Aussies world record bid falls short

Daniel Laidlaw

Australia retained their world No. 1 ranking and the Trans-Tasman trophy after hanging on for a thrilling draw on the last day of the third Test.

Against all expectations, Australia launched a stunning bid for victory in the final hour of the match before pulling out of what would have been a world record run chase after the unfortunate run-outs of Steve Waugh and Shane Warne.

With a 140 required with five wickets in hand and a draw seemingly the only option, Adam Gilchrist initiated a surprise late assault on the bowling. With a mandatory 15 overs required in the final hour, Australia attempted to pull off a tactical masterstroke before the loss of Waugh and Warne forced Gilchrist and Jason Gillespie pull down the shutters for the last 10 overs.

Pursuing a world record target of 440 after starting the day 69/2, Australia finished 381/7 with Gilchrist 83 not out.

Before the start, Ricky Ponting spoke to Channel 9 about Australia's aim to play normal cricket in the first session and the importance of getting partnerships going, before seeing if they could get in position to win the match. With confidence bred from consistent success, a last-day target of 371 at 4.12 on a true pitch did not seem as daunting as it might otherwise have done.

There were some recent historical similarities to compare with Australia's bid to at least save the match, the most recent being the Test in Calcutta this year, when they lost nine wickets in the last two sessions to lose, and the last day of the Adelaide Test in 1998, when they hung on for a draw to beat South Africa after starting the day two wickets down.

Chris Martin's first ball was short and wide and cracked square for four by Mark Waugh, causing the bowler to be immediately replaced after eight were scored from his first over. With New Zealand not overly attacking, it was evidence that they held high regard for Australia's ability to chase a big total quickly and would not persist with an expensive bowler.

Mark Waugh had appeared to strain his hamstring late the previous day and it was thought he might bat with a runner, but he came out unaccompanied. However, it was clear he was not 100 per cent fit, as he was unable to run quick singles or press to turn twos into threes.

Vettori was the key bowler but Bond also tested the batsmen, having an lbw appeal turned down swinging one back into Hayden. Interestingly, as soon as Bond dropped short to Waugh he pulled him away confidently, further proof that he had not shelved the shot, yet also fended another short one fortuitously off the glove away from short leg.

Hayden and Waugh were positive where possible, which they could afford to be on a fifth day pitch that held no noticeable gremlins for the batsmen. In his battle with Vettori, Hayden showed a tendency to step well across his crease and sweep from wide of off, which worked well. Apart from the running difficulties caused by his injury, Waugh was a good batsman for the situation, able to handle Vettori and find the gaps frequently enough against Bond to keep the score moving.

Waugh could have been run-out on the hour, though, when Hayden took off for a quick single to square leg to get to his fifty. Waugh was understandably slow to take off, but Vincent's throw to Parore was wide and it saved him.

Waugh and Hayden were on track to get through to lunch unscathed until Vettori switched ends with immediate success, having Hayden caught at slip 35 minutes before the interval for 57 to leave Australia 130/3.

From over the wicket, Vettori delivered a slower, looping ball that hung in the air invitingly, which Hayden, stepping forward in defence, looked to push square of the wicket with an open face for a run. With the ball coming into the left-hander, he could only steer it off a thick edge to Sinclair at slip.

Steve Waugh joined his brother and they took Australia to lunch without further loss at 157/3, 283 behind.

Interestingly, Stephen Fleming elected not to bowl Chris Cairns in the first session, indicative of how his status has fallen. Fleming could not continue to keep the ball out of the hands of a possible match-winner and he opened after lunch with Vettori, beating Mark Waugh twice. The junior Waugh showed an inclination to attack Cairns when he bowled short outside off, risking an edge against some steep bounce in playing several cuts.

That was one of the hints that having settled in, Waugh wanted to get after the bowling. Vettori didn't quite fill the attacking role he might have, bowling a more defensive line from over the wicket in a possible attempt to frustrate Waugh. Nearly all the runs scored off him were singles in the square leg region.

With Waugh growing more relaxed and confident, dancing down the pitch to strike Vettori for a long six, and New Zealand a little flat, Fleming needed to make a change. He called on Craig McMillan for the first time in the match to inject some of his hostility and intensity and it brought immediate dividends.

While Steve Waugh batted normally, Mark must have had some thoughts of winning and fell playing the aggressor. To a short ball from McMillan, Waugh stepped away to leg to give himself room but the ball seamed back and did not bounce as much as anticipated, embarrassingly bowling him as he tried to cut for 86. It was an awful shot, especially with victory an outside consideration, and it left Australia 195/4.

