Cricket: NZ collapse as heavy defeat looms

3.30pm


UPDATE - New Zealand were spiralling towards a crushing defeat at lunch on the fourth day of the first cricket test against Australia at the 'Gabba here today.

The tourists were 42 for four in the second innings, still 190 short of forcing Australia to bat a second time.

New Zealand's bid to save the game started disastrously under leaden skies and the remaining batsmen will be hoping the heavens break sooner rather than later after they limped to the break.

Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Stephen Fleming and Scott Styris -- on the last ball before lunch -- were gone as a dismal response to Australia's first innings of 585 went from bad to worse.

Richardson was out to the fifth ball of the innings when he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, his exit continuing a despairing match for the amiable opener, who was the villain yesterday when fast bowler Glenn McGrath was dropped when on 11.

McGrath added another 50 after his reprieve as the tailender and Jason Gillespie made a mockery of the New Zealand attack by adding a record 114 for the last wicket.

Gillespie, 43 not out overnight, duly brought up his maiden test century today with two boundaries off Jacob Oram -- via an aerial cut over and an inside edge.

McGrath was finally out caught hooking Chris Martin by Nathan Astle at square leg for a career-best 61 to give Martin his fourth five-wicket haul in 17 tests.

Martin took five for 152 off 39.5 overs, while Daniel Vettori, who was not needed today, finished with four for 154 from 50.

While McGrath and Gillespie, who was unbeaten on 54, made batting look easy the New Zealand top order cracked under pressure.

Richardson fell at six and a run later Sinclair, who scored 69 in the first innings, was gone for a duck -- although unlucky to be adjudged leg before wicket by Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar.

Replays indicated the ball, which struck Sinclair on his right thigh was travelling over the stumps.

Captain Fleming was caught in the slips for the second time in the match.

He was caught by Justin Langer off McGrath for 11 when the score was 19.

Styris and Nathan Astle carried the score to 42 but as lunch loomed Styris padded up to Shane Warne's seventh delivery to be trapped in front for seven.

Astle, not out 15, will be joined by Craig McMillan, while McGrath will look to further boost his impressive figures of three for 19.

Scoreboard at lunch on the fourth day

NEW ZEALAND

First innings 353


AUSTRALIA

First innings (overnight 564-9)

J Langer lbw b Vettori 34

M Hayden lbw b Mills 8

R Ponting c Astle b Martin 51

D Martyn c McMillan b Martin 70

D Lehmann c McCullum b Vettori 8

M Clarke b Vettori 141

A Gilchrist c Styris b Martin 126

S Warne lbw b Vettori 10

J Gillespie not out 54

M Kasprowicz c Mills b Martin 5

G McGrath c Astle b Martin 61

Extras (1b, 7lb, 1w, 8nb) 17

Total (153.5 overs) 585


Fall: 16 (Hayden), 85 (Langer), 109 (Ponting), 128 (Lehmann), 222 (Martyn), 438 (Clarke), 450 (Gilchrist), 464 (Warne), 471 (Kasprowicz), 585 (McGrath).


Bowling: C Martin 39.5-7-152-5 (4nb), K Mills 26-8-99-1, S Styris 8-1-33-0, J Oram 25-4-116-0 (1w, 4nb), D Vettori 50-9-154-4, C McMillan 5-1-23-0.


NEW ZEALAND

Second innings


M Richardson c Gilchrist b McGrath 4

M Sinclair lbw b McGrath 0

S Fleming c Langer b McGrath 11

S Styris lbw b Warne 7

N Astle not out 15

Extras (2lb, 3nb) 5

Total (for 4 wkts, 18.1 overs) 42


Fall: 6 (Richardson), 7 (Sinclair), 19 (Fleming), 42 (Styris).


Bowling: G McGrath 8-1-19-3 (3nb), J Gillespie 6-3-14-0, M Kasprowicz 3-1-6-0, S Warne 1.1-0-1-1.


- NZPA