Rain washes out second T20

Updated September 11, 2012 09:06:06

The second Twenty20 international between world champions England and South Africa in Manchester on Tuesday (AEST) was abandoned due to persistent rain.

The match was reduced to nine overs per side and South Africa was led by a spectacular 47 not out from Hashim Amla as it notched up a total of 5 for 77.

Steven Finn took 2 for 17 from his two overs as the batsmen and fielding side struggled in the greasy conditions, Jacques Kallis (13 not out) helping to boost the score at the end with a seven-ball cameo.

The rain showed no sign of abating as England's batsmen took the field and they never got going, opener Craig Kieswetter swiping desperately at Morne Morkel's first over.

England was 2 for 29 off 4.1 overs when the umpires, aware that five balls were required to force a result under the Duckworth-Lewis method, called the players off the field.

South Africa won the first match on Saturday and can seal a series victory in the third game on Wednesday ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka starting in September

Reuters

Tags: cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom

First posted September 11, 2012 09:02:06

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Australia rings changes for second T20

Updated September 07, 2012 11:29:30

Australia cricket selectors have recalled all-rounder Dan Christian, spinner Brad Hogg and paceman Mitchell Starc for Friday night's crucial second Twenty20 International against Pakistan.

The changes follow Australia's heaviest ever loss by the margin of balls remaining after Pakistan overhauled Australia's total of 89 with seven wickets and 31 deliveries in hand.

Glenn Maxwell, Ben Hilfenhaus and spinner Xavier Doherty have been dropped.

Maxwell made four runs batting at number eight and took 0-25 off two overs after being asked to open the bowling in his T20 debut.

Wednesday night's total of 89 was Australia's second-lowest ever and Christian is expected to slot in at eight in Maxwell's place.

However skipper George Bailey wants the runs to come from the top four primarily, with pressure on openers David Warner and Shane Watson plus Mike Hussey and Bailey himself to lift the side to a more respectable total.

Bailey says the Dubai pitch is playing slow and taking turn and he feels a score of approximately 140 would be a handy total.

And the skipper is not giving up on his side's Twenty20 World Cup hopes in Sri Lanka later this month despite their awful start to the three-game series against Pakistan.

Ninth-ranked Australia could fall even further - below Ireland - if Pakistan sweep the three-match series.

"But in terms of the group we've got together and what we're capable of, it certainly hasn't altered my thoughts that we can still be a very good team," Bailey said defiantly after the loss.

"I still think we can win it. I certainly don't think we'd win if we played like we did today."

Vice-captain Watson says the introduction of Hogg, 41, is a boost to the side.

"He certainly is a wicket-taking bowler," Watson said on Thursday.

"There's no doubt the wicket is only going to turn more."

Starc was player of the one-day series against Pakistan which ended earlier this week and was rested from Thursday's (AEST) T20 clash.

Game two is scheduled to start at 2am on Saturday morning (AEST).

Australia: George Bailey (capt), Shane Watson, David Warner, Mike Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Matthew Wade, Dan Christian, Brad Hogg, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, united-arab-emirates, australia, pakistan

First posted September 07, 2012 09:46:21

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Second Big Bash to host more derbies

Updated July 06, 2012 16:28:46

Sydney and Melbourne fans will get an extra derby match each for this summer's second season of the Twenty20 domestic Big Bash League.

The regular season will increase from 31 to 35 matches, with each team to play four home matches and four away fixtures.

Organisers decided to cash in on the success of cross-town derbies and the Melbourne Renegades will open the season against the Stars at Docklands on Friday, December 7.

On the following night, defending champions the Sydney Sixers will square off against their local rivals the Thunder at the SCG.

The structure of the league is unchanged, with the top four teams at the end of the regular season to qualify for the BBL semi-finals and a chance for a place in the lucrative Champions League T20 tournament.

Despite the added round of matches, the duration of the season stays the same, with the final to be played on Saturday January 19.

Brisbane will face Hobart and last year's runner-up Perth will host Adelaide to wrap up the opening weekend of the competition on Sunday, December 9.

The opening 12-day player signing window starts on Monday and closes on Friday July 20 - with two spots available for overseas players in the initial roster of up to 18 players (minimum 14).

Teams have a salary cap of $1 million and the minimum playing contract has been set at $20,000.

Franchises must submit their final squads of 18 players to Cricket Australia by November 30.

Overseas players can be replaced during the season in the event of injuries or commitments to their national bodies.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, australia

First posted July 06, 2012 16:28:46

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Rain wipes out second day at Edgbaston

Updated June 09, 2012 09:12:26

Rain saw play abandoned without a ball being bowled for the second successive day in the third and final Test between England and West Indies at Edgbaston.

It was the first time since 1964, during an Ashes clash between England and Australia at Lord's, that the first two days of a Test in England been washed out without a ball being bowled.

After a fourth straight session was wiped out, the decision was taken - with rain still falling - shortly after the end of the scheduled lunch break at 1:50pm (local time) to abandon play for the day.

As the toss has yet to take place, neither side have named their team.

England has an unbeatable 2-0 lead in this three-match series.

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom

First posted June 09, 2012 09:12:26

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Second women's ODI washed out

Updated January 27, 2012 15:47:38

The second game of the women's one-day cricket series between Australia and New Zealand at Blacktown has been abandoned due to wet weather.

The game was called off this afternoon without a ball being bowled with torrential rain hitting the venue in Sydney's west.

It is the second time this week rain has ruined the series with Wednesday's opening game at the SCG abandoned after 22 overs were bowled.

It sets up a winner-takes-all match in the final game in Blacktown on Sunday.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted January 27, 2012 15:40:51

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Live Blog: Second Test Day Four

Raman Goraya

Updated January 06, 2012 17:51:22

Grandstand brought you all the live action from day four of the second Test between Australia and India at the SCG. Australia won the match by an innings and 68 runs.

4.17pm: WICKET! - R Ashwin c. Lyon b. Hilfenhaus 62 (India 400, Yadav 0*) - Listen to the dismissal.

That's it. Australia goes 2-0 up in the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Ben Hilfenhaus continues his good form to take a Michelle in the second innings. In the end it all comes down to India's poor effort with the bat in the first innings (191) and Michael Clarke's unerring triple century that started on day two and ended unbeaten on day four. Tons for Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey will also ensure the beers go down smoothly tonight. See you in Perth.

3.58pm: WICKET! - I Sharma lbw. Lyon 11 (India 9-384, Ashwin 50*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Sharma takes a pretty big stride forward, which is equivalent to about two strides for a normal batsman, but still gets sent on his way by umpire Gould. He doesn't like the decision. Yet to meet a fast bowler who doesn't like getting out. Lyon picks up his second for the match. Will he be needed in Perth?

3.56pm: HALF-CENTURY ASHWIN - Listen here.

He already has a Test century to his name, so that is Ashwin's first Test fifty. The handy tail-ender is doing a great job at delaying the inevitable.

3.40pm: Very little happening after tea. India not handing its last two wickets away... yet. As soon as I say that, Ashwin goes down the pitch and smashes a big six off Lyon.

2.57pm: WICKET! - Z Khan c. Marsh b. Siddle 35 (India 8-342, Ashwin 19*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Zaheer throwing the bat wildly and goes for one too many. His top edge is well held by Shaun Marsh at point after backtracking rapidly to hold on for the catch. Siddle's second wicket came at some expense, but it's a wicket nonetheless.

2.49pm: Siddle bowls a no-ball. Zaheer must have thought it was a free hit because next delivery he unleashes a massive six over long on. He has moved to 27 with Ashwin on 17. India 7 for 332.

2.40pm: More lusty hitting by Zaheer and Ashwin. The 300 is up. Small consolation for the visitors.

2.35pm: DROPPED CATCH

Zaheer isn't going to die wondering. He opens up the shoulders and Peter Siddle runs back at extra cover, gets two hands to it but can bring it in. A tough one but probably should have been taken.

2.19pm: WICKET! - V Kohli lbw Pattinson 9 (India 7-286, Ashwin 0) - Listen to the dismissal.

Make that 4 for 15. Pattinson gets one to jag back a little and it keeps low. Kohli is across his stumps and is struck on middle and leg and looks up to see the dreaded finger. *Ahem* index finger. Doubt we will see much of young Virat in Perth. Warm up, Rohit Sharma. Listen to Kerry put the kybosh on Kohli (try saying that three times fast) by comparing him to Parramatta prop Fuifui Moimoi - Listen here.

2.12pm: WICKET! - MS Dhoni c&b Hilfenhaus 2 (India 6-286, V Kohli 9) - Listen to the dismissal.

The Indian skipper comes and goes. He jams his bat down to keep out Hilfenhaus's yorker-length delivery but only succeeds in spooning it straight back to the bowler. The umpires go upstairs to check it and replays show it is not a bump ball and Dhoni has to go. Indians in free fall now. Match-winning first hour after lunch, with Australia taking 3 for 15.

2.00pm: WICKET! - VVS Laxman b. Hilfenhaus 66 (India 5-276, V Kohli 1*) - Listen to the dismissal.

What an absolute beauty from Hilfenhaus! His first ball with the new rock tails in and then cuts away slightly past a squared up Laxman and kisses the off bail. Bringing the big Tasmanian back for this series appears to be a masterstroke. You'll go a long way to find a delivery as good as that. India exposed now and this Test is likely to finish up today.

1.55pm: Second new ball taken and James Pattinson gets first crack at the new batsman Virat Kohli.

1.42pm: WICKET! - S Tendulkar c. Hussey b. Clarke 80 (India 4-271, VVS Laxman 62*) - Listen to the dimissal.

It's not going to be today. Not in this match. This is Michael Clarke's Test. The captain lures a fat edge from Tendulkar's bat, it flicks Haddin's gloves and straight into the waiting hands of Michael Hussey at first slip. That's a big blow for The Little Master. He looked tip top this morning and the conditions were perfect, but the nerves seemed to get the better of him again as he nears the three figures. SRT has now gone 18 Test innings (and two ODIs) without a ton, his longest streak in his career. In that time, he has passed 50 eight times with four scores of 80 or more. It must be playing on his mind.

