Both teams will face each other in next hour in a winner takes it all match and with everything at stake we can expect both teams to give their best shot and win the series. Aussies has comeback into this series from 0-2 and a win means a perfect comeback for them which will boost their confidence going to South Africa tour. Kiwis or as a matter of fact, it’s very rare to be in winning position against Australia and Vettori’s men will be aiming for series win.

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Scoreline: NZ 244. Ross Taylor 76 (71). Brad Haddin almost gets into controversy again. Australia make it home in 48.2 overs. Series tied at 2-2. Mike Hussey 75 (71), David Hussey 79 (96)

NZ took a conservative approach at the top. It didn’t help that Guptill dominated most of the strike rather than McCullum, but run-scoring was hard anyway with a good bowling effort by the Aussies. Just when the Kiwis had their foundation and stuff set, a flurry of wickets pulled them back again. Only the batting powerplay and a fantastic knock by Ross Taylor (yet again) took New Zealand close to 250, with help from the lower order – look out for a Kyle Mills closed-eyes six. Brad Haddin took the ball in front of the stumps yet again – luckily for him, this time the stumps stayed intact and he got away with just a sheepish look and nothing more. Serious problems for him standing up to the stumps.

The Aussie chase was effective and sensible, considering they were staring at yet another series loss with this game. The Hussey brothers took them home, but NZ were not without a couple of chances that might well have swung the game their way, had they taken them. The Mike Hussey knock was probably the deciding one considering the timing of his entry to the crease – 101/3.

Though his decisions hardly had a bearing on the game, Steve Davis had a poor day as Umpire with one pathetic LBW, in particular. An important win for Australia that could well swing their current run favourably.

NZ Batting

Aus Chase

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Scoreline: Australia 301. Brad Haddin 109. Mike Hussey 51 (32), Michael Clarke 64. NZ: 269 all out. Grant Elliott 115, Brendon McCullum 36 (27).

After the failed experiment with Clarke as captain in the 2nd ODI, good sense prevailed and Ricky Ponting was rushed back for this game. Haddin was pushed up in place of Warner and it came off, with super strikes all around. Mike Hussey got into T20 sort of attack mode towards the end of the game.

With a target of over 300, and no McCullum at the top (shoulder injury sustained during play), NZ were probably counting on Ross Taylor magic, which skipped this game. Elliott who had a role to play in the 2nd ODI got to a 100 but the NZ run-chase was stifled by a buoyant Aussie performance, that harked back to their glorious run as world champs.

Aus Batting

NZ Batting

New Zealand really did not perform that well in their previous match which they should have won without taking it to last over. So definitely there is scope of improvement as far as batting is concerned.

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Scoreline: Australia 181 all out. Mike Hussey 49. Kyle Mills 4wickets. New Zealand make it home off the last ball of the game. Ross Taylor 64.

A low scoring thriller, Australia could muster just 181, but when they came out with Shaun Tait steaming in and Nathan Bracken being Nathan Bracken, the Aussie tales of yore when they defended low scores began to flit by memory lane.

Bracken in his first 6 overs conceded a ridiculous 10 runs for 1 wicket. But with Ross Taylor around, the Kiwi chase was always on. However, there was a period in the latter half of the game, when Kyle Mills and Taylor couldn’t get the singles away and the looming batting powerplay appeared impotent. All nonsense cos Taylor and Mills shifted into overdrive and tore into the more-than-a-run-a-ball scenario (50 odd runs to get in 8 overs). The game however swung the Aussie way through a fantastic 48th over bowled by Bracken – much like Ishanth Sharma’s 49th over yesterday vs Sri Lanka (2nd ODI). In the end, New Zealand just about made it with Vettori, and Mitchell Johnson will probably rue his dropped catch off Taylor.

Pre-game: After the recent 4-1 loss to South Africa, Australia will be up against Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum and Vettori. It should be the same Aussies who played vs SA, with Tait expected to replace Hilfenhaus.

Aus Batting

NZ I

NZ II

McCullum and Vettori have put on a decent partnership in the last hour but New Zealand will know that this is a below-par score on a good batting pitch. The top four threw away their wickets after getting starts while Flynn was cleaned up by a beauty. Hauritz impressed on his comeback to international cricket, picking up two wickets after being smashed around earlier on. He later picked up an ankle injury and has not taken the field since. Vettori and McCullum will need to put up a big stand with not much batting to follow afterwards.

So NZ round off the day with a steady partnership of 34. Both are naturally aggressive players but have tempered their game to suit the situation. New Zealand probably haven’t done full justice to this pitch today by ending six wickets down. Save for Daniel Flynn, the rest gave their wickets away by trying to go over the top. Credit to the Australian bowlers for bowling well within themselves after a difficult first session and the fielders backed them up well too.

We are hardly 40% through this match in terms of time but we are more than 65% through the match in terms of the wickets fallen. 16 wickets fell today as New Zealand started the day at 7/0 and the day finished with Australia struggling at 131/6. Struggling might not be the right word to use as the Australians have a lead of 189 runs and in a low scoring affair, that is substantial. New Zealand batsmen will be kicking themselves for not having been able to follow up the good work done by their bowlers but again the fact that they didn’t allow Australia to bat well either will give them some happiness. First thing tomorrow for New Zealand will be to ensure that they fold the Aussie innings for as less as possible so that they do not have to chase a very big total. There is a lot of time left in this test match and a lot of action too. We will come back with all the action from Day 3.

Cricket 2008-09 Australia v NZ 1st Test Michael Clarke 98

Cricket 2008-09 Australia v NZ 1st Test Day 2 Session 1 Part#1

Cricket 2008-09 Australia v NZ 1st Test Day 2 Session 1 Part#2

Cricket 2008-09 Australia v NZ 1st Test Day 2 Session 2

Cricket 2008-09 Australia v NZ 1st Test Day 2 Session 3