Cairns scripts Kiwi revival

Wellington, March 24: New Zealand, propelled by a pugnacious century from Chris Cairns, had Australia on the backfoot after a wildly fluct...

Wellington, March 24: New Zealand, propelled by a pugnacious century from Chris Cairns, had Australia on the backfoot after a wildly fluctuating opening day’s play in the second cricket Test at the Basin Reserve, here on Friday.

The lusty hitting Cairns put on 72 runs in 54 minutes for the sixth-wicket with Astle and combined with Parore to add 109 runs for the seventh-wicket to turn around the New Zealand fortunes after express bowler Brett Lee had struck thrice.

New Zealand profited from uncustomary sloppy Australian fielding with Astle dropped on 15 by Brett Lee, Cairns having a life on 38 when Mark Waugh spilled a one-handed effort at second slip and Vettori fumbled by Warne at slip when on 19 on the way to 27. Warne claimed four wickets for 68 to take his career tally to 360.

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He removed Astle when Mark Waugh made amends with a catch at slip and after the dismissal of Cairns by Colin Miller, Warne got the wickets of tailenders Vettori and Simon Doull.

The Kiwis tore into the Australian bowlers after lunch, with 92 runs flowing in the third hour as Cairns and Parore lashed out.

From 66 for five, the Kiwis did extraordinarily well to finish just a couple runs off 300.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand (1st innings): M Horne c Warne b Lee 4, C Spearman c Gilchrist b Lee 4, M Sinclair lbw b Miller 4, S Fleming c Miller b Warne 16, N Astle c M Waugh b Warne 61, C McMillan c Gilchrist b Lee 1, C Cairns c Blewett b Miller 109, A Parore c Gilchrist b Blewett 46, D Vettori c Langer b Warne 27, S Doull c Slater b Warne 12, S O’Connor (not out) 2; Extras (b1, lb8, nb3) 12. Total (all out in 80.5 overs) 298
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-9, 3-18, 4-53, 5-66, 6-138, 7-247, 8-282, 9-287
Bowling: McGrath 17-4-60-0, Lee 17-2-49-3, Miller 20-2-78-2, Warne 14.5-1-68-4, Blewett 8-1-24-1, S Waugh 4-0-10-0

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Australia (1st innings): M Slater (batting) 22, G Blewett c Astle b Doull 0, S Warne lbw b Vettori 7. Total (for 2 wkts in 7 overs) 29
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-29
Bowling: Cairns 3-0-14-0, Doull 3-1-12-1, Vettori 1-0-3-1