Australia v New Zealand - Series Summary

Australia's 3-0 victory would suggest a comfortable series for the home side, but if truth be told it was not until halfway through the second Test that they affirmed their superiority over the New Zealanders. The tourists could, and perhaps should, have won the first Test in Brisbane, but stirring individual heroics from Miller, McCabe and Thomson turned the tide Australia's way, and Thomson again delivered in Hobart, backing up Border's stoic hundred with a ferocious second innings demolition of the Kiwis.

All this time, Don Bradman looked a troubled figure, scratching desperately for runs at what was just about the lowest point in his ATG career, but it is always darkest before the dawn, and the series will always be remembered for his astonishing 383 in the final Test at the WACA, a sublime innings played under the greatest personal pressure. Keith Miller was eventually named as Australia's man of the series, but Bradman's emergence from the doldrums may well prove to be the most significant individual performance in the series for Australia.

New Zealand's tour started with great hope, coming off a drawn series with Pakistan as it did, and at the halfway point in the first Test it looked as though the Blackcaps were on the verge of a significant breakthrough. However, just has been the case so often in the past, New Zealand were unable to force home their advantage, and by the end of the final Test they looked a spent force. Jack Cowie's development with the ball was a big plus, but Richard Hadlee was unable to find the form he showed in the Pakistan series, and with Stephen Boock failing to take even one wicket New Zealand's attack proved somewhat one-dimensional. The real failing was with the bat though, with Glen Turner recording the team's solitary century as only three of the top six could average over 30. With John Reid struggling to justify a place in the team his role as captain must now be in doubt, and once again New Zealand are left to look at the future with very uncertain eyes.

Australia Batting
DG Bradman 419 runs @ 104.75, KR Miller 268 @ 89.33, AR Border 288 @ 72.00, IA Healy 144 @ 72.00, SJ McCabe 152 @ 50.67

Australia Bowling
JR Thomson 15 wkts @ 14.13, AK Davidson 17 @ 15.35, KR Miller 10 @ 21.30, DK Lillee 5 @ 46.20

New Zealand Batting
GM Turner 271 runs @ 45.17, MD Crowe 218 @ 36.33, MP Donnelly 201 @ 33.50, RJ Hadlee 144 @ 28.80, JR Reid 170 @ 28.33

New Zealand Bowling
J Cowie 15 wkts @ 25.47, BR Taylor 8 @ 39.38, RJ Hadlee 8 @ 54.75

AUSTRALIA WON THE SERIES 3-0


Players of the Series: KR Miller & J Cowie

Australia v New Zealand - Third Test

The WACA Ground, Perth

Australia: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SJ McCabe, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, DK Lillee.
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: Khizer Hayat (PAK) & CJ Mitchley (SAF)
Toss: New Zealand

With the series result already decided, pride was the main commodity on the line in Perth, and with the destructive Thomson sidelined with a hamstring injury, New Zealand's chances of avoiding a whitewash were raised before a ball had been bowled. Thomson would have enjoyed bowling on a fast paced track at the WACA, and without him in the attack the Kiwis took on Australia's remaining pacemen in cavalier fashion after Reid won the toss and elected to bat.

Partnerships through the card took New Zealand to a reasonable first innings total of 305, but with Congdon, Donnelly, Reid and Hadlee all getting out between 40 and 70 one felt that it could have been much more. Lillee lost his head and was carted around the park by the tourists' top order, but Lindwall, Miller and Davidson all bowled well and were backed up by some smart catches in the cordon and behind the wicket, with Miller's catch off Lillee to dismiss Wadsworth for 2 being the pick.

Australia began their reply half an hour before lunch on the second day, and when Woodfull fell for 28 shortly after the resumption, caught by Boock in the gully off Taylor, Don Bradman walked out to play what was perhaps the most important innings of his ATG career to date. His poor form had been highlighted as one of the main reasons for Australia's recent decline, and scores of 9, 20 and 7 in this series had put his previously untouchable place in the team in severe jeopardy. The Don looked calm and collected despite the pressure though, and over the course of the next two days he compiled one of the greatest, if not the greatest, innings ever played.

Bradman had progressed to 92* out of a score of 188-1 at stumps on day two, and an off driven four off Hadlee completed his 20th ATG hundred on the third morning, the moment being greeted with a truly emotional standing ovation. This was only the start however, and by the third day's close Australia's total had moved on a monumental 529-2, 341 runs having been scored in the day for the loss of only one wicket. Bill Lawry had been the lone casualty, but not before he had ground his way to 131 out of a partnership of 325 with Bradman, the ninth highest stand of all time and the fourth highest for Australia.

Lawry's innings had not been attractive, but it had proved the ideal foil for Bradman, whose bat posed questions to which New Zealand's bowlers simply had no answers. His hundred had been converted to a double by mid-afternoon, and when stumps were drawn Bradman sat tantalizingly poised on 299, one run short of becoming the first player to record two triple hundreds in ATG Tests. The first ball of day four gave Bradman the single he needed to reach the landmark, and with Border making his way to his second consecutive hundred in typically unfussy fashion, the pair eclipsed the previous day's partnership with a stand of 327, the second highest ever for the third wicket. The scoreboard read a staggering 695-2 the ball before Cowie bowled Border, Australia's highest ever score and the second highest in ATG history, and the 700 mark was reached before Bradman finally fell, caught behind off Cowie for 383, the second highest individual score ever, behind only Bradman's own quadruple century against Pakistan.