1.38pm: HUNDRED PARTNERSHIP

That is only India's second 100-run stand of the series. The first came between Dravid and Tendulkar at the MCG. Australia has four 100-plus partnerships. Laxman has played the dominant hand with 61 of those runs. It comes from 171 balls.

1.30pm: Michael Hussey has replaced Peter Siddle. Australia desperately searching for wicket. Laxman is looking very comfortable and could be a shot at overtaking Sachin by the three-figure mark.

1.25pm: Laxman and umpire Ian Gould having a little chat after VVS and Peter Siddle had a little mid-pitch collision. Nothing in it, really. Play on.

HALF-CENTURY FOR LAXMAN - Listen here.

Laxman looked so susceptible early but now he is off and running. It must be a little bit worrying that Gambhir and now VVS are finding a bit of form heading into the third Test at the WACA ground. Laxman's 50 comes off 92 balls with six fours.

1.15pm: Into the middle session we go as Australia tries to break this 75-run stand. Siddle and Michael Clarke continue the bowling after the break.

11.28pm: Clarke to bowl the final over before lunch. He has form at igniting an Indian capitulation. No luck this time.

12.24pm: Out comes the Sachin uppercut. Four more. It goes flying over Michael Clarke at first slip and Pattinson can't believe it. In truth, SRT had full control over that shot. Clarke is warming up.

12.13pm: Patto is back from the Paddo End. Very little movement through the air for the Aussie bowlers at the moment and the pitch is holding up well. Clarke's declaration is looking spot on right now if Australia want to win this match.

12.03pm: Laxman flicks one of his pads with his usual wristy authority and it whacks Ed Cowan at forward short leg right on the knee. Hardly a chance. Don't worry Ed, it hit you outside the line this time.

HALF-CENTURY FOR TENDULKAR - Listen here.

He's half-way there. SRT brings up his 65th Test 50. This one comes off 89 balls with seven boundaries. This morning he has scored 42 runs off 47 balls, in stark contrast to his go-slow effort in the shadows of stumps on day three. It's his fifth half-century since his last ton in Cape Town on January 2, 2011.

DRINKS - India 3-193 (S Tendulkar 46*, VVS Laxman 18*) trails Australia by 275 runs.

Laxman is away with three boundaries, two off Lyon. He can really get going in these conditions, on a ground where he averages 96.20 before this Test.

11.23am: Nathan Lyon has been brought into the attack. Possibly to prey on the early deficiencies of Laxman. VVS replies by putting away a short ball with a nice flick to the on side for four.

11.20am: Brad Haddin is having a forgettable morning behind the stumps. Laxman, despite having a tremendous record at the SCG, is looking out of sorts and he gloves one down the leg side off Siddle which falls agonisingly short of the wicketkeeper. The pitch is still flat but a bit of the carry has come out of it and Haddin has contended poorly with a few dropping short this morning. That proved the case on that occasion. Let's not forget he dropped a soda late in the day yesterday, too. Australia has conceded 13 extras so far in this innings.

11.07am: WICKET - G Gambhir c. Warner b. Siddle 83 (India 3-168, S Tendulkar 41*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Peter Siddle is introduced into the attack and with his second ball he picks up Gambhir. The opener was playing well in front of himself with hard hands and a leading edge flies straight to Warner at point. Important breakthrough after India's attacking start. Those cheap runs were probably enough for Gambhir to keep his spot for Perth.

11.00am: Very little thought of permanency in the strokeplay from this pair. The best form of attack is defence it seems. Tendulkar takes Hilfenhaus for two straight fours but he is susceptible if he continues with such high-risk cricket. Mind you, they are still lovely cricket shots. Expecting Gambhir to slow as he approaches three figures. The tourists have added 44 runs in six overs.

10.55am: Great start by the Indians. Gambhir, who has gone 33 innings without a Test ton, has raced to 80 and Tendulkar has put his scratchy start yesterday behind him to be 25. India 2-149.

10.40am: Sachin isn't happy with the grip on his bat. The kit men race out to meet him in the middle as Tendulkar makes the necessary adjustments with surgical precision. Ok that's a little over the top. But Ed Cowan is watching on with interest. SRT is well known to have one of the heaviest bats in world cricket. Pattinson bowls five no-balls. The young buck is struggling for his rhythm this morning, but the ball is doing things out there.

10.35am: Ben Hilfenhaus starts the second over of the day. The Little Masters helps himself to two consecutive boundaries. Maybe he was playing possum last night? Meanwhile, Peter Siddle had a morning chat with our own Shannon Byrne this morning.

10.30am: James Pattinson to open the bowling. Sachin Tendulkar on strike. The Indian legend has gone 17 innings without a Test century (there were two 90s in there), equal his longest "drought" in his majestic 22-year career. Is today the day? Can he finally get his 100th international ton? 10 runs off the opening over.

10.25pm: If you are not across the action in the other Test match being played at the moment, South African quicks Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander put Sri Lanka on the brink of an innings defeat in Cape Town:

10.15am: The cloud cover could also help out spinner Nathan Lyon, says Kerry O'Keeffe, whose comedic insights into the game were diagnosed in the SMH this morning.

10.00am: Welcome back for day four at the SCG. It's a cold and blustery morning and there was plenty of rain overnight. Doesn't look like the heavens will open again today, but conditions will favour the Australian bowlers more than they did the toiling Indians on day two and three.

To relive an unforgettable third day, check out how we covered it below:

Tags: sport, cricket, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 06, 2012 10:12:41

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As it happened: Second Test Day Two

Raman Goraya

Updated January 04, 2012 18:51:31

Grandstand brought you all the coverage as it happened on day two of the second Test between Australia and India from the SCG.

5.25: 250 FOR MICHAEL CLARKE - Listen here.

The wind is picking up at the SCG but it is not slowing down Michael Clarke. He is hurtling towards a triple century if he continues at this rate tomorrow. Clarke now has the highest score by an Australia v India, Ricky Ponting's 257 at the MCG in 2003, in his sights.

5.02pm: HALF CENTURY FOR HUSSEY - Listen here.

As easy as that. Hussey cranks out a quick fifty off 70 balls. Embarrassing stuff for India.

4.55pm: Hussey has his foot on the gas now. He takes Ashwin for a 4, 4 and then a sweet 6 straight down the ground. Australia 4-444 with a lead of 256 runs.

4.45pm: The 100 partnership is up between Clarke (67) and Hussey (32). It only took 107 balls. Whispers of a storm approaching the SCG, the only thing that can save India from this torture.

4.30pm: DRINKS - Australia (4-416, M Clarke 215*, M Hussey 30*) leads India by 225 runs

4.14pm: DOUBLE CENTURY TO CLARKE - Listen here.

Ladies and gentlemen, your Australian captain. Clarke brings up his maiden Test double century. He is the first Australian batsman to pass 200 since Ponting's effort in Hobart nearly two years ago. His double ton comes off just 248 balls and included 25 fours and one six. The SCG stands as one. The 400 is also up.

3.55pm: Ton-up for Ishant Sharma. He gets some ironic cheers from the SCG crowd. His figures are 1-100.

3.52pm: DROPPED - Listen here.

Tough chance but a chance nonetheless. Sharma can't hold onto a well-timed straight drive in his follow through. It is the first one Clarke has given in his knock of 183.

3.35pm: Michael Hussey means business. He has started his innings with four boundaries.

3.09pm: Michael Clarke finds the boundary for the 21st time and he passes his highest score of 168 by two runs.

2.56pm: WICKET - R Ponting 134 c. Tendulkar b. Sharma (Australia 4-325, M Clarke 154*) - Listen to the dismissal.

The new ball does the trick, but in truth it was a lazy shot from Ponting. A back foot punch hits high on the bat and Sachin (who almost looked disappointed Ponting gave his wicket away that easy) hardly has to move to take the catch at gully. That ends a 288-run partnership which has all but taken the match away from India with the lead at 134 runs.

2.49pm: The new ball is finally taken in the 83rd over. Zaheer bowling to Clarke with three slips and a gully. This could breath some life into the second day.

2.39pm: 150 FOR CLARKE - Listen here.

Clarke brings up his 150 off 233 balls with 18 fours and one six. He has hardly broken a sweat since breaking three figures. And the new ball has arrived, maybe the Indian bowlers will follow.

2.24pm: Plenty of part-time work available at the SCG it seems. Sehwag replaces Kohli. It's a countdown to the new ball. Seven overs to go.

2.10pm: DRINKS - Australia 3-292 (M Clarke 137*, R Ponting 119*) leads by 101 runs

The partnership between Clarke and Ponting is now 255 runs. The sting is well and truly out of the contest as the Aussie skipper and his predecessor fill their boots. Danny Morrison says MS Dhoni is guilty of letting the game slip away too easily.

2.08pm: Ashwin continues. Coming over the wicket now. Kerry (before he started singing Skippy) has already stated the Indian spinner does not have a strong enough stock delivery. He does not rip it enough which leaves you vulnerable on Australian pitches. Kerry says the likes of Amit Mishra or Piyush Chawla would have been better value.

1.50pm: Huge six by Clarke off Ashwin down the ground. Getting really ugly for the tourists now. They look bereft of answers in the field. Their best chance of the morning was running Ponting out on 99. Interestingly, Clarke has only previously passed 50 once at the SCG - his 138 against South Africa - in eight Tests.

1.43pm: Stats guru @RicFinlay reminds us that "99 remains, by millimetres, the lowest Test score never made at the SCG." It was more like metres! Nevertheless, another tasty stat. @jimmaxcricket says "Ponting's stand is building, perhaps at the Noble End." He does own this venue: 1,346 runs at an average of 64.10 before this match.

