Cricket: Black Caps need to take wickets ... and quickly

NZ spinner Jeetan Patel shows his frustration after a long day in the field yesterday. Photo / Christine Cornege

Live scores

New Zealand are facing a substantial challenge to avoid defeat in the second test against Australia after a trying third day at Seddon Park.

Australia will start the fourth day at 333 for four, holding an overall lead of 300. New Zealand must get early wickets or the task is likely to be well beyond them.

As the day progressed Australia gently eased their foot down on New Zealand's throat to the point where the hosts will, barring a colossal Australian collapse in the first hour, need to make their highest winning fourth innings total to square the series.

Two partnerships did for New Zealand yesterday.

Left-handed 34-year-olds Simon Katich and Mike Hussey put on 155 for the third wicket; then Michael Clarke and Marcus North added an unbroken 86 for the fifth.

On a comfortable pitch for batsmen who used care, the day was all about Australia working their way to a position from which defeat was off the options menu, and New Zealand trying to keep themselves in the contest.

If you're searching for a New Zealand player with his glass never less than half full, Brendon McCullum is your man, insisting New Zealand are still in the game.

The wicketkeeper wryly noted New Zealand are "not in the situation we thought we'd be in" at the start of yesterday.

At that point it was essentially a one-innings game, Australia starting two runs ahead overall with all second innings wickets standing.

But there was a lesson to be absorbed as Katich, in particular, and Hussey went about their work.

"The way those guys batted today showed us what we have to do if we are going to chase down a big total. I still think we're in the game - obviously we're a little bit behind the 8-ball," McCullum said.

His captain, Dan Vettori, played all his cards, short of bowling down a banana for variation. Bowlers were rotated, ends were swapped, they tried over and around the wicket, even Mathew Sinclair had a roll, but it was tough going.

Tim Southee and Brent Arnel bagged a couple of wickets apiece and had their moments, but Chris Martin was short on penetration and, apart from the occasional groans of "ooh" and "aah" from the fielders at close calls, it was a thankless task.

It wasn't necessarily pretty. But it didn't need to be. It was more a case of ensuring the job was done well, and in that regard Katich is an invaluable performer.

Other players might attract the headlines and garner the accolades, but this was a day tailor-made for the gritty opener.

Had his captain farewelled him in the morning with "see you at stumps, mate", Katich could scarcely have been happier as he toddled along at his own pace.

His 10th test hundred took 5 hours 41 minutes and in terms of shutting the door on New Zealand's winning aspirations, he was Australia's main man.

Occasionally he broke out with a short flurry of boundaries before settling down again.

His mental toughness and dedication to the task were top-notch.

Twice New Zealand's hopes were raised.

Southee dismissed Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting within five deliveries before lunch, Ponting pushing his fourth ball into BJ Watling's hands at short leg.

That concentrated New Zealand minds, before Katich and Hussey parked themselves.

They squeezed the life out of the attack, working their way through the middle session as that sinking feeling set in for the bowlers.

Arnel, who had a good day, got both out nibbling outside the off stump in consecutive overs.

That left Australia 214 for four overall. Springs returned to fielders' steps, only for Clarke and North to tie New Zealand's shoelaces together over the final hour.