

Cameo performances from Iain

OBrien (2-44) and Jesse Ryder (2-7)

ensured Australia little breathing space,

and only Clarkes determined efforts

went any way to sparing the hosts

blushes.

Continued Page 59

INSIDE MORE REPORTS, FIRST-DAY SCOREBOARD PAGE 59

New Zealand expose chinks in armour

From Page 64

But Clarke was still bullish about Australia's chances.

"If we bowl well tomorrow and hold our catches, I think you'll find it's a very competitive total," he said.

Australia have insisted for months that any regression in standards will be slight, but evidence of a steeper fall is mounting.

Moves to dismiss the series defeat in India as an aberration lost ground yesterday as Australia's batsmen struggled in their own climate, against an opponent placed seventh in the rankings.

Matthew Hayden began Australia's unconvincing performance with an uncommitted wave of the bat to a Southee delivery that veered back ever so slightly.

The 19-year-old then coaxed Simon Katich into an outside edge to a ball that held its line, and dismissed Ponting with a shorter ball that surprised the Australian captain for bounce and pace.

The home side were 3-23 and in desperate need of a hero.

That role was capably filled by Clarke, though trusty sidekicks proved hard to come by.

Michael Hussey's innings of 35 and Andrew Symonds's bizarre knock of 26, which included a dropped catch, an eight-run ball (four all run, plus four overthrows) and a dismissal in the one O'Brien over titillated but ultimately failed to deliver, while Brad Haddin (6) and Shane Watson (1) did little to ease the pressure on their spots.

For New Zealand, the true test lies ahead. Openers Jamie How and Aaron Redmond barely survived a torrid five-over duel with Lee and Stuart Clark before stumps, and will be relied on to set the foundations for the Black Caps innings today.

New Zealand's batting has proved an Achilles heel in recent seasons, but a strong performance today will help appease their fans.

The Australians will be acutely aware that anything short of a victory against New Zealand will send their stocks tumbling faster than the ASX.

SMH

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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