1.33pm: Desperate times call for desperate measures. Virat Kohli is thrown the ball for India. Meanwhile, Clarke and Ponting have surpassed the highest fourth wicket partnership for Australia against India. Their stand is now at 214 runs.

1.27pm: CENTURY FOR RICKY PONTING - Listen here.

Finally. In the fourth over after lunch, Ponting takes a dodgy single to mid on and is forced to dive for his ground. A direct hit by Zaheer would have had Ponting miles short. But he is home safe and he breaks a 34-inning drought without a ton (209 v Pakistan on January 14 was his last). It is the 38-year-old's 40th Test ton of an illustrious career entering its twilight years. But Ponting has made it clear he wants to fight on, and that's exactly what he has done at the SCG - where he now has an unmatched six centuries. The former Australian skipper's hundred came off 150 balls and featured 11 boundaries.

1.16pm: We're back after lunch and Ricky Ponting has moved to 99. The 200 partnership is also up.

12.32pm: Ricky Ponting (97 not out) will have to try and stomach a sandwich over lunch before he gets the chance to break his century drought.

12.29pm: CENTURY FOR MICHAEL CLARKE - Listen here.

He brings it up with a splendid cover drive for four. Another tremendous knock by the Australian captain and on his home track. He now has Test tons against Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and India in his last seven Tests since becoming skipper. It is the McGilvray medallist's 18th Test century of his career. This one came off just 136 balls and with 14 boundaries and at a crucial time with his side once again in trouble. The bat sponsors are lining up.

12.14pm: Forget the state of the match, there is a new game in town. Who out of Clarke and Ponting will crack a century first? Both are cruising towards the milestone.

12.08pm: Here comes Zaheer again. Can he inspire something for his side?

12.05pm: The 200 is up for Australia and yet again it comes from a boundary. This time Clarke dances down the pitch to Ashwin and lofts him over mid off. Terrific batting but India looked defeated in just the fourth session of the match. Very little fight from the tourists.

12.01pm: Australia has surpassed India's first-innings total of 191 with just three wickets down thanks to Yadav wide and a vintage pull shot by Ponting to the boundary. Surely today is Punter's day.

11.55am: Umesh Yadav bowling to a 7-2 field and his young quick is bowling much too straight. Easy pickings for Clarke and his nude bat as he nails his 11th boundary though midwicket. Questionable field placements by Dhoni.

11.50am: Kerry O'Keeffe says when Clarke is playing at his best he plays through cover. He has done that with aplomb in this innings and is racing towards three figures. India seems to have no answer. Failing to build sustained pressure and this pair is making them pay with regular runs.

11.30am: DRINKS - Australia 3-154 (R Ponting 69*, M Clarke 60*, Z Khan 3-41)

11.27am: A poor first hour for India so far. Clarke and Ponting in complete control. Indian captain MS Dhoni turns to spinner Ashwin for a breakthrough.

11.08am: Zaheer, who struggled with his line in his opening spell, is out of the attack and in comes Yadav.

11.01: That is the 100 partnership between Clarke (56) and Ponting (44). It's their first century stand for almost two years after their mammoth 352-run partnership against Pakistan in Hobart. Coincidentally, that was the last time Ponting scored a century.

11.00am: If you missed it this morning, Australian captain Michael Clarke was named Grandstand's McGilvray Medallist. The skipper had the best year of his career in 2011: 1,056 runs at an average of 58.52 including three centuries.

Listen to Jim Maxwell present the medal to Clarke:

10.48am: That's 50 for Ricky Ponting. His 61st in Test cricket and his third half-century in as many innings. It came off 74 balls with six fours. Listen here.

10.38am: Grandstand's Shannon Byrne caught up with Peter Siddle before play, after the Victorian quick claimed his 100th Test wicket on day one:

10.30am: Clarke has already brought up his half century. Came off 60 balls with seven fours. Listen here.

We're away. Zaheer to open the bowling for India. The tourists desperately need their spearhead to work his old-ball magic in this first session. Clarke and Ponting looked the good yesterday afternoon. Ponting has displayed good touch of late but has failed to go on with the job the next morning.

Australia resumes on 3 for 116 after the tourists were all out for 191 after winning the toss and batting.

The first day set the stage for another enthralling encounter as no less than 13 wickets fell for 307 runs.

James Pattinson was the star once again for Australia with 4 for 43, while Ben Hilfenhaus (3 for 51) and Peter Siddle (3 for 55) again provided excellent supporting roles.

Jim Maxwell previews what's sure to be a thrilling second day here:

You can also catch up on what happened on day one below:

Day One Wrap

Day One Blog

Tags: sport, cricket, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 04, 2012 10:20:40

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Live Blog: Second Test Day Three

Raman Goraya

Updated January 05, 2012 16:17:23

Welcome to Grandstand's live coverage of day three of the second Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The home declared at 4-659 with a lead of 468 runs.

4.15pm: Rahul Dravid has joined in the fun, perhaps spurred into action by Ricky Ponting's 134 and Jacques Kallis's career-best 224 overnight. The 39-year-old Indian is on 24, with 20 of them coming in fours.

3.52pm: HALF CENTURY GAMBHIR - Listen here.

A good knock from the opener and as easy as you like in 83 balls with seven boundaries. This pitch is a road and there is runs in it for any batsman.

3.30pm: The players are back after tea and these two Indian batsman will be determined to make it to tea. But there is a chance we could see Tendulkar before the day is out as he continues the journey towards 100 internationals tons.

3.00pm: India's deficit of 468 is their third highest when batting first. The top three: 486 (Birmingham), 484 (Centurion) and 468 (Sydney) have all come in the last 13 months and all overseas. Thanks to Cricinfo's @rajeshstats for that one.

2.50pm: Sehwag is on his way but Gambhir and Dravid have other plans. Gautam takes Siddle for two boundaries in the one over. The Indian opener is in search of some much-needed form.

2.36pm: WICKET - V Sehwag c. Warner b. Hilfenhaus 4 (India 1-18, Gambhir 11*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Believe it or not, you can get out on this pitch. Sehwag can't help himself and flays the bat at a wide delivery. David Warner takes a ripper at point, moving quickly to his left to pluck the ball out of the air.

2.22pm: The Indian batsman are out in the middle. They have been waiting a while for this. Can they show some ticker and stick around for a few days? It's a massive ask but the pitch is as about lifeless as they were in the field. Pattinson and Hilfenhaus share the new ball.

AUSTRALIA DECLARES 4-659 (M Clarke 329*, M Hussey 150*) leads India by 468 runs.

Well that came out of nowhere. Clarke and Hussey looked like they were running for a drink, but they were actually sprinting towards the pavilion. The Australian captain says 329 is enough and ends his innings fourth on the Australian Test innings list and equal 12th with Inzamam-ul-Haq in the all-time Test records. His unbeaten partnership with Hussey was worth 334 runs, how is that for a special number? Clarke's average increases to 45.82 to 48.65 and he now has 5,643 runs in 78 Tests. He almost scored as many runs in that innings than he did in the 12 months before becoming captain (367).

2.00pm: Clarke is chasing Mark Taylor's 334 for the highest score by a Test captain. He has just passed Virender Sehwag's 319 in Chennai on the all-time list. I recommend following our own @RicFinlay on Twitter for a stream of more stats. He is so beside himself he has "forgotten to walk the cat", says Kerry.

1.43pm: The 300 partnership is up - Clarke (163) and Hussey (130). The first time in Test history an innings has featured two 250+ partnerships. Clarke and Ponting's was 288. The historians are running out of liquid paper!

1.33pm: Want more? Sure. The Aussie captain is also the seventh skipper to pass the 300 mark with Lara, Jayawardene, Taylor, Gooch, Younis Khan and Simpson.

1.30pm: The records continue to tumble. Clarke now has the highest score for a number five, usurping Bradman's 304. He is also now fourth on Australia's all-time Test innings list behind Hayden, Taylor and Bradman.

1.21pm: TRIPLE CENTURY MICHAEL CLARKE

Clarke on 299 blasts another boundary. A masterful display by the Australian skipper. He becomes the sixth Australian batsman to make 300 runs. When you consider he came to the crease with the score at 3 for 37, this has been nothing short of a brilliant knock. Kerry said he has never seen a crowd so expectant with the exception of Steve Waugh's hundred on the last ball of the day at the same ground. They rise at the SCG for what seems to be the umpteenth time in this match. Clarke loses the helmet, punches the air ferociously and plants his customary kiss on the Australian coat of arms. His 300 comes off 423 balls (strike rate of 69.4) with 37 fours and one six.

1.10pm: We're back from lunch. Only one game in town for the moment and that is getting Michael Clarke to the 300 mark. Ishant Sharma opening the bowling after the break.

12.23pm: CLARKE SETS SCG RECORD - Listen here.

Michael Clarke cracks his 34th four and now has the highest score at the SCG. Tip Foster, who captained England in football and cricket, held the record with his 287 on debut in 1903. Clarke also leaves the likes of Lara, Hammond, Walters and Tendulkar in his wake. Not bad from a Liverpool lad. Next stop, triple century.

12.18pm: Michael Clarke passes the highest score in an Australia-India Test. That was 281 by Laxman in Kolkata in 2001. We all remember that knock. Just like we will this one. VVS will need a similar effort in the coming days to dig India out of this massive hole.

12.12pm: CENTURY MICHAEL HUSSEY - Listen here.

As easy as you like. First Ponting and now Hussey comes out of the doldrums to crack three figures. He is saluted by an ocean of pink at the SCG after the third umpire shows he is clearly home after a quick single (much less dicey than Punter's). It is his 16th Test ton and it came off 188 balls with 11 fours, one six and a great deal of ease from a man supposedly under pressure to retain his spot. The Western Australian now has scores of 142, 118, 93, 89 and 100* in his last 13 knocks.

12.02pm: We have another milestone race. Hussey is lining up Test century number 16 as Clarke has his eyes set on the highest score at the SCG held by Tip Foster.

11.43am: Yadav into the attack and Hussey thrashes him for four with a brilliant cut past backward point. That brings up the 200 partnership between these two - Clarke (112), Hussey (84).

