Cricket: New Zealand fall easily against Aussie attack

Well, that was a bit embarrassing.

Australia will wrap up a comprehensive victory at the Basin Reserve today, unless weather or hitherto unseen New Zealand batting brilliance intervenes.

They will do so because they batted excellently, bowled intelligently and held their catches.

They will do so, also, because New Zealand have done none of the aforementioned.

When stumps were pulled last night they had inched to 187-5, still 115 shy of asking the tourists to bat again.

It continues a sorry recent tale at this ground, celebrated in book form this week as New Zealand cricket's "spiritual home", where the home side have been abject in trying to post first innings totals.

Yesterday, New Zealand's first innings capitulated in almost farcical circumstances.

Starting the day at a delicate 108-4 in their first innings, they somehow found themselves 24-0 at lunch batting a second time around.

Daniel Vettori drove hard at Ryan Harris in the first over of the day and was caught at slip. In Harris' next over Brendon McCullum was trapped plumb in front but called for a referral, which caught the quick over-stepping.

McCullum then batted like he was playing with house money, blazing his way to 24 before spooning a pull to one of two men stationed on the boundary for that shot.

Daryl Tuffey then earned the ire of his coach by not sliding his bat while attempting a run.

"It's schoolboy stuff really," coach Mark Greatbatch said.

Brent Arnel's first test innings lasted one ball, giving big-hearted Doug Bollinger a five-wicket bag, but the cruellest joke was saved for last when Tim Southee was given out caught behind not once, but twice to a ball he missed by inches.

That sent Vettori to the match referee's office in the break of innings as he sought clarity over the third umpire's interpretation of the referral rule and, no doubt, to complain about the fact that wickets had been taken with illegitimate deliveries.

"We've asked the question whether the system in place at the moment is consistent," Greatbatch said.

The coach and captain, though, have deeper worries than the vagaries of the referral process. Chief among them is the inability of the batsmen, Tim McIntosh excepted, to muster up the necessary gumption to stave off a spirited Australian attack.

"We've still got two days left, we're being outplayed at the moment," Greatbatch said. "The Australians have bowled particularly well in both innings, they've hit the deck hard and we haven't quite adjusted to that attack."

The first hour was a debacle and Greatbatch put it down to one major factor.

"We talked about judging line well and we actually haven't judged line that well. We know they hit the deck hard and a lot of their wickets, the balls aren't actually hitting the stumps."

Greatbatch said he was aware that this performance would be greeted poorly by a cricketing public who are becoming too used to ordinary test performances. "We've got to fight [today], show some fighting qualities to keep in the test match."

New Zealand have been better the second time around.

McIntosh faced 220 balls for his 83 and had begun to find fluency when Nathan Hauritz found his inside edge.

BJ Watling was lucky to avoid a pair and at least displayed some grit. But it's left to the captain and McCullum, New Zealand's best-credentialed players, to restore some pride.