Bradman had been at the crease for over eleven hours, and in that time he had well and truly silenced all the doubters in the most emphatic manner possible. With a lead of 395, Benaud declared upon Bradman's dismissal, leaving New Zealand the task of surviving for four and a half sessions to deny Australia a series sweep. A solid 46 from Turner and stroke-filled 80s from Crowe and Donnelly gave the Kiwis every chance of holding out, but from a position of 262-4 shortly after lunch on the final day, the innings fell apart just as it had done in the first two Tests, with Alan Davidson taking on Thomson's role of destroyer on this occasion.

Davidson moved the old ball prodigiously to claim figures of 5-56, and he finished off the match with an incredible spell of 4-0 in 10 balls as the tourists lost their last 6 wickets for just 22 runs. New Zealand simply seemed to run out of steam at the end of what had become a most physically and mentally demanding series, and Australia's innings victory confirmed a welcome return to form for the Baggy Green and for one man in particular; Bradman is back!

Scores
NZL 1st Inns 305 (Congdon 67, Hadlee 64, Donnelly 63, Reid 47)
AUS 1st Inns 700-4 dec. (Bradman 383, Border 133, Lawry 131)
NZL 2nd Inns 284 (Crowe 88, Donnelly 80, Reid 49, Turner 46; Davidson 5-56)

AUSTRALIA WON BY AN INNINGS & 111 RUNS


Man of the Match: DG Bradman

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

Australia v New Zealand - First Test

Woolloongabba, Brisbane

Australia: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SJ McCabe, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, 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

Despite many predictions of a one-sided series, Australia and New Zealand combined to produce one of the classic Test matches in Brisbane, a game with enough excitement, entertainment and emotion to last a series. Proceedings got off to an explosive start when Australia were reduced to 14-3 then 45-4 on the first morning, Jack Cowie taking advantage of a hard and true track at the Gabba, but McCabe and Miller rallied in spectacular fashion, counter-attacking to the tune of 218 runs in a fifth wicket stand that dug Australia out of a deep hole. McCabe eventually fell in the first day's final hour for 110, but Miller batted on into day two for a career-high 154 before becoming Cowie's fourth victim and one of five for Ken Wadsworth, and with Healy adding an undefeated 48 Australia managed to post a respectable 373.

New Zealand replied in confident fashion, and with Lindwall and Thomson - a late replacement for the injured Lillee - wasting the new ball, Turner and Richardson were able to compile an excellent 176 run stand for the first wicket before Benaud trapped Richardson lbw for 87 shortly before the close on day two. Turner completed his fifth ATG hundred in the day's final over, but he was one of three further lbw victims on the third morning as the Kiwi innings stumbled somewhat to 253-4, Donnelly (21) getting a shocking decision from umpire Sang Hue. Crowe dug in though, and his anchoring 82, along with attacking cameos from Reid (32) and Wadsworth (57, including four sixes off Benaud), took the tourists to 428 - their highest ever total against Australia - and a valuable 55 run lead.

Australia really were in a fight now, and once again their top order failed. It was 28-3 when a struggling Bradman was bowled for 20 by a Cowie off-cutter shortly before stumps on day three, and when Taylor nipped out both Border and McCabe on the fourth morning Australia were 86-5 and staring an embarrassing defeat firmly in the face. Fortune now favoured Australia, though: Healy should have been sent on his way for 0 but umpire Sang Hue, who was having a shocking game, failed to detect an edge off Taylor, and then Miller was dropped on 35 by Richardson in the gully. These errors allowed Miller and Healy to put on 114 crucial runs for Australia, Miller stroking his way to 86 to earn his second standing ovation of the match. Healy continued on to notch a gutsy, three and a half hour 50, but with Cowie claiming another four wicket haul and Wadsworth equalling the world record with nine dismissals in the match, Australia were eventually all out for 262 on the final morning, leaving New Zealand 79 overs to knock off the 208 they needed for victory.

The stage seemed set for the greatest of upsets, especially with Lindwall unable to bowl having pulled a calf muscle whilst batting. Thomson and Miller roared in with the new ball though, and backed by Benaud's attacking fields and a boisterous crowd they reduced New Zealand to a sorry 61-5 by mid-afternoon. Turner and Crowe had been dispatched by two more poor decisions from Sang Hue, but renewed hope came the Black Caps' way when Miller had to hobble off the field having taken 3-17, his exertions in the match finally getting the better of him. Reid and Hadlee nudged New Zealand past the hundred mark with a 52 run partnership for the sixth wicket, but Benaud's dismissal of Reid for 34 proved crucial. A brief stoppage for bad light after tea couldn't save New Zealand, and Jeff Thomson returned to blow away the tail to finish with 6-51, his best ever ATG analysis.

