Cricket: Sinclair rescues NZ after shaky start

By MARK GEENTY

Mathew Sinclair only had an hour to prepare for his test comeback but New Zealand team management could almost spend that long thanking him for bailing them out of trouble against South Africa in Wellington today.

Sinclair's grafting 74 in his first test in nearly a year, combined with some power hitting by Brendon McCullum and Chris Cairns who was 60 not out, saved some New Zealand blushes at a windswept Basin Reserve.

At stumps after a dour first day of the third test, New Zealand were 248 for six, chasing their first series win over South Africa, after being sent in to bat.

It could have been a points victory for the hosts if McCullum hadn't been trapped leg before wicket off the day's penultimate ball by Shaun Pollock, ending his bright innings of 55 and a slick partnership of 85 between he and Cairns.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was still happy enough after a poor start of 23 for two.

"If you get sent in 300 to 350 is a score which gets you in the game. Tomorrow the aim is to get another 100, we've got guys in form who can score quickly."

His opposite number Graeme Smith was even happier with his team 0-1 down in the series.

"The boys bowled superbly and stuck to their task the whole day. Bar 20-30 runs with the second new ball it was a great day," Smith said.

Sinclair though deserved much of the kudos on a tough first day when South Africa's pacemen finally put the ball in the right spot and relished the extra pace and bounce.

That was despite losing allrounder Jacques Kallis after just seven overs to a serious side strain which could sideline him from bowling for the rest of the match.

Sinclair jetted in from Christchurch last night as cover for Craig McMillan who succumbed to a bout of food poisoning which also affected Cairns, Fleming, Daniel Vettori and Scott Styris.

He had scored 757 first-class runs at 58.23 this season -- including 133 and 50 in his most recent innings for New Zealand A against Sri Lanka A -- after playing the last of his 20 tests was against Sri Lanka in Kandy last May.

Having been told one hour before play that he was in, Sinclair struggled early on but got in the groove thanks to a massive six over long-on off Nicky Boje.

The man who scored 214 here on debut against the West Indies batted 224 minutes, faced 181 balls and hit eight fours and two sixes.

"I've shown some pretty good consistency right throughout the season but I thought if my chance was to come it was going to be through injury or illness," Sinclair said.

He and Fleming lifted New Zealand from a precarious 23 for two with a stand of 67 before Fleming was snared by South Africa's unlikely hero Nicky Boje.

The left-arm spinner relished the drift he got into the wind and added the wickets of Styris and eventually Sinclair trapped in front trying to sweep to give him three for 61 off 19.

Styris was the woeful wicket of the day, fresh from his magnificent career-best 170 in Auckland.

Having faced 17 balls for one, Styris charged at Boje but missed a straight one.

McCullum and Cairns came together at 163 for five but took 85 off the last 20 overs with sweet hitting and sharp running.

McCullum threatened his career-best 57 from Hamilton a fortnight ago but walked across a straight one from Pollock.

Cairns carried on from his stunning 158 in Auckland with 60 off 71 balls including 10 fours and a huge six off Boje.

Earlier, openers Mark Richardson and Michael Papps departed within an over of each other to continue a forgettable start to their test partnership.

Since Papps' debut in Hamilton their stands have been worth 20, five and 20, which improved little more to 23 today.

- NZPA