Australia bowled out for 214 in the first test against New Zealand at Brisbane
by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

Scorecard:Australia v New Zealand
Player:ML Hayden, SM Katich, RT Ponting, MEK Hussey, MJ Clarke, A Symonds, SR Watson, BJ Haddin, TG Southee, IE O'Brien
Event:New Zealand in Australia 2008/09
DateLine: 20th November 2008

 

Australia were struggling in the seaming conditions at Gabba. Tim Southee the rookie fast bowler from New Zealand ripped through the Australian top order leaving them tottering at 23 for 3. They recovered to finish their innings at 214 thanks to a brilliant 98 by Michael Clarke. New Zealand finished the day at 7 for no loss.

Earlier in the day New Zealand won the toss and elected to field on a pitch which had moisture due to overnight rain. Australia were in trouble immediately with Hayden trying an ambitious drive was caught at slip of the bowling of Southee. Katich followed getting caught behind lunging forward. But the big wicket was that of the Australian captain Ricky Ponting. He was completely squared up by Southee to be caught in the slips. It was the ball of the match. He had no clue where the ball had gone.After all the pre season talk this is the last thing the captain would have wanted.

In walked Michael Clarke with Australia in tatters. They were 23 for 3. He along with Hussey made sure that there were no more hiccups and Australia went into lunch at 60 for 3. Hussey and Clarke took their partnership to 50 before an error in judgment by Hussey, shouldering arms led to him being given out leg before by Rudi Koertzen.In came the controversial child Andrew Symonds to a rousing reception from the sparse home crowd.He along with Michael Clarke again stitched a good partnership.Andrew Symonds started aggressively after missing the India series. He went on to get 8 runs in one ball through overthrows, was dropped, but was caught behind of the next ball, all in one over of the bowling of O'Brien.

Watson and Haddin did not last long. And Michael Clarke who had reached his fifty by then started running out of partners. He played a brilliant lone hand but was castled in the end by Ryder two short of a well deserved hundred. Australia will still fancy its chances with overcast conditions and lot of bounce and carry for its seamers. Lee, Clarke and Johnson will be licking their lips after the flat beds and strong batting line up in India. The inexperienced batting line up of New Zealand still have a tough task at hand on a pitch which still has some bounce and lateral movement. But the first day belonged to their bowlers and Southee in particular who ended up with 4 wickets.