Australia v New Zealand - Second Test

Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Australia: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SJ McCabe, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, DK Lillee, JR Thomson.
New Zealand: GM Turner, MH Richardson, BE Congdon, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, RJ Hadlee, +KJ Wadsworth, BR Taylor, J Cowie, SL Boock.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: HD Bird (ENG) & D Sang Hue (WI)
Toss: Australia

After the stirring events in Brisbane it was almost inevitable that the second Test in Hobart would be something of an anti-climax, and so it proved as Australia crushed New Zealand by ten wickets in less than three days playing time at the Bellerive Oval. Richie Benaud won an important toss on a hot and humid first morning, and having inserted the tourists on a green wicket Australia hustled them out before stumps for just 192, with Benaud not having to call on his own bowling as his seam attack did all the damage.

With Lindwall rested, Lillee and Thomson played together for the first time in an ATG Test, but they only took one wicket apiece as the lesser pace of Davidson and the unlikely figure of McCabe caused the most problems. Congdon compiled an assured fifty, sharing stands of 62 with Turner (35) and 46 with Donnelly (28), and at 116-3 New Zealand were handily placed, but the run outs of Donnelly and Reid knocked the stuffing out of the middle order, allowing Davidson to clean up the tail with figures of 4-33.

A spectacular thunderstorm curtailed Australia's reply on the first evening, and in conducive bowling conditions on the second morning the hosts were reduced to 69-4 at lunch in a dramatic repeat of the events of the first Test. Woodfull, Lawry and McCabe were all caught in the cordon, and Bradman's woes continued when he edged Cowie behind for 7, the third time in three innings that Cowie has captured the Don's wicket. Border was still there though, and just as in Brisbane the Australians were able to rescue the innings as New Zealand were unable to force home their advantage.

A clearly unfit Miller managed to contribute 28 to a 77 run stand for the fifth wicket, and attacking forties from both Healy and Davidson, who was dropped on 5 by Congdon off Hadlee, allowed Australia to edge first past 200 then on towards 300. All this time Border was nudging and nurdling his way to a hard earned century, the ninth of his ATG career, and although his form of counter-attack was not perhaps as enthralling as that of Miller's at the Gabba, it was every bit as crucial.

Australia were eventually bowled out for 308 on the third morning, Border ninth out for a six hour 131. He was one of six catches in the innings for Wadsworth, a world record for ATG Tests - although Alan Knott has previously claimed five catches and a stumping in the same innings - and with the deserving Jack Cowie claiming his first five wicket haul New Zealand could claim at least a little solace. Australia nonetheless held a commanding lead of 116, and by the end of the day they had done what New Zealand had failed to do, that is to force home the advantage when they were on top.

New Zealand were comfortably placed at 101-2 when rain forced the players from the field shortly after tea, but just as in the first innings the wheels then came off, but this time in even more spectacular fashion. Jeff Thomson switched to the Church Street End and delivered one of the most ferocious spells imaginable, claiming 5-19 as New Zealand slumped to 145-9 by the time stumps were drawn. Turner's three hour 47 was the only significant resistance, and having come so close in the first Test New Zealand's capitulation here was all the more disappointing. Thomson completed his second six wicket haul of the series on the fourth morning when he splayed Taylor's stumps, and Woodfull and Lawry knocked off the 39 runs Australia needed to complete a ten wicket victory half an hour before lunch, a victory that also secured the series.

Thomson's pace had undone New Zealand for the second match in succession, but just as in Brisbane, New Zealand found themselves unable to capitalize whenever they found themselves in positions of strength, with Allan Border organizing the Australian rescue efforts on this occasion. The Kiwis will be keen to avoid a whitewash in Perth, but given the events of the first two Tests one would not want to bet against the Australians now.

Scores
NZL 1st Inns 192 (Congdon 54; Davidson 4-33)
AUS 1st Inns 308 (Border 131, Healy 41, Davidson 40; Cowie 5-103)
NZL 2nd Inns 154 (Turner 47; Thomson 6-30)
AUS 2nd Inns 42-0

AUSTRALIA WON BY 10 WICKETS

Man of the Match: AR Border