New Zealand had been knocked over for 154, and a dramatic last day had come to an end with Australia victorious in a match they should have lost. Had the Kiwis been able to call upon the mental toughness displayed by Miller then the result may have been different, but the hope is now for a far closer series than was originally anticipated.

Scores
AUS 1st Inns: 373 (Miller 154, McCabe 110, Healy 48*; Cowie 4-79)
NZL 1st Inns: 428 (Turner 113, Richardson 87, Crowe 82, Wadsworth 57; Davidson 4-81)
AUS 2nd Inns: 262 (Miller 86, Healy 55; Cowie 4-49)
NZL 2nd Inns: 154 (Thomson 6-51)

AUSTRALIA WON BY 53 RUNS


Man of the Match: KR Miller

Australia v New Zealand - Tour Match

Australian XI v New Zealanders
Hobart
4 Day Game
Umpires: PJ McConnell & MW Johnson
Toss: Australian XI

Austalian XI: MJ Slater, GR Marsh, DC Boon, ME Waugh, *KJ Hughes, DW Hookes, +WB Phillips, DW Fleming, MG Hughes, RM Hogg, BA Reid.
New Zealanders: GM Turner, MH Richardson, BE Congdon, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, RJ Hadlee, +KJ Wadsworth, BR Taylor, J Cowie, SL Boock.

Morale will be high in the New Zealand camp ahead of the Test series after a relatively comfortable victory over an Australian XI in Hobart, but enough questions and uncertainties still linger to ensure that the tourists will remain as firm underdogs once battle begins in earnest.

Kim Hughes' Australians failed to make the most of batting first on a placid pitch at the Bellerive Oval, with the captain himself alone in passing 50 after a succession of his comrades made starts only to get out. Hadlee's 4-75 led the way for the tourists, and Cowie and Taylor bowled with accuracy and aggression respectively as New Zealand turned in a professional performance in the field, limiting their hosts to a decidedly under par 296.

The Kiwis had little trouble in passing the Australian XI's total, with Congdon, Crowe and Reid all posting fifties, but the last four wickets fell for just eight runs to limit the tourists to 344 and an advantage of just 48. Reid was dropped three times on his way to matching Kim Hughes' 94, and as entertaining as his innings was, one wonders whether such generosity will be on offer come the Tests. Nonetheless, the New Zealanders were firmly on top at the halfway stage, and another four wicket haul from Richard Hadlee helped rout the Australians for just 149 in their second innings as the Kiwis pressed home their advantage. Michael Slater bagged a pair as the Australians stumbled to 19-3, and John Reid will have been very pleased with the way in which his bowlers finished off proceedings.

New Zealand made a bit of a meal in knocking off the 102 runs they required for victory, losing as they did four wickets along the way, but an assured looking Martin Crowe made the winning hit shortly before tea on the final day, and he will make up one part of a middle order that looks in good form ahead of the Test matches. Neither of the openers, Turner and Richardson, made a score here though, which is a worry, and Australian Test skipper Richie Benaud will have surely made a note of the fact that a number of the Kiwi batsmen looked less than comfortable against the short pitched delivery here; what price a 'Perth flyer' in the third Test? All in all though, New Zealand will have been happy with their performance in Hobart, and they will arrive in Brisbane in good heart ahead of the first Test.

Scores
AUS XI 1st Inns 296 (KJ Hughes 94, Fleming 40*; Hadlee 4-75)
NZL 1st Inns 344 (Reid 94, Congdon 62, Crowe 60; Hogg 4-75)
AUS XI 2nd Inns 149 (Hadlee 4-36)
NZL 2nd Inns 102-4 (Crowe 48*)

NEW ZEALANDERS WON BY 6 WICKETS

Australia v New Zealand - Series Preview

Australia are viewed as huge favourites ahead of this, the third ATG Trans-Tasman clash, and justifiably so; Australia sit second in the world rankings and New Zealand remain firmly anchored to the bottom, having yet to win an ATG series. However, it must be remembered that Australia have won only one series out of their last eight - that being their 2-0 victory in New Zealand - and a record of just three wins in their last fifteen Tests hardly inspires faith. Don Bradman's lack of form during this period has reduced him to the status of mere mortal, but the retention of the Ashes under Richie Benaud's leadership will have increased confidence in the Aussie camp, and there is every possibility that the Kiwis could fall victim to an Australian return to form.

However, John Reid's New Zealand did win their last Test, against Pakistan, and although that was just their fourth win in 36 attempts, there is an air of qualified expectation in the New Zealand camp. Bert Sutcliffe and Lance Cairns earn recalls in a touring party of 15, and the tour kicks off in Hobart with a four day game against an Australian XI, with three Test matches to follow.

New Zealand Squad
JR Reid (c), BE Congdon (v/c), SL Boock, BL Cairns, J Cowie, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, RJ Hadlee, DK Morrison, DN Patel, MH Richardson, B Sutcliffe, BR Taylor, GM Turner, KJ Wadsworth.