New Zealand were denied an equally significant wicket by an umpiring blunder by Ian Robinson. Steve Waugh was 13 with Australia 203/4 when he tried to cut Vettori from too close to the stumps and edged behind to Parore. All the close fielders went up instinctively but the celebrations were premature, as Robinson remained unmoved. Naturally, it was a pivotal moment, as Australia would have been half out with just over half the day remaining.

With McMillan and then Astle operating with his straight mediums, and Vettori also bowling tightly, Waugh and Martyn were quietened as the run rate required climbed towards six. Australia had evidently learned lessons from the past as the they wary of losing wickets in quick succession, which had doomed them in other run chase or survival scenarios. Despite the slowed scoring rate, they were intent upon reaching tea only four down and assessing the situation thereafter.

Martyn had moved circumspectly to 30 when he was surprisingly yorked by Vettori in the last over before the break. Vettori had been probing away accurately for most of the day without the same degree of spin as the first innings, relying more on flight than turn, and Martyn had negotiated him well till that point. The arm ball dipped under the bat as Martyn drove, reducing Australia to 244/5 and likely causing an abandonment of any thoughts of opening up expansively immediately after tea.

The advent of the second new ball appeared to be the critical remaining period in the match, as it represented New Zealand's best chance to penetrate into the Australian lower order. With Gilchrist and Waugh continuing to defend, it seemed that Australia were proving they had the ability to fight out an anti-climactic draw when the circumstances required it.

When Steve Waugh brought up his fifty, it was remarkably the first time in his career he had scored a half-century in the last innings of a Test. The situation was suited to him, as all it appeared he needed to do was bat through the last hour with Gilchrist.

With New Zealand ahead of the over-rate and a mandatory 15 required in the last hour, it was two overs before the final drinks break that Gilchrist first showed an inclination to hit out against Cairns. At that point a distant 141 were still needed, but Australia's intentions were excitingly confirmed in the following over when Gilchrist slammed 18 runs from Vettori, including a sequence of 6, 4, 4, 4 down the ground. With 15 overs left, Australia required 123 at 8.2. If there was to be a charge to a miraculous victory, there could be no one better than Gilchrist to lead it.

Initially, New Zealand kept the field up in hope of a wicket, but after Gilchrist struck Cairns back over his head for six to raise his fifty, with 33 runs having been torn from 2 overs, the field quickly spread. It was apparent that Waugh would continue to play the anchor, turning over the strike and ensuring he stayed at the wicket in case Gilchrist got out, but even he got in on the act by slog-sweeping Vettori for four.

Waugh's dismissal as Gilchrist was getting into full stride was unfortunate. Gilchrist went back to pull a short ball from Vettori but could only slam it straight back down the wicket, deflecting off Vettori's fingers onto the stumps. Waugh, backing up, had no chance, run out for 67 with the score 339/6.

Fleming decided Gilchrist could have a single every ball, pushing everyone back to get Shane Warne on strike. Warne, a capable pyrotechnician, initially had few difficulties keeping up the rate, though he got a reprieve when caught behind cutting a Vettori no-ball.

After promising so much, it was a shame the chase ended as early as it did, in a terrible mix-up. Warne defended to the off side and Gilchrist sprinted off for a single, with Warne not responding until it was too late. Cairns, the bowler, charged after the ball and Warne, sensibly realising he had to go lest Gilchrist be sacrificed, motioned Gilchrist through. He should have been comfortably run out but if he had sprinted as soon as he realised had to run, he might have made it. Cairns shaped to ping down the stumps before he saw Sinclair moving across, tossing the ball to him for Sinclair to flick onto the stumps with Warne just a few centimetres out. Australia were 355/7.

With the defensive-minded Gillespie promoted ahead of potential hitter Lee, Australia had decided to shut up shop. As soon as Gilchrist refused a single to a deep fielder, New Zealand realised the game had changed again, and the field came flooding back. Someone made a remark to Gilchrist about the changed approach, and he shot back a profane pleasantry.

With seven overs remaining, Gillespie gloved a catch off Cairns down the leg side but umpire Robinson made his second costly mistake of the day and refused to respond to the pleading appeal. That could have made for a pulsating finish, but as it was, Australia finished without further loss and both sides took a share of the spoils.

You could have got long odds on the series finishing 0-0, yet that's the way it stood, with New Zealand taking a Test championship point deserved based on their performance in the third Test alone and Australia saving face with a gritty final day.

Scorecard: Australia 2nd inings

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