Cricket: Wiseman shines amid the gloom

If there is any silver lining to the cloud that has descended on the New Zealand camp in the past few days, it would have to be the performance of off-spinner Paul Wiseman.

During a test in which New Zealand were hung, drawn and face almost certain quartering this morning, Wiseman's effort at the Adelaide Oval rates as the one of the few reasons for consolation, if not a ray of hope, for the rest of the summer.

The 34-year-old, for so long an unfashionable option, sent back dangerman Justin Langer during Australia's brief second innings yesterday, not long after enhancing his reputation with a solid first-innings performance in trying circumstances.

Wiseman has tasted more success in the past and will have more in the future, but he will seldom learn as much as he did during his battle of wills in the second test, when he enhanced his reputation in ferocious temperatures against world-class batsmen.

Written off before the match as potential cannon-fodder, the Canterbury slow-bowler was attacked as soon as he entered the fray, but showed great courage to work his way back into the game and inflict some punishment of his own.

His first-innings analysis of three for 140 off 32 overs belied the struggle that took place.

Wiseman was smashed to all corners of the field by Ricky Ponting and company, until skipper Stephen Fleming took mercy and removed him from the attack.

At that point Wiseman could have gone the way of his pace-bowling team-mate James Franklin, who seemed to lose confidence badly after a nightmare start, and could not recover his composure quickly enough to be of use.

But Wiseman, older and more experienced in the school of hard knocks, proved more resilient in unforgiving conditions, fighting doggedly upon his return to the bowling crease, eventually ending with the wickets of Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann and Damien Martyn.

It was a particularly strong comeback given the mayhem that was occurring around him, with the pace bowling attack blunted and the responsibility of restricting the Australians resting squarely on his shoulders, and those of Daniel Vettori.

Wiseman was one of Fleming's early options as the Australians batted on yesterday, and in a rare move was introduced to the bowling crease before Vettori, New Zealand's most successful spin-bowler.

Such was the character shown that it would be no surprise if Wiseman returns home with an extra feather in his cap and far more chance of forcing his way into the playing X1 for the test matches against Sri Lanka.

If so, he will be one of the few to have enhanced his reputation.