DRINKS - Australia 4-519 (M Clarke 264*, M Hussey 77*)

11.20am: Back to the cricket, vote in our new poll. Who will end up with the most Test runs: Dravid, Ponting, Kallis, Jayawardene or Sangakkara? Vote here.

11.15am: Harsha and Kerry are up to their old tricks in the commentary box. The Indian is trying to get his sidekick to eat a Naga chilli - the hottest in the world! Skull isn't having a bar of it despite a slow-hand clap from the SCG crowd trying to spur him on. More pics on Facebook.

11.10pm: Plenty of talk about the captaincy of MS Dhoni yesterday. He employed some "modest" strategies as described by Kerry. There is no doubting his record, taking India to the top Test side in the world as well as a World Cup final win in India. He has been described by the likes of Tendulkar and former coach Gary Kirsten as the best Indian captain ever. He definitely needs to work on his captaincy abroad, but he has received little support from the likes of his top order as well as his bowlers.

11.07am: Michael Clarke moves to 258 and now holds the highest score by an Australian against India, passing Ricky Ponting's 257 at the MCG in 2003.

11.00am: News just in that India's Virat Kohli has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for flipping the bird to the supporters at the SCG yesterday. Clearly he wasn't copping the banter as well as Ashwin. Australia brings up 500. Hussey is on song again.

10.42am: Ishant Sharma lasts all of two overs opening the bowling and is replaced by off spinner Ravi Ashwin, who had a tough day yesterday (0-103). Curiously, he took some delight in being cheered by the parochial home crowd when he brought up his "century", describing it as a different experience:

10.38am: The crowd continues to roll in at the SCG for the McGrath Foundation's annual "pink day". You can make a donation here. Australian opening batsman Ed Cowan shared a chat with Shannon Byrne this morning talking about the special occasion and watching his skipper and Ricky Ponting making heaps of runs on day two:

10.30am: Zaheer Khan to open the bowling. Much better bowling conditions today for the left-arm swinger.

10.15am: Resuming on 251, Clarke has the ninth highest Test innings score by an Australian.

10.10am: Welcome back for the third day's action from the SCG. Plenty of records tumbled yesterday and if Australian skipper Michael Clarke continues to batter the Indian attack, there could be a lot more. First up, Clarke will be aiming to notch the highest score by an Australian batsman against India - Ricky Ponting's 257 at the MCG in 2003.

For those who want a recap of all yesterday's action, look no further than below:

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 05, 2012 10:05:10

View the original article here

As it happened: Second Test Day One

Raman Goraya

Updated January 03, 2012 20:16:01

Grandstand brought you all the coverage as it happened on day one of the second Test between Australia and India from the SCG.

5.54pm: India looked to have given up for the day. Ashwin is brought into the attack but Dhoni goes defensive and even has a deep point. Part-timer Sehwag has been thrown the ball from the other end. Jim and Kerry say the skipper is not being proactive enough as the shadows grow.

5.40pm: Glorious batting by Clarke. He punishes Yadav for three consecutive boundaries. One delightful square drive, another well-timed pull shot and a glorious straight drive. The captain is now on 37 off 43 balls with seven fours. No movement through the air or off the pitch for the Indians. Australia 3-94.

5.20pm: Michael Clarke has raced to 25 with four boundaries, including an elegantly timed flick off his pads to the midwicket boundary off Sharma. Ponting is not too far behind with a vintage cover drive and pull shot off Yadav. These two looking good during a testing period.

5.11pm: STAT ATTACK - As we mentioned earlier, Ricky Ponting was named in the SCG Australian XI along with the likes of Victor Trumper, David Boon, Sir Donald Bradmann and Greg Chappell. The former Aussie skipper has brought up more centuries at the SCG than any other batsman (5) and has scored 1,346 runs at an average of 64.10 in Sydney. Here are the Australian and World XIs.

5.04pm: DRINKS - Australia 3-54 (M Clarke 15*, R Ponting 14*, Z Khan 3-25)

5.01pm: Yadav is back into the attack with Zaheer given a spell. First ball is a rank full toss. Second is a classic, seam bolt upright delivery that beats Clarke's edge.

4.50pm: Michael Clarke, a long-time Slazenger man, has no stickers on his bat. He hasn't been in that poor form has he? Perhaps it is a throwback bat (a throwbat?) to commemorate the 100th SCG Test.

4.44pm: WICKET! - E Cowan 16 (Australia 3-37, Ponting 12*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Zaheer continues his early damage with a third wicket. Works it in with some fantastic shape, pitches it outside the line but it smashes Cowan on the pad in line with the off stump. Umpire Ian Gould raises the finger. Cowan looks a bit shocked but that was hardly a howler of a decision. Michael Clarke to join Ponting at the crease.

4.35pm: Ishant Sharma has replaced Yadav and almost has Ponting caught down the leg side. MS Dhoni dives to his left but the ball breaks through his outstretched glove. Umpire Erasmus gives leg byes. Would have been contentious if the Indian skipper held onto that.

4.28pm: Cowan and Ponting have steadied the ship, somewhat. Zaheer is fancying his chances to the left-handed Cowan while Umesh Yadav, who impressed at the MCG, has yet to find any outswing to the right-hander. Australia 2-26.

4.12pm: WICKET! - S Marsh c. Laxman b. Zaheer 0 (Australia 2-8, Cowan 0*) - Listen to the dimissal.

First ball of Zaheer's next over and he has Marsh with another jaffa. This time VVS holds on. That's Marsh's third duck in his last four innings. Wickets galore at the Randwick End as this Test match takes a drastic turn. Ponting faces out the hat-trick ball, the second for today.

4.05pm: WICKET! - D Warner c. Tendulkar b. Zaheer 8 (Australia 1-8, Cowan 0*) - Listen to the dismissal.

After a ferocious start, Warner goes hard at a beautiful leg-cutter from Zaheer which flies to VVS Laxman at second slip. He can't take it but luckily Tendulkar at first reacts quickly to catch the rebound before it hits the deck. What a start. Assist for Laxman? We'll give it to him, he needs the stats at the moment.

4.03pm: Australian openers David Warner and Ed Cowan are out in the middle and Zaheer Khan has the new ball. Warner helps himself to eight off the first over until...

3.50pm: WICKET! - U Yadav c. Haddin b. Siddle 0 (India 191) - Listen to the dismissal.

India is all out for 191. Siddle picks up his third wicket of the innings and his 100th in Test cricket. Another brilliant pace bowling performance from the hosts. They have obviously done their homework and they executed their plans perfectly. India's aging batting line-up failed to show up and their shortcomings have left their side with an uphill battle. Can the Australian top order carry on the good work of their bowlers?

3.37pm: WICKET! - I Sharma c. Cowan b. Hilfenhaus 0 (India 9-186, Dhoni 52*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Better late than never. Hilfenhaus gets his third with another great bouncer to the towering Sharma. Cowan picks up his third catch of the innings under the helmet. He'll be busy with the bat as well very soon.

3.34pm: Dhoni brings up his 50 - Listen here.

3.29pm: Hilfenhaus's hat-trick ball after tea is not out. Ishant Sharma keeps out a delivery that would have sent his off stump cartwheeling. The young India quick kept it conservative unlike his fast bowling predecessor Javagal Srinath who swung wildly at Damien Fleming's hat-trick ball in Adelaide. But we all know what happened that day...

3.09pm: WICKET! - Z Khan c. Cowan b. Hilfenhaus 0 (India 8-178, Dhoni 44*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Hilfenhaus will be on a hat-trick after the tea break and it is nothing short of what he deserves. He welcomes Zaheer to the crease with a pinpoint bouncer and it balloons off the fast bowler's gloves into the waiting hands of Ed Cowan close in. A great finish to the session for Australia. They will be batting by the end of the day.

3.06pm: WICKET! - R Ashwin c. Clarke b. Hilfenhaus 20 (India 7-178, Dhoni 44*) - Listen to the dimissal.

What a relief for the hard-working Tasmanian. Similar dismissal to that of Ghambir's. Ashwin plays across the line a touch but the edge zings away to Clarke who holds on at first slip.

3.02pm: 50 partnership for Dhoni and Ashwin (who has a Test century to his name). Valuable runs down the order. Hussey has replaced Lyon for his obligatory little trundle before the break to try and tempt Dhoni.

2.59pm: The Indian skipper chases one and a diving Shaun Marsh at cover gets a hand on it but cannot pull off what would have been the best catch of the summer. No prizes for guessing who the bowler was. Hilfenhaus's face is in his hands as he continues the search for his first wicket.

2.56pm: Dhoni is mixing patience outside off stump with some brutal stroke play. He moves to 39 and he and Ashwin (15) have put on the highest partnership of the Indian innings. That says it all, really.

2.42pm: Dhoni pounces on a loose one by Hilfenhaus for his fourth and best boundary of his innings. The Indian skipper has looked much better when he strikes confidently instead of poking at the ball. It rubs off on Ashwin, who dances down the wicket and drives Lyon beautifully through the covers to the fence.

2.30pm: Pattinson is hooked after his four-over spell produced the vital scalp of Sachin and Hilfenhaus is back into the attack. Nathan Lyon, who is bowling with some nice drift, continues at the other end.

2.19pm: India's partnerships today: 0, 30, 25, 4, 37, 28. Plenty of starts but no answer to Australia's pace attack which continues to take regular wickets.

2.14pm: WICKET! - S Tendulkar b. Pattinson 41 (India 6-124, MS Dhoni 12*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Massive wicket just before drinks and yet again it's Pattinson (4 for 39) who delivers the goods. The Little Master was looking comfortable enough, playing his patented uppercut over the slips, but he drags one onto his stumps. Kerry O'Keeffe believes the bottom hand was too dominant on that attempted cover drive and the 38-year-old is not in as greater touch as it would appear. The crowd stands again but it's not the reception Tendulkar wants. The wait continues. India slides further into the mire.

