The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Australia continues to dominate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 02, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Australia continues to dominate

WELLINGTON, MARCH 1. Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn came up with half centuries as Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the fourth limited-overs cricket international on Tuesday. Australia now has a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.

Stand-in captain Gilchrist hammered 54 off 37 balls while Damien Martyn top scored for Australia with 65 from 78 balls.

Valuable contributions came from Andrew Symonds (48, 37 balls) and Simon Katich (43, 41 balls) as Australia made light work of its target chase.

Australia was not in the least hampered by the absence, owing to injury, of captain Ricky Ponting (thigh) and Matthew Hayden (shoulder). The Australians reached their target with 94 balls to spare.

Gilchrist deputised for Ponting with aplomb, winning the toss and giving his four-pronged pace attack first use of a pitch which had been freshened by overnight rain.

There was less zip or seam in the pitch than the Australian captain imagined but Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz and Glenn McGrath still dominated the New Zealand batsmen.

New Zealand had its best opening stand of the series — 84 between Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle — which should have been the foundation for a competitive score.

However, the Kiwis failed to capitalise on the start and in a series of slight, cautious partnerships handed the initiative back to Australia.

On the attack

Gilchrist then led a blistering attack on the New Zealand bowlers, getting his half century from 33 balls, peppering his innings with eight fours and a six which flew into the traffic of downtown Wellington.

Each of the few batsmen Australia used followed Gilchrist's example, scoring their runs quickly as the innings was laden with boundaries.

Symonds hit four fours and three sixes in a volatile knock while Damien Martyn, on Gilchrist's dismissal, gave the Australian innings its solid base.

``It was a great team effort,'' Gilchrist said. ``The guys played really well. We were determined even though we'd already won the series, to go out today and keep playing aggressively.''

All the New Zealand bowlers suffered and will go into the final match at Napier on Saturday with their confidence low.

Newcomer Lance Hamilton gave away 67 runs off eight overs and former rugby international Jeff Wilson conceded 68 from nine, though Wilson captured his first international wicket in 12 years.

``We weren't able to put Australia under pressure for long enough periods of time,'' Fleming said. ``On a good wicket they dominated us.

``I just get the feeling we're trying to play too fast. It's about the tempo of the game. They've got us under pressure and we're making mistakes.''

New Zealand should have built on the start provided by Fleming and Astle, who were both out for 37, but none of the remaining batsmen came up with a big score.

Chris Cairns made 36 from 35 balls but was out trying to get New Zealand to a healthier total. Craig McMillan made 35, Hamish Marshall 23 and the next best contribution was from sundries (22).

Fleming and Astle succeeded in hitting Lee out of the attack early on but the Australian paceman came back in two impressive spells to remove Cairns and Brendon McCullum and ended up with two for 41 off nine overs.

McGrath and Gillespie also took wickets apiece while Kasprowicz accounted for Nathan Astle. Michael Clarke took one for 13, and James Hopes, on debut, took one for 38 from his 10 overs. — AP

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