Aussies escape defeat in 1st Test thriller

The first cricket Test between Australia and New Zealand ended in a draw on Monday after two sporting declarations set up a thrilling finish to the fifth and final day.

There had seemed little hope of a result at the commencement of play after heavy rain disrupted the three previous days but the declarations reignited the game.

When play ended with the Gabba floodlights turned on after an absorbing final day, New Zealand were 274 for six in their second innings, just 10 runs away from victory and four wickets from defeat.

They had looked certain to steal a win after reaching 263 for five, needing 21 with three overs left before the Aussies drew on their one-day experience to deny them at the death.

Mark Richardson (57) and Stephen Fleming (57) both completed half-centuries while Nathan Astle (49) and Chris Cairns (43) also contributed quick runs as the Kiwis made a gallant attempt to reach their victory target.

Leg-spinner Shane Warne captured three quick wickets to briefly give Australia a sniff of victory before Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee tied them down in the final three overs.

Fleming initiated the prospect of a result when he declared New Zealand's first innings at lunch as soon as they reached 287 for eight to avoid the follow-on.

The Australians, leading by 199 after amassing 486 for nine in their first innings, then responded by smashing 84 for two off just 14 overs before Steve Waugh made his declaration less than an hour after lunch, leaving 57 overs.

FIVE AN OVER

Needing to score at five an over, New Zealand's batsmen immediately signalled their intentions, Richardson leading the onslaught after Matthew Bell went cheaply, trapped lbw by McGrath for three.

The left-handed Richardson was almost run out on the first ball of the innings when he tried to scamper through for a suicidal single, then had another lucky escape on 25 when he dragged a no-ball by Lee back on to his stumps.

But he survived to reach his seventh Test 50 off 54 balls, batting with a runner after tea because of a hamstring strain, before his luck ran out on 57 as Warne got him lbw.

Warne deceived Mathew Sinclair in his next over, stumped by Adam Gilchrist for 23, as the Kiwis slumped to 90 for three before Fleming and Astle put them back in the hunt with a century partnership in 82 minutes.

Astle, who made a double century at the Gabba against Queensland the week before the Test and followed up with 66 in the first innings, fell one run short of another half-century when he holed out to Jason Gillespie at long-off after trying to loft Warne to the fence.

Fleming made up for his first innings golden duck with 57 from 73 balls before he was run out by a direct throw, leaving Cairns and McMillan to take up the challenge.

The two big-hitters belted four sixes between them as they accelerated the score along to 264 for five and on course for victory when Cairns chanced his arm once too often and was caught by Ricky Ponting at long-on.

CAIRNS DEPARTS

The Australians breathed a sigh of relief as Cairns departed, then bowled a tight line to force the first drawn Test on Australian soil in two years.

New Zealand's performance was all the remarkable after they had spent the first session desperately struggling to avoid the follow-on.

They resumed on 186 for five, needing another 101 to make Australia bat again, and looked in trouble at 271 for eight after Lee removed Astle, Cairns and Adam Parore in quick succession, with Steve Waugh claiming his 100th Test catch.

Lee should have also had the wicket of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for a first-ball duck but Warne dropped him at first slip.

Given a second chance, a relieved Vettori survived long enough to allow Dion Nash to steer the Kiwis past the follow-on with an unbeaten 25 just hours after the New Zealand management announced he would be sent home as soon as the match finished after aggravating an abdominal muscle injury.

GILCHRIST PROMOTED

When Fleming surprisingly opted to call his players in after passing the follow-on, the Australians quickly went about building on their 199 lead, promoting Gilchrist to open with Matthew Hayden.

Gilchrist, one of three Aussies to score centuries in the first innings, blasted 20 from 16 balls before he was clean bowled, charging down the pitch to Cairns.

Hayden also threw his wicket away in the pursuit of quick runs, run out for 13, before Ponting (32 not out) and Justin Langer (18 not out) hurried the score along to 84 when the declaration was made.

The second Test of the three-match series starts in Hobart on November 22.

Mail Cricket Editor