2.05pm: MS Dhoni plays a dab through the covers for a single and end up getting four after he runs three overthrows. Siddle fields and has a shy at the non-striker's end and umpire Ian Gould obstructs Lyon from backing up. Unfortunate, but the Australian's haven't been at their best in the field today.

1.59pm: Now skipper Michael Clarke has thrown the ball to off spinner Nathan Lyon for his first spell of the match, giving Hilfenhaus a rest. There is a slip, forward short leg and catching man at silly mid on.

1.55pm: But for now Siddle has been replaced by his Bushrangers buddy James Pattinson, who is charging in from the Paddington End looking to add to his three wickets. Dhoni is the new batsman and desperately needs to find some form for his side.

1.51pm: That last wicket was Siddle's 99th in Test cricket in his 29th match. He'll likely crack 100 at the SCG. Our resident statistician @RicFinlay tells us that Grandstand's Geoff Lawson reached the 100 mark in just 25 Tests. Fellow commentator Danny Morrison was just four Tests behind. Here is the complete list.

1.39pm: WICKET! - V Kohli c. Haddin b. Siddle 23 (India 5-96, Tendulkar 32*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Spoke too soon. A peach of a ball from Siddle finds the edge of Kohli's bat. Disappointing by the youngster. He had his eye in and should have left that one, but could not help have a nibble after the Victorian forced him onto the back foot with some shorter stuff. Yet again, more intelligent bowling by Australia.

1.30pm: That last little compliment for Kohli did him no harm as he moves to 23 with two boundaries off Siddle in one over. Sachin follows the lead of his 23-year-old partner by dispatching a rare, wide delivery by Hilfenhaus. Better signs for India at 4-95.

1.22pm: Tendulkar with a lovely cut shot to the boundary. Kohli at the other end is also looking much more assured compared to his failures at the MCG. India 4-79.

1.10pm: We are back after lunch. Siddle resumes from the Paddington End with Hilfenhaus from the Southern End. Australia will no doubt be zeroing in on the vital wicket of one Sachin Tendulkar.

12.26pm: Michael Hussey on to bowl the last over before the lunch break. Despite offering just gentle medium pacers, Hussey is always greeted with a tad of hesitation by top-class batsmen of late.

12.07pm: WICKET! - VVS Laxman c. Marsh b. Pattinson 2 (India 4-59, Tendulkar 20*) - Listen to the dismissal.

Well VVS will not be scoring a century in the first innings. He becomes yet another victim of James Pattinson's (3 for 20) gnawing line and length and India is in deep trouble. Laxman played inside the line of that one after Patto buttered him up with some straighter deliveries earlier in the over (the tourists seemed to be struggling off their pads too on the quicker pitch). Shaun Marsh takes the catch at third slip.

12.02pm: STAT ATTACK - Tendulkar and Laxman are at the crease. Both were earlier today named in the SCG Trust's World XI in honour of their respective records at the iconic ground. Tendulkar has scored 664 runs at the phenomenal average of 221.33 from seven innings, while Laxman (481 runs at 96.20) has notched a century in his last three visits to the ground. They are just two of the superstars named in the two sides:

Australia:

Victor Trumper (NSW), David Boon (Tas), Don Bradman (NSW/SA), Ricky Ponting (Tas), Greg Chappell (SA/Qld), Keith Miller (NSW/Vic), Adam Gilchrist (WA/NSW), Shane Warne (Vic), Ray Lindwall (NSW/Qld), CTB Turner (NSW), Glenn McGrath (NSW). Fred Spofforth (NSW) 12th man. Coach: Bill O’Reilly. Coach: Richie Benaud.

World XI:

Herbert Sutcliffe (Eng), Jack Hobbs (Eng), VVS Laxman (India), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Wally Hammond (Eng), Garfield Sobers (WI), Richard Hadlee (NZ), Alan Knott (Eng), Anil Kumble (India), George Lohmann (Eng), SF Barnes (Eng). Harold Larwood (Eng) 12th man. Coach: WG Grace.

11.54am: WICKET! - V Sehwag c. Haddin b. Pattinson 30 (India 3-55, Tendulkar 18*) - listen to the dismissal.

That was coming. Pattinson had beaten the Sehwag bat a few times and on this occasion the big-hitter is kind enough to edge one into the gloves of Brad Haddin. Another tremendous delivery from the 23-year-old who continues to shine with his persistence and consistency.

11.45am: James Pattinson is back into the attack after drinks. At the other end, Hilfenhaus looks a tad deflated after that chance to remove Sehwag went begging as Tendulkar tickles one for another four.

11.34am: DROPPED! - Ricky Ponting has grassed an absolute soda. He can't believe it. Nobody can. Sehwag (23) edges a beautifully shaped delivery by Hilfenhaus but the former skipper can't hold on to a regulation chance at second slip. A case of hard hands, according to Geoff Lawson. Will the Delhi destroyer make Australia pay? Listen to the dropped catch.

11.30am DRINKS - (India 2-44. Sehwag 23*, Tendulkar 14*)

Tendulkar is off to a very promising start. Three boundaries and he is finding the middle of the bat. What a story it would be if he finally cracks the 100th international ton during the SCG's 100th Test. Speaking of the SCG, the NSW State and Federal Governments have announced a $186 million upgrade on this memorable occasion.

11.17am: WICKET! - R Dravid c. Cowan b. Siddle 5 (India 2-30, Sehwag 23*) - listen to the dismissal.

You can't keep Siddle down for long. He cramps Dravid for room with a straighter delivery and the Indian veteran inside edges onto his pad and Ed Cowan takes a nice catch at forward short leg under the helmet. That brings Sachin to the crease and the crowd rises and welcomes The Little Master to the crease.

11.10am: Peter Siddle into the attack and it is an eventful opening over that goes for 11 runs. His first two balls go to the boundary off the edge of Sehwag before a ripping delivery goes straight through the Indian opener's defence and somehow misses everything. If that wasn't enough, there is a big appeal from the Aussies for a catch at bat pad but the ball clearly hits Dravid on the shoulder and nothing else.

11.05am: Our own Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) reminds us of India's opening partnerships in the last six Tests: 63, 19, 0, 6, 8, 0, 8, 49, 22, 17 and 0 this morning. "Easy diagnosis of the illness" he says. Gambhir has struggled for some time now and Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma are the only other batsmen in the squad.

11.00am: Contrasting styles by the Indian batsmen. Sehwag is swinging at almost everything served up outside his off stump, but not hitting many. Dravid as patient as ever. Pattinson and Hilfenhaus moving the ball through the air with some full bowling. India 1-14.

10.50am: Kerry pays homage to the work of new Australian bowling coach Craig McDermott as Hilfenhaus continues to land them on a dime. Billy has been in charge for eight Tests and the Australian bowling attack has bowled out the opposition for under 200 runs in six of them.

10.45am: Sehwag is off and running with controlled shot to the forward point boundary off Pattinson. Yes, that's right. Sehwag with a controlled shot. India 1-7.

10.40am: Ben Hilfenhaus sharing the new nut with Pattinson. Beats the Dravid bat with just his second ball.

10.32am: WICKET! - G Gambhir c. Clarke b. Pattinson 0 (India 0-1, Sehwag 0*) - listen to the dismissal.

James Pattinson strikes with the third ball of the Test match. Gambhir fends at one that is moving across him and Clarke thinks he is still doing his pre-match catching practice at first slip. Sensational start by Australia and Gambhir's woeful start to his first Australian Test tour continues.

10.15am: Geoff Lawson thinks no team is red-hot favourite for this match despite the record books showing Australia has a formidable record at the SCG. The loss to England last year was its only defeat in the last 15 Tests in Sydney. Australia v India at the SCG: Nine wins, one loss and 4 draws.

10.05pm: Indian captain MS Dhoni wins the toss and has no hesitancy in batting first despite a touch of grass on the wicket. India names an unchanged team, with young middle-order batsman Virat Kholi given another chance to impress. Listen to Dhoni chat to Jim after the toss:

Australian skipper Michael Clarke told Jim it would have been nice to bat but backs his bowlers to extract some seam over swing early in the session:

10.01am: If you dozed off for the Boxing Day Test on an overdose of Turkey tryptophan, we are here to remind you Australia won the opening encounter by 122 runs. Coincidentally, Australia was victorious in the last Test played between these two at the SCG by the same margin.

9.52am: Before play you can watch Grandstand's Jim Maxwell (@jimmaxcricket) previewing the second Test on ABC News Breakfast.

9.48am: It is a beautiful, bright morning in the Harbour city with a full day of play on the cards. Looks to be a bat-first deck. The forecast does not look so good for the next few days with isolated showers and thunderstorms expected.

9.45am: Welcome to our coverage of the Australia v India series. Next up it's Sydney for the New Year's Test, which also marks the 100th Test at the SCG.

Australia: D Warner, E Cowan, S Marsh, R Ponting, M Clarke (capt), M Hussey, B Haddin (wk), P Siddle, J Pattinson, N Lyon, B Hilfenhaus.

India: V Sehwag, G Gambhir, R Dravid, S Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, V Kohli, MS Dhoni (capt,wk), R Ashwin, Z Khan, I Sharma, U Yadav.

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, india, australia

First posted January 03, 2012 09:56:42

View the original article here

Harris added to squad for second Test

Updated December 30, 2011 11:55:02

Australia added paceman Ryan Harris to its 12-man squad for the SCG Test, as selectors weigh up the option of a four-man pace attack.

Harris, who is working his way back from a hip injury, was the only addition to the 11 that defeated India in the first Test at the MCG on Thursday.

He replaced left-arm quick Mitchell Starc, who was 12th man in Melbourne, while Dan Christian was also left out.

All-rounder Shane Watson was ruled out from returning for the second Test at the SCG, which starts on Tuesday, as he continues to recover from a calf injury.

It was uncertain when he would be ready to play.

"Shane has not fully recovered from his right calf injury and is therefore not available for the Sydney Test," team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said.

"He will continue his rehabilitation and hopefully be available for one of the remaining Test matches."

Harris was regarded as Australia's leading quick before his injury absence.

But the excellent performances of James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus in the first Test victory have cast doubt on whether Harris can dislodge one of the incumbents.

However, Australia captain Michael Clarke on Thursday said selectors would consider the possibility of playing four pacemen at the SCG, in which case off spinner Nathan Lyon would be dumped.

Watson's continued absence ensures the six batsmen from the MCG Test will be retained, although the strong performances of Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey in Melbourne had already shored up their spots.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin is also on safe ground, despite his continued poor form.

Chairman of selectors John Inverarity said the team would take great confidence and momentum into the second Test and he welcomed Harris' return to the squad, after a four-Test absence.

"Ryan has had carefully monitored preparation, which has gone to plan," Inverarity said.

"Mitchell Starc and Daniel Christian, who were both in the squad for the first Test, have been omitted but remain very much in our thinking."

Australia:

Michael Clarke (capt), Brad Haddin, Ed Cowan, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mike Hussey, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle, David Warner (12th man to be named).

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted December 30, 2011 11:21:53

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Watson unlikely for second Test

Updated December 29, 2011 11:27:34

Star all-rounder Shane Watson appears unlikely to return for next week's second Test against India, although he is yet to be ruled out.

Watson has been in camp with the Australian side during the first Test in Melbourne this week as he recovers from hamstring and calf injuries which also caused him to miss the two-Test series against New Zealand.

"Shane Watson has been released home this morning to continue his rehabilitation program," a Cricket Australia spokesman said on Thursday.

"Australia team physio Alex Kountouris will catch up with him in Sydney on January 1 to further assess his progress.

"The squad for the second Test match against India will be announced after this Test match finishes."

The second Test of the four-match series starts on January 3 at the SCG.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted December 29, 2011 11:22:02

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Second Test: Live Blog Day Four

Adrian Crawford

Updated December 12, 2011 15:44:15

Recap ABC Grandstand's live coverage of day four of the second Test between Australia and New Zealand from Bellerive Oval in Hobart. New Zealand won the Test by seven runs and levelled the two-match series 1-1.

2:25pm - WICKET! Lyon b. Bracewell 9 (Australia 233, Warner 123*) - listen to the dismissal

That's it - it's all over. Lyon fought gallantly but it shouldn't have come to this. New Zealand wins by seven runs. All the interviews and nitty-gritty can be found in the stumps wrap.

Thanks for tuning in to ABC Grandstand Online's live blog of the second Test.

2:23pm - Warner has got confidence in taking the early single now that he knows Lyon's on the same page. This is nerve-wracking stuff. Did I mention it's nerve-wracking?

2:19pm - Lyon for four! Nicely played off Southee. Only 11 needed now.

2:15pm - Drinks. Australia is 9 for 225, needing 16 runs to win. Warner is 120 not out, Lyon is unbeaten on 4. The tension is palpable at the ground, on the airwaves and on Twitter. This Test is going down to the wire.

2:12pm - Bracewell's hit Lyon on the pads again, looks to be going down leg-side but Taylor has called for the referral as you do. The decision...WAY down leg. Lyon survives again.

2:04pm - NOT OUT! Lyon was given out lbw by Nigel Llong off Southee but the subsequent referral (which Lyon very confidently took) ruled that the ball was sliding well down leg. Overturned. Australia gets another life.

Hearts are pounding in the Grandstand office. Australia needs 25 to win. One wicket in hand. Who says Test cricket is dead?!

1:59:30pm - As I typed that, he top-edged one but it fell in no-man's land. Phew. It's 9 for 211, Warner is 112 not out.

1:59pm - Is it lucky or is it lucky that David Warner is a guru at getting big runs fast?

1:56pm - Nathan Lyon and Warner are hanging in valiantly but they've got a mountain to climb. It will take a small miracle and some very cautious batting for this pair to pull off what would be a famous victory against the odds.

1:42pm - WICKET! Starc b. Bracewell 0 (9-199, Warner 101*) - listen to the dismissal

Doug Bracewell is shaping for man of the match honours here. He turned New Zealand's fortunes before lunch and he's all but blown the Aussies away now.

1:40pm - WICKET! Pattinson c. Guptill b. Bracewell 4 (8-199, Warner 101*) - listen to the dismissal

Spoke too soon. It's all but over now.

1:38pm - Pattinson gets a life. That looked for all money like the most wasteful DRS referral ever, but it turns out the plotted trajectory showed the ball missing the stumps. Make the most of that chance kiddo. Australia needs 42 to win.

1:34pm - WICKET! Siddle c. Ryder b. Southee 2 (7-199, Warner 101*) - listen to the dismissal

Siddle might have been the star of the show with the bat in the first innings but he most definitely played that like a tail-ender. Jesse Ryder gobbled that up at third slip and Southee's got his second for the over.

1:31pm - WICKET! Haddin c. Taylor b. Southee 15 (6-192, Warner 101*) - listen to the dismissal

And no sooner did my esteemed colleague @RamboGoraya call it, it happened. Haddin goes chasing Southee and it ends exactly like all the others have - caught by Taylor at first slip. Australia is in a great deal of trouble.

1:17pm - The big basher David Warner reaches his maiden Test century! Bravo to the big man, it's richly deserved. A patient innings, punishing the bad balls when they come and seeing off the good ones. Listen to the delivery here.

According to @RicFinlay, Warner is the 124th century-maker for Australia and it was the 747th Test century.

1:12pm - Warner has moved to 98* on the first ball of the session by pulling Southee on the on-side.

1:11pm - As the lunch break winds down, take a look at @PeterNewlinds' piece on crowd numbers during the second Test at Bellerive.

12:27pm - Warner with a wild hook shot over Reece Young's head to the boundary then follows it up with a smashing cover drive for four. Fetch that, as Skull would say. He moves to 94.

12:23pm - WICKET! Hussey lbw b. Bracewell 0 (5-159, Warner 84*) - listen to the dismissal

This is not happening. Mike Hussey trapped plumb in front, umpire Aleem Dar originally went for a not-out verdict, presumably because he thought there was an inside edge, but Taylor calls for the referral and the decision is reversed.

Now Warner really IS the key to this innings.

12:20pm - WICKET! Clarke c. Taylor b. Bracewell 0 (4-159, Warner 84*) - listen to the dismissal

All of a sudden David Warner is the linchpin of Australia's chase. I bet he never imagined this when he woke up this morning. But then again, neither did Clarke, who swiped at Bracewell and edged him straight to Taylor at first slip. Game on.

12:17pm - From the keyboard of Grandstand's Francis Leach (@SaintFrankly) - "Time for letting go... Ricky, it's been magnificent. Hard to imagine life at the crease without you, but the time has come.."

12:09pm - WICKET! Ponting c. Southee b. Bracewell 16 (3-159, Warner 84*) - listen to the dismissal

Five out of Ricky Ponting's six innings prior to today's ended in lbw decisions. Today it wasn't ... but it was a soft dismissal all the same. A short ball from Bracewell had Ponting miscuing it as he got onto the back foot and he popped it straight down Southee's throat at cover.

Not the way that one of Australia's greatest ever batsmen should go in what is surely his last Test innings in front of his home crowd.

11:40am - Drinks are brought onto the field again (in comical fashion, might I add). Australia is 99 runs from victory at 2 for 142 with Warner unbeaten on 75 and Ponting making his way to 8. The former skipper still looks like he might end up being dismissed leg-before again, but we'll see what happens. He's planted that front foot on more than one occasion.

11:33am - Late mail, but Brett Geeves just reminded me of some Skull gold from earlier. "If Phil Hughes is shaving tomorrow and gets a nick, Martin Guptill will appear from the medicine cabinet with a Band-Aid." Outstanding stuff. Update! Listen to Skull's wise-crack.

11:25am - The former skipper isn't wasting time - he's off the mark with a flick off the pads to the fine leg boundary off Boult and then has a crack to mid-wicket on the next ball. Grandstand's Raman Goraya's (@rambogoraya) assessment? "Punter means business."

11:22am - Despite Jim's earlier punt been proven wrong, Kerry's looked into the crystal ball and reckons Punter and Warner are the blokes to get it done - an eight-wicket win for Australia. Bryan Waddle not convinced.

11:17am - That brings the hometown hero to the crease - RT Ponting - for what is very possibly his last Test knock at Bellerive Oval. What can he make of it?

11:16am - WICKET! Khawaja c. Taylor b. Boult 23 (2-122, Warner 70*) - listen to the dismissal

Another breakthrough, this time to young gun Boult. Khawaja was looking fairly comfortable out there, save for the leading edge an over or two ago, but he's swiped at "Lightning" Boult and edged to Ross Taylor's safe hands moving left at first slip. The skipper has done a good job of grabbing that too, considering he had Guptill diving across him from second slip.

11:04am - Warner sliced Trent Boult with a mistimed shot over point for a couple of runs, interrupting Jim as he was taking inventory of Kerry O'Keeffe's pile of snacks in the commentary box.

10:54am - Our numbers guru @RicFinlay chimes in with the first statistical gem of the morning - "Unless Warner (60 no) goes on with it, this will be first Bellerive Test without a century."

10:50am - After 50 minutes of play, they've taken drinks. Twenty-two runs, one wicket so far in the session as Australia works to 1 for 94. The hosts still need 147 but they've got time and wickets up their sleeves.

New Zealand quicks Martin and Bracewell have bowled well this morning. They've beaten the bat on occasion and there's a bit of movement around despite the clear skies in Hobart.

10:44am - Khawaja looks like he's settling in a little bit more, having cracked two consecutive fours off Martin. The first, square of the wicket, certainly wasn't off the meat of the bat but the one that followed was a beautifully timed push through extra cover to the rope.

10:34am - Martin and Bracewell are both coming very close to finding the edge of Usman Khawaja's bat and giving us a replay of Hughes' wicket.

10:24am - In the wake of this morning's first dismissal, we're wondering: is Phil Hughes' Test career over? Vote in Grandstand's online poll.

10:21am - Warner reaches his maiden Test half-century with a huge edge off Bracewell through second slip to the boundary! Hairy stroke but he'll take that luck - a four is a four on the scoresheet. Listen to the delivery.

10:14am - Brett Geeves cheekily reveals that @DrewMorphett has already booked a cab to take him to the airport at midday in a bold prediction of Australia's pending trumph.

10:07am - WICKET! Hughes c. Guptill b. Martin 20 (1-72, Warner 47*) - listen to the dismissal

That might as well have been a replay from any of Phil Hughes' previous three innings. Martin Guptill has been waiting for that to go right to his chest since yesterday afternoon and based on the 23-year-old's previous form I can't blame him.

If it wasn't a certainty before now, Hughes will most definitely be spending Boxing Day with his family and not facing India.

10:03am - The first over is out of the way and Doug Bracewell's delivered a maiden. Expert commentator Brett Geeves reckons Australia has all but secured victory in this one and a New Zealander will have to "bowl out of his skin" for the tourists to win this game.

9:45am - Australia's charge for victory is set to get underway under much better conditions than those that saw stumps called early on Sunday afternoon.

David Warner (47*) and Phil Hughes (20*) have their work well and truly cut out for them chasing 169 for victory. Both men will want to make a good impression on the selectors - short-form specialist Warner has done a good job so far this innings of showing he has the patience and discipline to succeed at Test level while Hughes desperately needs to live up to his run-scoring potential if he wants to remain in the national fold with Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh waiting in the wings.

Throw in the fact that Ricky Ponting will potentially face up for his last stand on his home ground and we've got ourselves an intriguing morning of batting ahead of us.

9:34am - Jim Maxwell (@jimmaxcricket) has his tip in early for today's result - "This is the brightest sunniest morning of the match: cue Warner Hughes double ton stand!"

Australia: Michael Clarke (c), Philip Hughes, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.

New Zealand: Ross Taylor (c), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Jesse Ryder, Dean Brownlie, Reece Young, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Chris Martin.

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia

First posted December 12, 2011 09:59:29

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Second Test: Day Three Live Blog

Adrian Crawford

Updated December 12, 2011 11:23:58

Welcome to ABC Grandstand's live coverage of day three of the second Test between Australia and New Zealand from Bellerive Oval in Hobart. New Zealand resumed at 3 for 139, an overall lead of 153, after bowling Australia out for 136 on Saturday.

STUMPS DAY THREE - AUSTRALIA 0 for 72 chasing 241 (Warner 47*, Hughes 20*)

5:30pm - It's all over for today folks. Rain has been falling since umpire Nigel Llong gave a tentative 5:30pm time for resumption, so Australia will have to wait until tomorrow to resume its push for victory. Tune in tomorrow for what will likely be the final day of the second Test.

5:18pm - The sun is shining but the rain is falling. Mother Nature doesn't want this Test to be over today and who can blame her? We've had some intriguing cricket in the last nearly-three days. There'll definitely be a fourth day.

5:10pm - Umpire Nigel Llong, via @PeterNewlinds, has confirmed that barring any further inclement weather, play will resume at 5:30pm. There are 17 overs left to bowl today with stumps at 6:30pm. But he said that if there's any more rain, that'll be it for day three and we'll come back Monday morning.

5:05pm - I stand corrected. @DrewMorphett reports that the Black Caps are in the middle taking catching practise again as ground staff attempt to uncover and dry out the playing surface. Umpires on the ground as well. We could still get some play this afternoon, although @PeterNewlinds said there is no timeline as to when the show will go on.

5:00pm - It doesn't look like there will be a lot more cricket at Bellerive Oval this afternoon which is disappointing to see. New Zealand could be the benefactor of waiting for Monday morning to continue, assuming the outfield dries up but the pitch retains a bit of juice. Australia needs 169 for victory with all 10 wickets up its sleeve.

4:32pm - Australian paceman Mitchell Starc told @PeterNewlinds that his team-mates are keeping themselves busy during the rain delay by watching television coverage of old Australia-New Zealand clashes and "throwing horrible chat" at Craig McDermott for his bowling action and red hair.

4:25pm - While wet weather interrupts Australia's push towards victory in the second Test, get to know Grandstand commentator Bryan Waddle in this piece by @PeterNewlinds.

3:37pm - Kerry's prediction from an hour or so ago nearly came true. Hughes came back for a risky second and was nearly caught short - he'd decided before he even took off that he'd have a double there. Lucky stuff.

3:23pm - A bit of a hairy french cut from Warner misses leg stump and rockets to the fine leg boundary to bring up the 50 partnership for Australia. The hosts are 52 without loss (Hughes 13*, Warner 34*).

Wait, make that 56 without loss. Warner pushes Tim Southee past Kane Williamson at point for another boundary.

3:19pm - Venue management teams are "a mob of poobahs", according to Jim Maxwell (@jimmaxcricket), on the subject of uptight "anti-social behaviour" policies that include the confiscation of beach balls.

3:15pm - Tea is approaching and Australia's openers are still plugging away. Warner (29*) is doing the bulk of the scoring - with some stunning off-side fours - but Hughes (13*) has shown flashes of his potential.

Boult is back into the attack to bowl the 15th over of the innings.

3:00pm - Drinks is called, and Australia has reached the first small break unscathed at 30 without loss chasing 241. Hughes (10 from 40) and Warner (18 from 26) are grinding it out.

2:36pm - Confidence-booster for Hughes. Beautiful cover drive off Boult for four and then a tight block the next ball.

2:31pm - Kerry O'Keeffe is of the opinion that a run-out is more likely to claim Australia's first wicket because of a lack of opening chemistry between Hughes and Warner, despite them being from the same state side. Food for thought.

2:20pm - @RicFinlay thinks New Zealand might have the advantage from a statistical viewpoint: "Seven 4th-inns run chases in Bellerive Tests, 2 successful, 4 ended in tears, 1 draw. Odds favor NZ, therefore?"

2:18pm - How lucky is Hughes?! Fortunately for the embattled opener Ross Taylor elected not to review that caught-behind appeal down leg side, assuming the ball had nicked his thigh pad. But Hot Spot reveals the ball had edged his glove. He'd want to make the most of that life.

2:16pm - David Warner off the mark - he pushes Trent Boult behind point for four along the greasy outfield and then takes a couple more two balls later to finish his over. Australia 0 for 6.

2:13pm - Hughes has survived the first over. Sigh of relief for now. He left them all alone.

2:10pm - And here we go. They're out in the middle and Phil Hughes is taking block to face Chris Martin as the rain comes back down at Bellerive. Oh boy. That's a whole lot of fielders in the slips cordon.

2:00pm - Jim Maxwell reckons in the next 20 minutes or so we should get some action. The New Zealanders are out on the field taking catching practise which is encouraging.

1:20pm - @PeterNewlinds says there was a fair bit of rain during the lunch break but it has stopped. A breeze blowing at Bellerive could push the cloud cover away. Play will be delayed slightly.

12:38pm - WICKET! Boult c. Hussey b. Lyon 21 (226, Martin 2*) - listen to the dismissal

Following Southee's lead, Boult lives and dies by the sword. He piled on some quick and effective runs for New Zealand at number 10 to help set the home side a victory target of 241.

On this wicket it looks very doable with two days to play, but Australia's shaky top-order form in the first innings could have something to say about that. Stay tuned - we've got two very interesting sessions of cricket to follow today.

12:36pm - Trent Boult is sure enjoying himself out there against Siddle. Three consecutive boundaries! And he took a single on the last ball of the over to keep Martin off strike. Good strategy kid.

12:23pm - WICKET! Bracewell b. Lyon 4 (9-203, Boult 0*) - listen to the dismissal

Taylor's not going to be impressed with that. Bracewell's more or less thrown his wicket away taking a big swipe at Lyon two balls later, completely missing and rattling his pegs.

Chris Martin's making his way to the crease, so this should be all wrapped up shortly.

12:20pm - WICKET! Southee c. Hussey b. Lyon 13 (8-203, Bracewell 4*) - listen to the dismissal

Tim Southee strides out and dies by the sword as he had lived. He smashed Lyon for a six and a four on consecutive balls before holing out to Mike Hussey in the deep.

That's Southee's usual game plan but it doesn't mean it's particularly suitable for the situation when New Zealand needs as big a total as possible on this deck.

12:14pm - WICKET! Young lbw Siddle 9 (7-190, Bracewell 4*) - listen to the dismissal

Despite Lyon's injection into the attack it was the ever-present Siddle that makes the breakthrough, trapping Reece Young plumb in front for 9. Is there anything the two Victorian pacemen can't do?

Australia won't be far from being able to take the new ball, which should provide some fresh opportunities for the quicks.

12:02pm - Nathan Lyon's been tossed the ball to see if Australia can take another cheap wicket or two before the lunch break. New Zeland 6 for 187, leading by 201.

11:54 am - With a lofted drive through mid-off to the rope courtesy of Doug Bracewell, New Zealand's lead has reached 201. Grandstand expert commentator Geoff Lawson reckons the Kiwis need 100 more to make it a real contest over the next two and a half days.

11:36am - WICKET! Brownlie c. Haddin b. Pattinson 21 (6 for 178, Young 1*) - listen to the dismissal

I think Pattinson is edging ahead in the race for man-of-the-match honours here. He's gone with Starc's as-yet-unsuccessful tactic of banging them in short and got the result.

The bouncer stayed low, Brownlie couldn't get completely out of the way of it and the ball hit his glove on the way through to Haddin.

The young Victorian quick now has 3 for 54 and is well on track for 10 wickets for the match.

Jim Maxwell's (@jimmaxcricket) assessment on Twitter is simple but effective: "NZ fading as Pattinson builds his reputation as a strike bowler".

11:24am - WICKET! Taylor c. Clarke b. Pattinson 56 (5 for 171, Brownlie 16*) - listen to the dismissal

That's the one Australia really needed, and of course it was Pattinson (2 for 48) to take the key wicket of Taylor.

He moved one into the New Zealand skipper but the uppish length forced Taylor to back off defensively and edged through to Clarke, who watched it all the way into his mitts.

Good cricket all around to bring to an end Taylor's brave foundation knock.

11:18am - Starc has banged one in short at Brownlie and the batsman, in an effort to get out of the way, has copped it in the hand. Initial thoughts were it got him in the grill - the ball rose quite sharply off the deck unexpectedly.

That's gotta hurt. The New Zealand physio has come out to check out Brownlie's paw but he's returned to the crease.

11:11am - As Taylor (55*) and Brownlie (13*) plod along quietly in the middle, Kerry and Jim temporarily turn their focus - tongue-in-cheek, of course - to how tough it is to bring healthy food into Tasmania.

On a cricketing note, Skull thinks Nathan Lyon needs to bowl an extended spell against Taylor to try and dislodge the New Zealand skipper before lunch. Taylor's looking very settled out there.

10:50am - Brownlie flashes the bat at a short one from Mitchell Starc and sends the young quick to the fence behind square on the off-side. Lesson learnt. All of Brownlie's first 12 runs have been from boundaries.

10:46am - Siddle to Taylor, who offers a genuine nick which JUST falls short of Clarke at first slip. Taylor's got the luck of the Irish today, while Siddle's spell has been impressive.

Next ball the captain plays a wristy shot and sends Siddle to the rope through the gap between mid-on and mid-wicket. Very pretty stuff. He moves to 55*.

10:33am - With a push through the covers Taylor brings up a patient half-century from 142 deliveries. It hasn't been flashy but it's definitely the knock his side needed. Listen to Taylor bring up his 50.

Pattinson gave him a life on the previous delivery by grassing a caught-and-bowled chance but Taylor doesn't paddle them, he really drove it hard back to the bowler.

Bit of a shaky over for the NZ skipper - the first ball generated a loud but ultimately unsuccessful caught-behind appeal. Hot Spot looked like the ball made the tiniest bit of contact with the blade, but Michael Clarke elected to not have it reviewed.

Stats guru @RicFinlay says Taylor's knock is the longest of the match, followed by Brownlie's 85-delivery dig in New Zealand's first innings.

10:26am - Brownlie gets off the mark with a sweetly timed straight drive off Siddle to the boundary and then a thick edge next ball through the slips to the rope. Kerry O'Keeffe reckons it's a "huge tactical mistake" to have Brownlie batting below Jesse Ryder.

10:08am - Kerry O'Keeffe has pointed out that the two Aussie bowlers who kept Brownlie under wraps most effectively in the first Test at the Gabba were Siddle and James Pattinson, the pair that are bowling currently.

This bodes well for the home side. The Australians are wearing black armbands today, by the way, as a mark of respect to Ponting's grandmother on his father's side who passed away.

10:01am - WICKET! Williamson c. Ponting b. Siddle 34 (4-139, Taylor 42*) - listen to the dismissal

Why waste time? Peter Siddle strikes in the first over of the day when Williamson pokes at one moving away on off-stump.

And when the ball is rocketing towards Ponting's safe hands at third slip you know you're on your way back to the sheds. He doesn't drop those. Great catch by the former skipper, diving away to his right.

That was exactly the start Australia needed - break up the big partnership, get the Kiwis shaky then try to get Dean Brownlie out before he gets his eye in. He's been the most consistent New Zealand bat in this series.

10:00am - Black Caps pair Ross Taylor (42 not out) and Kane Williamson (34 not out) have returned to the middle and they'll have confidence and momentum on their side early.

Australia's bowlers - including Ricky Ponting - couldn't budge the pair late on Saturday afternoon as the Kiwis built an unbeaten 66-run stand for the fourth wicket as the green-top pitch started to lose its venom, according to Australian coach Mickey Arthur.

Arthur told Grandstand yesterday that he sees plenty of runs in the wicket for both sides, but the Aussies will be hoping there's enough remaining gremlins in the deck for the bowlers to make some early inroads.

9:55am - Our own @PeterNewlinds has tweeted that "play will start but this on ground reporter is on red alert for a rain break". Here's hoping Mother Nature stays away for now.

Partner-in-crime Jim Maxwell (@jimmaxcricket) has also enlightened us on the Bellerive conditions: "Cloudy cool but dry could be fun on a freshened pitch with the 10am start".

Australia: Michael Clarke (c), Philip Hughes, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.

New Zealand: Ross Taylor (c), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Jesse Ryder, Dean Brownlie, Reece Young, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Chris Martin.

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia

First posted December 11, 2011 09:58:28

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Kiwis get settled in second knock

Adrian Crawford

Updated December 10, 2011 19:14:53

New Zealand captain Ross Taylor dug in as his side recovered from a shaky start to build a strong lead over Australia on day two of the second Test at Bellerive Oval.

Having dismissed the hosts for 136 - the lowest Test innings at the venue - the Black Caps increased their 14-run buffer to go to stumps at 3 for 139, an overall lead of 153 with three days to play.

It looked for all money like the Black Caps would be bowled out cheaply in their second innings after the tourists lost 3 for 37 after tea.

But Taylor (42 not out) and Kane Williamson (34 not out) got their eyes in and frustrated Australia's attack late on Saturday afternoon as the ideal bowling conditions New Zealand enjoyed earlier in the morning started to fade.

They brought up their half-century partnership off 87 deliveries as the shine wore off the ball and the pitch - a very green surface on day one - settled somewhat.

Australia coach Mickey Arthur says the green-top pitch played havoc with his side's first innings but gave just as much credit to the Black Caps' bowling.

"Yes, I think so," he told Grandstand when asked whether he thought Australia got the worst of the batting conditions on Saturday morning.

"But they also had to put the ball in the right area, which they did.

"I thought they bowled really well this morning, they didn't really give us any four balls, didn't give us much to hit, and put us under pressure."

Arthur says now that the surface is out of the equation somewhat, more runs should be expected from both teams.

"The game was pretty much even-stevens after the first innings and now they've played well," he said.

"But the wicket has definitely dried out, definitely lost a bit of its venom and hopefully should develop into a fairly good batting wicket."

The 66-run union between Taylor and Williamson was not a flashy dig but it was the the partnership New Zealand needed.

The tourists lost Brendon McCullum (12) and Martin Guptill (16) in successive overs to Victorian pace terrors James Pattinson (1 for 37) and Peter Siddle (1 for 29) respectively.

Pattinson struck first for his sixth wicket of the Test, coaxing McCullum into playing at a ball moving away from off-stump to edge a catch to Phil Hughes in the slips.

In the next over Siddle dislodged the other half of the opening pair as Guptill prodded at one and nicked it straight to Brad Haddin behind the stumps.

Jesse Ryder came to the crease and was prepared to live and die by the sword with some wild swings that missed more often than they connected.

But he was brought undone by a change of pace when Michael Clarke threw part-timer Michael Hussey (1 for 15) the ball, resulting in a slick leg-side stumping of the bulky left-hander.

The home side resumed at 1 for 12 but had spiralled to 7 for 81 by the first interval as the Black Caps' pacemen ran riot in swinging conditions on a deck still as green as it was on Friday.

Gutsy rearguard action from Siddle (36) and Pattinson (17) saved Australia's blushes with a 56-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Pattinson displayed some glorious strokeplay and earned the dubious honour of becoming Australia's first batsman for the match to score multiple boundaries.

His love for Bellerive Oval is obvious - his three highest first-class scores (31, 27 not out and 17) have all come at the Hobart venue in separate matches.

At the other end Siddle was equally solid, playing some impressive shots on his way to the match's second-highest score.

But he fell when he edged Doug Bracewell (3 for 20) to Guptill at third slip just one ball after nicking the paceman through the space in the cordon where Guptill was yet to occupy.

Pattinson went without adding any further runs to the Australian total thanks to a very tidy catch in the gully by Williamson that gave debutant Trent Boult (3 for 29) his second Test scalp.

Boult completed a three-wicket haul when he trapped Starc in front for 4 to end Australia's innings 14 runs short of its target.

While there were calls on Friday for Phil Hughes' axing from the line-up after his latest failure, few Australian top-order batsmen can escape scrutiny over an awful first innings.

Clarke was the lone bright spot with 22 but he too fell in disappointing fashion, shouldering arms to Bracewell and losing his off stump.

Clarke and David Warner (15) were the only two Aussie batsmen to reach double figures on a dismal day for the hosts.

"I guess I am (concerned)," Arthur said of his team's capitulation.

"We'd obviously like a lot more runs - there's no hiding from that - but it was tough and credit must go to New Zealand, I thought they bowled really well.

"I think 250 would be good to chase down. Anything over 270, 275 will be tough but it's going to make for an enthralling Test match."

Birthday boy Chris Martin, who sent Hughes packing in the usual fashion with an edge to the slips on Friday afternoon, finished with 3 for 46.

He enticed Warner into driving at a well-pitched delivery that the left-hander nicked to Ross Taylor in the cordon before finally putting Usman Khawaja (7) out of his misery.

Khawaja had not looked comfortable at the crease on Saturday morning and several of the 51 deliveries he faced beat the bat by the finest of margins before he was finally caught behind.

Former skipper Ricky Ponting came to the crease to a warm reception but the hometown hero was not there for long.

Tim Southee rapped him on the pads on 5 and it was so plumb that Ponting was three steps off the pitch before umpire Nigel Llong's finger was raised to signal the end of what could be the 37-year-old's second-last knock at Bellerive.

Similar fortunes awaited Hussey (8) and Haddin (5), the former becoming debutant paceman Boult's maiden Test wicket and the latter delivering a gimme catch to McCullum off Bracewell.

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia, new-zealand

First posted December 10, 2011 18:10:03

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