Kiwis fight back against Oz

Mathew Sinclair and Jacob Oram completed half-centuries to help New Zealand recover from an early batting collapse and reach 250 for seven a...

Mathew Sinclair and Jacob Oram completed half-centuries to help New Zealand recover from an early batting collapse and reach 250 for seven at the end of the opening day of the first Test with Australia on Thursday.

Sinclair made a patient 69 in almost four hours while Oram blasted an unbeaten 63 to guide the Kiwis to a respectable position after they had seemed destined for a much lower total.

Things were looking grim for the tourists when they limped to 142-5 at tea after Michael Kasprowicz had ripped through the top order with an inspired display of fast bowling on a Gabba pitch ideal for batting.

But the New Zealand lower order added 108 runs for the loss of just two wickets in the final session to deny the Australians a quick kill.

Opener Mark Richardson fell for 19 when he fended a ball that moved away from him to Ricky Ponting at second slip then captain Stephen Fleming departed for a duck when he edged to Shane Warne at first slip.

Sinclair, who had averaged just 12 in his previous six Tests against Australia, slowly set about rebuilding the Kiwi innings, sharing successive half-century partnerships with Scott Styris then Nathan Astle.

Styris was dismissed for 27 after the lunch break when he nicked Kasprowicz behind to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist then Astle was run out for 19 after Michael Clarke threw down the stumps from 30 metres away in a brilliant piece of fielding.

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Sinclair was almost run out by Clarke on 13 but survived and held the Australians at bay for most of the day until his innings eventually came to an end when Ponting held a low catch off Gillespie at slip, albeit after the third umpire Peter Parker was called on to confirm the ball had carried through.

With the top order already back in the pavillion, New Zealand8217;s hopes of posting a competitive total seemed to be fading until Oram staged his own recovery.

The giant all-rounder, who stands almost two metres tall, blasted nine boundaries, including three in succession off Gillespie, to register his fifth Test 50 and finish the day with his wicket intact and Daniel Vettori with him on 13.

Craig McMillan also chipped in with a valuable 23 before he was caught behind off Shane Warne, who also claimed the scalp of Brendon McCullum when he tempted him down the pitch and Gilchrist had him stumped. Reuters

Brief scores

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New Zealand 250/7 M Sinclair 69, J Oram 63 not out; Kasprowicz 3/54, Warne 2/65 vs Australia