Cricket: Psyched out Black Caps routed by ruthless Aussies

8.30pm - By CHRIS BARCLAY

UPDATE - New Zealand hoisted the white flag in abject surrender to Australia in Brisbane today, capitulating to their second-worst defeat to their world champion cricketing neighbours.

Australia retained the Trans-Tasman Trophy with a day and a half to spare at the Gabba, crushing the Black Caps in the first of two tests by an innings and 156 runs after the tourists were dismissed for 76 - their lowest score on this side of the Tasman and third-worst against Australia in 42 tests.

It was only the third time New Zealand failed to reach triple figures against Australia, joining the 42 and 54 double at the Basin Reserve in 1945-46.

Their worst loss to Australia remains the innings and 222 hiding in Hobart in 1993-94.

Embarrassingly for the tourists, their top seven batsmen contributed less than Australian tailender Glenn McGrath's career-best 61 - ensuring Brisbane 2004 will rate highly among New Zealand's test cricket calamities.

Faced with batting almost two days to save the test after dismissing Australia this morning for 585, New Zealand's second innings resistance lasted a mere 218 balls - one less than tailenders McGrath and Jason Gillespie negotiated when adding a record 114 for the last Australian wicket.

Nathan Astle topscored with 17, with captain Stephen Fleming the only other batsman to reach double figures with 11.

Legspinner Shane Warne was the chief destroyer with figures of four for 15.

A dejected Fleming acknowledged the batting was a disaster, yet believed yesterday's final session was even more traumatic.

With Australia reduced to 222 for five, centurions Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist added a quickfire 216 to easily overhaul New Zealand's 353.

Then, despite Australia losing four wickets for 38 including those two dangermen, McGrath and Gillespie embarked on their soul-destroying union.

"To be halfway through the Australian order and have them 130 behind you're in with a real chance going into the fifth day. To have that turn around so quickly and so dramatically was extremely tough," Fleming said.

"It was a team (New Zealand) that turned up this morning that still probably still had a hangover from the day in the field yesterday. We probably had mixed emotions and today we were behind the eight-ball.

"The last partnership took the game away from us.

"Today is extremely disappointing but yesterday is more disappointing."

McGrath, dropped twice on 11 yesterday, was finally last out for a career-best 61, shortly after a delighted Gillespie posted his maiden test half-century.

Chris Martin had McGrath caught at square leg by Astle, giving him his fourth five-wicket haul in 17 tests. He finished with five for 152 while Daniel Vettori also toiled hard and was rewarded with four for 152 off 50 overs.

Needing 232 to ensure Australia batted last on a deteriorating pitch, Mark Richardson started the procession off the fifth ball when he was caught at the wicket off McGrath.

Mathew Sinclair may have been unlucky to fall leg before wicket for a duck and Brendon McCullum was caught behind after the ball deviated off a crack and missed the bat by some distance, but the rest had few excuses.

Scott Styris padded up to Warne to fall leg before on the stroke of lunch and eight balls later Astle presented the legspinner with his 100th test catch at slip to make it 44 for five.

First innings batting hero Jacob Oram mistimed an ungainly sweep and was caught by Matthew Hayden after the ball ricocheted off the back of his bat.

Craig McMillan stuck around for nine - leg before to Gillespie - a ball after sharing a heated confrontation with Gilchrist.

The Australian claimed McMillan was caught behind but the New Zealander refused to walk, prompting the duo to exchange words until Bucknor intervened.

Both camps downplayed the incident afterwards, saying they had patched up their differences before the post-match presentations.

The innings was all over in the 37th over, the equivalent of little more than a session.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting was understandably delighted with his team's performance in the latter half of the match.

"I thought they (New Zealand) were very competitive for the first two days of the game," Ponting said.

"Jacob Oram turned the game in their favour early on day two and I thought they bowled well late in day two.

"They had us on the back foot but quite often our best qualities come out when we've got our backs to the wall and we had our backs to the wall for a wee while.

"We had to dig deep and fight hard. Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist changed the game for us and then Jason (Gillespie) and Glenn (McGrath) drove a few nails in as well.

"When tailenders score runs it's pretty demoralising for you."

Despite that, Ponting never envisaged New Zealand folding so meekly today.

"We knew if we bowled well there was a chance to finish it off but it probably happened a little bit easier than we thought it would."

NEW ZEALAND

First innings 353

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 c Warne b Kasprowicz 17

C McMillan lbw b Gillespie 9

J Oram c Hayden b Warne 8

B McCullum c Gilchrist b Gillespie 8

D Vettori c Hayden b Warne 2

K Mills not out 4

C Martin lbw b Warne 0

Extras: (2lb, 4nb) 6

Total (36.2 overs) 76

Fall: 6 (Richardson), 7 (Sinclair), 19 (Fleming), 42 (Styris), 44 (Astle), 55 (Oram), 69 (McCullum), 72 (McMillan), 72 (Vettori), 76 (Martin).

Bowling: G McGrath 8-1-19-3 (3nb), J Gillespie 10-5-19-2, M Kasprowicz 8-2-21-1 (1nb), S Warne 10.2-3-15-4.

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.

Result: Australia won by innings and 156 runs, lead two-test series 1-0.

Man of the match: Michael Clarke (Australia).

- NZPA