Cricket: Divine aid needed by Black Caps

They call Adelaide the City of Churches and New Zealand will be seeking intervention, divine or otherwise, if it is to save this second test.

The Black Caps reached a tenuous 56-2 at stumps on the second day, chasing Australia's massive 575-8 declared. Salvation is unlikely to come from the heavens however. Adelaide has baked over the past two days in 35-plus degree heat. Things were so dry a fire started in the Adelaide Hills near the city, stretching local emergency services to the limit.

There was also signs of another fire spreading through the New Zealand batting order but captain Stephen Fleming and nightwatchman Paul Wiseman managed to clear a decent fire-break by stumps.

By the time New Zealand began their first innings at 4.40pm local time, they must have felt they had crawled their way across the Nullabor Plains to get there. Certainly Fleming looked burnt out, as he appeared to be catching some shut-eye as he waited to bat.

Commentator and former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith was highly critical of coach John Bracewell. Smith was incredulous that Bracewell would put the team through such a rigorous workout before the start of play, given the flogging they'd received in the field during the first day's play.

Sinclair might need to blame the heat for his temporary brain fade. In just the innings' fourth over he aimed an expansive drive at hometown hero Jason Gillespie but succeeded only in nicking it to Shane Warne in the slips.

The duck continued Sinclair's wretched run against Australia. No further evidence should be required that he is a stop-gap opener only.

That brought Fleming, now wide awake, to the crease. It is upon his shoulders that the bulk of this rescue mission will fall and he looked in good touch. In one over off Michael Kasprowicz he took three consecutive fours, flicking one off his toes and back-cutting two more to the fence.

Mark Richardson looked vulnerable to Warne's wiles and was lucky to be given not out when appearing to be brilliantly caught in close by Darren Lehmann.

It was another umpiring blunder in a series marked by them.

Moments earlier, Richardson had struck an important blow for his chances in the end-of-series sprint. He cracked a sweep off Shane Warne straight into the thigh off close-in fieldsman Lehmann. The stocky batsman was seen to be limping, a blow that will surely affect his acceleration when up against Richardson in the dash for pride.

Richardson's luck couldn't last though and Kasprowicz sneaked one through his defences, bringing nightwatchman Wiseman to the crease.

Pride is at stake for the Black Caps too. A series-equalling win is almost out of the question (although India won from a similar position at this same ground a year ago), but an honourable draw will be a massive fillip for the struggling side.

To put it simply, New Zealand will have to bat like Australia, who racked up their third-highest total against the Black Caps.

The Baggy Greens showed the value of partnerships based around one big performance. Only Langer reached three figures. But, with partnerships aplenty, he shared in century stands with Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Lehmann.

The crowd was 16,000 although that number was reduced after sun and beer struck.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY